ZARAGOZA, SPAIN

THIS IS A LOVELY LARGISH CITY IN THE NORTH OF SPAIN. IT IS A REAL HIDDEN GEM. IT IS SITUATED IN A RATHER DRY/ARID BOWL ON THE BANKS OF THE MAIN RIVER EBRO WHICH RUNS THROUGH IT. HOWEVER THE DRY/ARID ASPECT IS ALSO VERY MUCH PART OF ITS OVERALL APPEAL & CHARM. HOWEVER DURING THE AUTUMN/WINTER MONTHS THERE CAN BE QUITE A LOT OF FOG. ALSO GIVEN ITS RATHER EXPOSED POSITION IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PLAIN ON EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER IT CAN ALSO GET RATHER WINDY FROM TIME TO TIME. IT IS WIDELY RATHER OVERLOOKED BY INTERNATIONAL TOURIST HOWEVER IT IS STARTING TO RIGHTFULLY SO GET NOTICED. OVER THE PAST DECADES IT HAS MAINLY BEEN MORE POPULAR WITH THE SPANISH THEMSELVES AND IN PARTICULAR THOSE EXTRA RELIGIOUS PEOPLE DUE TO THE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING & ORNATE CATHEDRAL OF PILAR. IT ALSO HAS AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING LARGE PLAZA DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE BASILICA WHERE CONCERTS ARE REGULARLY HELD ON VARIOUS WEEKENDS. ONE GOOD THING WITH IT NOT BEING SO OVERLY TOURIST IS YOU CAN STILL GET A FULL BOTTLE OF WINE INCLUDED WITH THE MENU DEL DIA (MENU OF THE DAY) WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY BECOMING LESS & LESS A THING ELSEWHERE IN SPAIN. HOWEVER I THINK THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE OVERALL VERY GENEROUS & FRIENDLY NATURE OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE AND THEY WILL NOT GET STINGY & UNSENTIMENTAL AS WITH OTHER PARTS OF SPAIN THAT ONLY OFFER A VERY SMALL GLASS OF WINE WITH THEIR MENU DEL DIA. THE MAIN PARTIES HAPPEN EVERY YEAR AROUND THE SECOND WEEK OF OCTOBER. THEY ARE TRULY A SIGHT TO BEHOLD & EXPERIENCE. EASTER WEEK IS ALSO ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. THERE IS ONE MAIN PROBLEM THOUGH AND THAT IS THAT UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF ORIENTAL (MAINLY CHINESE) PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SOMEHOW REGRETTABLY ALLOWED TO COME IN AND BASICALLY BUY UP & TAKE OVER MOST OF THE BARS & RESTAURANTS IN THE ENTIRE CITY. NOW I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS PART OF SOME MORE DUBIOUS MONEY LAUNDERING THING BUT I DO KNOW UNFORTUNATELY IT IS GETTING EVER MORE INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO GET A GOOD PROPER TAPA AND/OR MENU OF THE DAY. IT USED TO BE A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO THAT NEARLY EVERY STREET HAD 3 OR 4 VERY GOOD ‘SPANISH OWNED & RUN’ BARS & RESTAURANTS, HOWEVER NOW YOU WOULD BE HARD PUSHED TO FIND 1. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO FIND THAT EXTRA SPECIAL OLD STYLE ‘SPANISH OWNED & RUN’ BAR & RESTAURANT BUT NOW THAT HAS UNFORTUNATELY BECOME MORE & MORE DIFFICULT. WHY THIS WAS EVER ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IS BEYOND ME. I CAN UNDERSTAND THESE ORIENTALS (MAINLY CHINESE) PEOPLE ARRIVING WITH SUITCASES FULL OF CASH AND THE LOCAL SPANISH BAR & RESTAURANTS OWNERS GRABBING THAT AND RUNNING, BUT I THINK ONE DAY IN PARTICULAR THE LOCAL PEOPLE OF ZARAGOZA WILL SERIOUSLY REGRET THAT.