On Saturday (Oct. 2nd) I woke up, ate breakfast with Jill in the hotel, and packed up my things. We headed to Atocha, Madrid’s larger train station, and the one from which both of us would be leaving later that day. Jill, at 12:30, toward Zaragoza; Megan, at 19:00 h, toward Huesca.
My original plan was to leave my belongings in the baggage room and head back to the city for a couple of hours. However, after calculating the time I’d have in Madrid (alone) and the price and hassle of locking my things up, I decided it wasn’t worth it. “I’ve been to Madrid before,” I thought, “I’ll just write my blog, and prepare things for this week.”
Just when I had settled on that idea, Jill proposed that I change my ticket to Zaragoza and spend the afternoon with her. (Huesca is somewhat difficult to travel to without being flexible to very specific times. The best bet, I now understand, is to travel to Zaragoza, where there are MANY times to choose from to get to Huesca).
Before changing my ticket on a whim I called my landlord, Paquita, to see if I could move in a little earlier than 21:00h (9 PM), explaining that didn’t want to stay in Atocha all afternoon, and was planning to spend part of the day in Zaragoza, but would leave for Huesca around 19:00 h (7 PM). To my surprise, she offered to take me from Zaragoza to Huesca.
So, just after 12 PM, I was able to change my ticket, and shortly after boarded the AVE with Jill. The AVE was great. Not only does it cut the length of train rides in half, but it also a much smoother ride. Within an hour and a half we were in Zaragoza.
We left our bags in Jill’s surprisingly spacious flat, and headed to a little sandwich shop. After our sandwiches I was happy to introduce Jill to the wonderful treat / drink “bombon”. I love presenting delicious food and awesome places to newbies. It’s like reliving my own first experiences all over again. Mmmm. Bombons.
la Basicilica del Pilar
Then, Jill took me to la Basilicia del Pilar, and we walked around the enormous plaza, and some of the monuments and streets close by. I found the overall environment relaxing, but must admit that at no point was I floured or totally charmed by the city and her churches, buildings, and shops. Zaragoza just wasn’t absolutely stunning, like Sevilla and Valencia, nor was she quite as charming as Toledo. I think on a sunny day, and with more time, I´d be more impressed, but still doubt Zaragoza will ever be a city that will make me say “I have to go there. I have to go back.”
la plaza del Pilar
Although I didn´t find the city precious, stunning, or incredibly charming, I did have a great day. I got to spend more time with a new friend, do a little exploring in a new place, when I could have been stuck in Atocha (train station in Madrid) til´ late afternoon. I always like to go into situations with a plan or two, but when I´m offered a plan of spontaneity and flexibility… “we can just walk around and check out Zaragoza” I´m all about it. In fact, tossing my first plan for a better more adventurous one ignites a childlike energy inside me and gives me the idea that I can deal with anything that comes my way. So while Zaragoza wasn´t spectacular in itself, it was, for me, an exhilarating day.
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