Valencia - What a place

What a fun day.  Started at the largest indoor market in Europe.  985 Vendors each day from 7 - 2 pm. Amazing.  It is only 2 blocks from our apartment so we got our walking shoes on and started out.  It is mostly fresh food that you have to cook, in contrast to the markets in Italy and France where you could get already prepared food.  So, we were only on a looking expedition, since I am not interested in preparing a roast chicken, or pig, or whatever. Even toast is sort of a stretch.  I'm thinkin' let's go out.

The Market

Everyone shops everyday for fresh

onions are peeled for you.  I'd buy from him.

I don't know what these are in the foreground and don't want to know. They look like puppies.  The farthest bin is chicken feet.  Really.

Fresh juice that they squeeze for you.  I had blood orange juice today.  1 Euro.

All sorts of pig parts, snouts, stomachs

feet, ears, lungs

Everything but the Oink!

Finally something that I could eat. Candy!

and drink

Nuts

Chips are everywhere.  Jerry is in heaven.

quail, back center.

Mushrooms

3 rows of fish market.  Smelled terrible.

Cigalas?  Shrimp, lobster?  Huge?

Clams and crabs

Calamara (squid)

Isn't he an ugly sucker?

More mushrooms

By the time we had walked through all of that, Jerry's touchy stomach needed a rest, and I was starving.  Bought a Donner Kebab on the street and came back to eat it at the apartment.

Donner:  Grilled meat, lettuce, tomato, onion , cheese, sauce, in a pita.  OMG!

We headed out to the Cathedral.  Built in 13th to 15th century it houses (supposedly) The Holy Grail (Christ's cup at the Last Supper).  It is thought to have been brought to Spain in the 4th Century.  Also behind the alter is the left arm of St. Vincent, who was martyred in Valencia in 304 AD.  It was cool to see. 

St. Vincent's arm

Seven of the twelve apostles.  The others are on the other side.  

The chalice

The weather here is 70 degrees and bright sun, so we needed a change of clothes.  Came back and put on lighter clothes and NO COAT!!!!! and headed on the bus to the Mediterranean Sea.

the Soccer Stadium

We saw the sea last year at St. Marie del la Mer in France, but this is a beach like no other.  It was windy but beautiful.  And I want you all to know we went in the sea for YOU dear readers.  It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it. 

Sorry Seth the nude was further down and and we were too tired to walk that far. Maybe tomorrow.

Sat here and had a pitcher of Sangria and beer.  Right on the beach.  Delightful!

Retraced the bus route.  Met a woman and her three kids from Michigan who is living here while her husband works for an auto parts....something. Really nice to speak American. They have been here for 2 years and another one to go.  What a nice lady.   She had her hands full with a 7 year old, 5 year old, and 2 year old.  :-)

 Fun dinner out just a few blocks away.  The owner of the apartment said, go north to the ramparts, then turn right and it is right there.  Perfect directions, wouldn't work in Manchester, but perfect here.  The restaurant was called Canela.  Traditional Spanish food.  We had a darling waiter named Juan (but all the waiters were Juan too) who had spent some time in England so his English was GOOD!  It was nice to speak English.  He helped with the order.  We had:  Camembert Cheese with blueberries, Stuffed red peppers with seafood mousse, seafood paella, and of course some really nice Tempernillo wine 2009.  

Camembert on the right and an amuse bouche on the slate of Calamari and ink .  Yum!

Red peppers with Seafood Mousse and paprika/red pepper sauce.

Paella.  You eat it right out of the pan.

This guy is talking to you Sara and Carrie!

Such a nice meal.  now back to the apartment to crash.  Valencia is not nearly as hectic as Madrid.  Very quiet streets.  Can't wait for tomorrow and that is not a bad way to be.  :-) 

Hola from Valencia!

Hello from Sunny Valencia, Spain.  Home of those famous Oranges.  And....what did we see as we approached the city?  Oranges! And vegetables, and vineyards, and olive groves.  There really is life under all of that snow you guys have.

A little Geography lesson again.  We started in Madrid, which is in the center of Spain, and took the fast train to Valencia which is on the Mediterranean Sea.

We will stay here a week, and leave next Monday the 10th of March,  First the train ride.  Jerry slept poorly again with a tummy ache (you did read what we ate last night) so we were slow to get moving.  But moving we did get and were out of the apartment by 10:20.  We went up to the corner with our two purple suitcases and hailed a cab.  Again, English, nada.  But we had the train station written down on an index card and he was fine.  We had purchased the tickets the other day, so we just had to wait.

The Madrid train station had a terrorist attack around 911 time so it is beautiful and very peacefully secure now.  One thing they have is an indoor atrium with palm trees and water. And....thousands of Turtles!  Really pretty place.  Much better than that horrible frozen wasteland last year in Lyon.  Here are a few pictures and explanations of train travel for those of you that have never done it.  

Really, this is just a few of the turtles.  The whole middle section is full of them.  

After you get there, your train destination is posted on an electronic board.  40 minutes before your train you can go through security and wait at the top of the station.  When your train is ready to board the gate comes up and you proceed there.  There are 15 gates at this station so sometimes you have a long walk.  This time we did not.  Remember, there is no checking luggage, so you are responsible to lug it yourself.  Travel light. 

This time our car was #12, which is almost always at the END of the train, and it was.  But the service originated in Madrid, so we had plenty of time.  Sometimes you only have 10 minutes and really have to hustle.

front of the train . pretty low to the tracks.

The trains are great!  They are clean, quiet, roomy, have a bathroom, show a movie if you want, Have a bar and restaurant, and go about 182 mph.  What a great way to travel! 

 Jerry took a few pics out the window as we were whizzing by. Spain is on a high plateau (Madrid is highest capital in Europe) and the land looks like western North and South Dakota.  Dry high chaparral would be the geography according to Jerry  But there is no snow!

There was some sort of reservoir here.

Vineyards

Arrived right on time (another good thing about trains) found a taxi and came to our apartment.

Yes, Virginia, those are orange trees.

Sub tropical so palm trees.

Our apartment was one we found through a British outfit called HolidayLettings.  The owner was here to meet us, showed us around, and left us with the keys.  What a system!  Here is what it looks like.  Really nicest place we have ever rented.

Living room area with balcony

All brand new appliances - Bosh

Hallway into the bathroom/bedroom

queen sized bed and another small balcony

Bathroom

second bedroom

from the balcony to the left

to the right

Bobbi's bag is enjoying the 70 degree weather

This is an old Roman  trading post

Cool!

Found a grocery, bought some pasta and cheese and are eating in tonight to get Jerry's tummy on the mend.  Tomorrow we will go to their indoor market, which is the largest indoor market in Europe.  Can't wait.  Also hope to get a glimpse of the Sea and eat some Paella and wear short sleeved shirts.