Jaca: Tapas central

Blip chosen for being untypical of my photos. Alternative here.

We didn't get up any earlier today than we did yesterday. But we went to Jaca anyway. First stop after the obligatory cafe con leche was the diocesan museum, said to contain some of the finest Romanesque wall art in the world. The pieces were originally in local rural churches -- it's a shame they were removed, but at least here they are well looked after rather than being damaged by damp and vandalism. There were some beauties; S's favourite was the Pantokrator, which he rightly said reminded him of a Picasso portrait. Other highlights: Adam and Eve leaving nothing to the imagination, and a lovely altar front featuring the life of the BVM (that's Mary and Elizabeth in the centre).

Since we arrived so late, it was lunchtime by the time we came out. Instead of having yet another large meal, we squeezed into La Tasca de Ana, said to be one of the best tapas bars in Aragon. At half past one, it was packed out, but most people were having a drink and a couple of tapas and then leaving, so we soon snagged a table. We had several tapas, all of which were excellent. Special mention to the foie gras with fig jam, and the potatoes with a very hot mojo picón. Jaca really is tapas central at lunchtime, and probably in the evening too; the pedestrianised streets were full of people eating and drinking.

From there we walked over to the Ciudadela, a massive walled fort in the style of Vauban, but as usual we had showed up at the wrong time and it was closed, so we had to satisfy ourselves with a walk around the exterior. There was more wall art of a different kind here, appearing to be a sophisticated critique of the consumer society.

Back home via the village of Fiscal. In Aínsa, where we stopped to buy bread and wine to sustain us for an evening in, there were hordes of small witches, vampires, ghosts, and devils, obviously heading to a big event somewhere.

A set of photos on Flickr, right from here. All taken with the little Sony, which did very well in the extremely dimly lit museum.