Spain - Passing Through - Part III
On Saturday we visited Spain's sixth largest city SARAGOSSA (Zaragoza). On this very day preparations for the Fiesta del Pilar were in full swing there. The streets were full of locals and the city's guests. We went to wander through the city and mingled with the crowd. Here are a few views from the sidelines.
October 2008
On Saturday we visited Spain's sixth largest city SARAGOSSA (Zaragoza). On this very day preparations for the Fiesta del Pilar were in full swing there. The streets were full of locals and the city's guests.
One of the sights is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, whose ceiling paintings were created by the famous painter Goya.
An interesting discovery - in this church one could light a candle for the souls of one's loved ones, but only an electric one. Drop in 1 euro and one of the small bulbs in a row would light up, glowing for a few minutes and then being switched off as an energy-saving measure. The impression left was rather commercialised. We Latvians are still accustomed to the flame of a real candle and the smell of burning wax. We do need that authenticity - even for the same 1–2 euros.
At the church, on a pedestal in connection with the festival, a statue of the Madonna had been placed, while not far away various Spanish folk melodies rang out from a stage. Nearby one could also watch various mime performances.
We went to wander through the city and mingled with the crowd. Here are a few views from the sidelines.
It was unmistakably clear that on festival days or weekends it is a point of honour for both women and men to dress in traditional costumes. For men - characteristic scarves tied around the neck in various styles; for women - brooches, handbags carried over the arm (not on the shoulder), necklaces. Colours coordinated, without contrasts.
Ēriks finally found himself a cerveza in the right size. But if I were from Zaragoza, it seems I would receive roses on festival days from a flower delivery company called simply and unambiguously - La Mafia. :)
Otherwise, one can feel perfectly safe there, as the city is guarded by two stone lions - a symbol also visible in the city's coat of arms. And angels have descended from the heavens ... and struggle with the wind, which billows the white sheet and cannot help conceal the telltale cardboard box beneath.
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