CHAPTER 19. SPAIN PART ll CONT.

Let us finally, but reluctantly, leave Barcelona and return to the continuation of our 1975 Spain trip. It is June 17th and we drive up, up, up, fantastic saw-toothed mountains to Montserrat to see the Black Virgin in the cathedral and hear the famous boys’ choir sing. There are hoards of people and many tour busses. We eat a picnic lunch on the way down, then drive to Zaragoza in hot and windy weather thru fine farming country, then desert with some grain, and then a great valley with fine irrigated farm land and espaliered cherry and plum orchards, grapes, hay, and grain. En route we are stopped briefly by policia to see our drivers license.

After breakfast we see the Zaragoza Cathedral and their polished and beautiful treasures before leaving for Pamplona. We have a picnic lunch in a pine grove before trying to get a room at the Olita Parador, but none is available. We walk around the enormous castle there, but it is closed for siesta so we can’t get inside. We stop to see the pretty romanesque chapel at Eunate, then continue to see the bridge at Puente la Reina, both on the major trails to Santiago de Compostela, trod by countless medieval pilgrims. Today we see mostly rolling dry country, but nearing Pamplona there are very green fields of grapes, tomatoes, corn, artichokes, and orchards. On a walking tour from the hotel we see the cathedral, some old walls, and a little of Pamplona.