Highlights of Semana Santa 2011

Much of Spain shuts down for the week before Easter, commonly known as "Semana Santa", Pat's company, Coty Astor, being no exception. So we decided to take a driving trip across the peninsula to the Atlantic Ocean and into Northern Portugal, visiting some well-known cities en route and taking in some Easter processionals. We started on April 15th and headed west to Lleida, had lunch in Zaragoza and spent the first night in Burgos.

Below is a picture typical of the desert-like very dry landscape in Aragon between Lleida and Zaragoza, where water and crops are scarce. We seemed so far away from the lush growing area of Catalunya!














With grandchild #1 expected in October, I am always looking at baby clothes in shops, or just window-shopping as was the case here!














The city of Zaragoza (population ~625,000) is the fifth largest in Spain. It was founded by the Romans in about 14 B.C. They called it Caesaraugusta. We had a great lunch at a tapas bar called Casa Pascualillo. Their house specialty, which goes by the same name, is a small bocadillo (open-faced sandwich) of jamon, mushrooms and onion!














Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar. It is believed that Santiago (St. James the Apostle) saw the Virgen Mary descend atop a marble pillar on January 2, AD 40. A chapel was built around this pillar, now hidden in the Capilla Santa. Only a tiny portion of it remains exposed for the faithful to kiss.



















The Basilica with City Hall beside it.



















A close-up view of the Basilica showing its many chapels and domes.














The Plaza del Pilar, lined on the upper side with many open-air cafés and restaurants.














Roman ruins remain in the city along the Rio Ebro.














From Zaragoza, we drove to Burgos where we spent our first night at the Hotel Norte y Londres, a basic hotel in the centre of the old city. Below is the view from our room:




















For supper we enjoyed the best tapas ever at La Favorita, just around the corner. Here the waiter is carving a fresh "jamon iberico", always popular in Spain!














And when he runs out...look up...














Front and centre at the busy bar...the sirloin with foie gras melted in your mouth!














Tapas on display at the bar














Afterwards a walk around the old city centre to explore a bit...below is the Catedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, begun as a Romanesque Church but later enlarged from A.D. 1221. The famous son of Burgos, El Cid, is buried here.














Facing the Rio Arlanzon, is the Arco de Santa Maria, once the main gate to the old city and part of 14th century walls.














Near our hotel is this building, the name of which escapes me! Sorry!














On to Leon and their famous Palm Sunday Procession tomorrow...