We wake in Zaragoza in the centre of town. Anne found a hotel location with offsite parking, hard to find and only two levels underground to navigate. (Anne’s note: it wan’t just “only 2 levels underground”. It was a scary ride down a shiny, dark, very tight corkscrew which kept Anne awake the following night with worry. While the dirt road riding before Olite had gone really well, one tight left hand hairpin was badly handled and forced Anne to stop. Righthand hairpins were never a problem. The left ones were now nervewracking. Very annoying. The thought of riding back up that corkscrew terrified her until she decided to walk it the next day – it wasn’t that bad after all and would be easy enough. Her head can get in the way sometimes!! And the ride back up a few days later was fine indeed).

Zaragoza lies roughly in the centre of the autonomous province of Aragon and half way between Madrid and Barcelona.

Yesterday after our arrival we found a great cafe with many gluten free options across the road from the hotel, so food is covered.

Supermarkets are cleverly tucked away inside the centre of large buildings – their street frontage barely wider than an apartment entrance and easy to miss. A small entrance and what looks like just a couple of aisles of products can expand to include fresh meat and fish stands. Everything you need close to your apartment.

It is apparent that many people in Zaragoza live in apartments and life appears to revolve around nearby parks and the cafés which seems to be the social hub. Each cafe had customers at the counter, small tables and often a more formal dining area towards the back.

The sixth is Anne’s birthday and after giving her a birthday card, no room for presents on the bike sadly, we are off to our first site to visit today: the laundrette for an exciting hour of watching clothes going round and round.

Better follows for Anne though, despite her migraine and coughing bug she woke up with, as we go to El Sardi for a Birthday lunch. We are the first guests again, not quite used to the Spanish eating times. While the meal was delicious, it was the random act of kindness from the restaurant manager which was the most memorable. He had noticed how much Anne had enjoyed a whole tin of anchovies that he presented her with another one before leaving. Those anchovies were not only delicate and juicy but without a single fish bone – couldn’t call these “hairy fish”. Lucky Anthony doesn’t enjoy them!!

The weather forecast in Spain has been cold and rainy and we are glad we stayed put an extra day.

Time for lots of walking and discovering including a visit to the Palace of Aljafería.

After a few relaxing days in Zaragoza, it looks like the weather is fining up a bit, so off we head to Cuenca next.

No camping though as it is still forecast to be pretty cold and wet so a hotel booking is made for Cuenca.

– Anthony