Spain & France Sightseeing

On Wednesday, 3/23, we left for Zaragoza, Spain, a 5-1/2 hour drive from Marseillan.  Maddy wanted to experience the Samana Santa (Easter Holy Week processions) that we saw in Córdoba and Rhonda a few years back.   We arrived in Zaragoza and planned on attending a 9:30 pm procession.   It is a big city with a very nice old town area.   We wandered the streets and had tapas in the Old Town.   A very beautiful plaza and cathedral (very ornate) and some Roman ruins.    Unfortunately, the procession didn't compare to the pageantry in the southern part of Spain.  Maddy was very disappointed. There was only one float with the Blessed Mother (not carried but on wheels), lots of cone shaped hooded pilgrums, Spanish ladies with their mantillas and many drummers.  There were lots of families waiting to see the procession. 

The next day, Thursday. 3/24, we drive to Sitgas (about 2-1/2 hour drive from Zaragoza) recommended by Thom, Maddy's brother.  It was a nice city on the waterfront and nice promenade on the Mediterranean.  But it was too crowded for my taste and it isn't even the busy time.  We had lunch in Sitgas and drove to Roses, on the Costa Brava in Spain.  We all enjoyed this quieter town with a promenade by the water where we walked and had a sunset cocktail.  We then headed for Cadaques, recommended by my friend Denis.   It was a beautiful, zig zag road to get to the city, but it was too crowded and not fun driving thru the tiny streets, definitely a pedestrian haven.  The locals were coming to the sea to enjoy their Easter break. It is worth taking the ride into the city and seeing the old town, but better visited when the tourist season is slower.   On our return home to the apartment, we visited another one of the most beautiful medeival villages of France in the Orientales Pyrennes area - Castelnou.  A very quaint and picturesque village where we had Racoulet, traditional French fondue lunch - yummy!   The village is picturesque and definitely worth a visit.   We returned to the apartment in Marseillan on Friday, 3/25. Maddy was the unfortunate one to catch a bad cold at the beginning of this travel week, and I was blessed with it upon my return to the apartment.  I guess we're lucky we didn't get sick until the end of this adventure.

Pedestrian walkway thru old town in Zaragoza

Santa Maria Cathedral - very ornate inside

Cathedral at night near the Erbo River

Ebro River across the street from the Cathedral.

Samana Santa Blessed Virgin float in Zaragoza, Spain

Promenade in Sitgas, Spain

View from our room in Roses, in the Catalonia region if Spain on the Costa Brava

Most northern point of Spain in Roses.

Gem of Costa Brava

Driving thru winding, mountain roads to Cadaques, Spain.

Cadaques - Salvadore Dali lived here.

Castelnou, (Orientales Pyrennes France) situated in the rolling hills of the eastern Pyrennes

Priscilla at the entrance to Castlenou - entrance arch from 14th century

Our lunch of traditional Racoulet, French fondue.

Narrow cobbled streets

Population according to one French tourist is 70 people.