Hi jer, I might be visiting Barcelona in October and have noticed that there is a holiday around 7/8th october, could you tell me what it is please? Most hotels seem to charging a higher rate during this week so depending on your feedback I might change weeks.
Thanks for any help.

Hi Sue, back to Spain already, you just left. Jejeje, that's what I like to hear.

Anyway, I will cut to the chase. From October 8th to the 12th, Spain celebrates the "Fiesta del Pilar" (it's Patron Saint). "Nuestra Se�ora del Pilar de Zaragoza" is a festival representative of Zaragoza but celebrated in all of Spain.

The tradition dates back to the 12th century when the Apostol Santiago evangelized Spain, one day the virgin appeared to him on top of a column or "pilar" ("p�llar"). The virgin told him to continue preaching in spite of the few followers and converts he had. Later on the nation was full of "believers".

So, in memory of this "virgin spotting" (sounds like some kind of adolescent game
) the apostile and his followers constructed a temple in the spot where today we find the amazing "Bas�lica de Nuestra Se�ora del Pilar" in Zaragoza which has become famouse throughout Spain and the entire world.

The day of the Pilar is actually the 12th of October and as a useless side note, in 1492 on that exact date, Christopher Columbus discovered America. Legend has it that before the discovery, monks in the "Bas�lica de Nuestra Se�ora del Pilar" in Zaragoza were praying for the success of the expedition. A work of GOD? It's up to you to decide.

Ok Sue, I know that was more than you bargained for but I figured it can't hurt.

Saludos & Enjoy,
jer...

p.d. if it is not too much more expensive during those dates it is worth experiencing the merrymaking

Jer, thanks for the info, actually I should have looked into it a bit more as I was in Zaragoza in March this year and visted the Basilica! As for my visiting Spain again, where else would one go to relax? HA HA. Seriously though, it could be a cheap break, as Easyjet are offering 20,000 free flights to all it's European destinations from Friday, on a first come come first served basis, and when they have gone there is another 100,000 flights at bargain prices, ie return to Madrid or Barcelona for �35.
If this comes off for me, it will be my 4th trip to your beautiful land as I will be in Torremolinos for 2 weeks in September for our annual hols. Sorry to rub it in, but I just love Spain and it's so easy to travel there from the UK.

Hey Sue, rub what in silly? Have you forgotten that I live here in Madrid? Jejeje

I know exactly what you mean though, a friend of mine just relocated here from London and another from Belfast. The other day I was showing them around and the sun was shining bright as usual. I was talking to them and then I suddenly realized that I was really talking to myself! I turned to look back and see where they had gone and I saw them standing dead still and basking in a ray of sunlight.

They then explained to me that when the sun does finally shine in England, it does not produce that type of warming feeling that it does here.

Come on over as often as you like . I would have come over more often when I was growing up but I was raised in New York so the hopping over on a cheap flight was not as easy but I am making up for lost time now.

For future reference, I have set up a new section of my site to use to find out what holidays (Madrid holidays) fall when. You can check it outat www.multimadrid.com/madrid_calendar/mad_calendar.htm. The visitor can also use it as his/her own personal scheduler.

Saludos,
jer...

p.d. I love your signature at the bottom of your posts, "I love spain"... right to the point.

Hola Jer, Just an update on my visit to Barcelona, It took me 12 hours to finally get through to Easyjet when the lines opened at 6am on Friday. As luck would have it, they were out of free flights by that time, and all the reduced flights for October/November were gone too. So I managed to get a couple of flights for the 1st week in December at �35 return. I am now looking forward to an exciting if not chilly trip, can't wait!
See you, Sue.

Ok, so "Easy Jet" is Easy except for when they have special deals and then they turn into "Harder than Hell to Get Great Deals Jet". Sounds typical of them but I guess it worked out in the end.

Ready for a stupid question? Whenever I have flown Easy Jet I have booked online. Why didn't you book the flight on their website? Is this a special deal that you can not book online?

Saludos,
jer....

Hi again Jer, The offer was on-line, but it was difficult to get through each of the stages. They were apparantly inundated and the site kept crashing under the strain. Once you clicked on the opening page and selected your flights, it just would not go any further. Each time I tried it failed to connect to the next page, next time it would go to the prices section but then would not go into the booking procedure. As you can imagine I was getting rather fed up, but by evening after many, many attempts it finally let me in to the last stage. So Barcelona here I come!
Love Sue. (and Spain) HA HA

Right, now I understand. I should have guessed since I get the same problem at times with the Iberia (www.iberia.com) "Despegue Online" ("Takeoff Online") special offers. At times of great deals it is nuts trying to get through. "Patience is a virtue" (of saints and Spain lovers !).

Have an awesome trip!
jer...