Valencia

 20 April

Our last transfers with mydaytrip.com!  Today was a privately built castle - Castillo de Velez-Blanco. The owner built it on the ruins of a Moorish castle despite Isabella of Castille ruling that no one could have a private castle - to prevent nobles having too much power!

Our stop in Muria was for 90 minutes.  Di, Greg and I had a quick lunch in the main square.  Di and I ordered half a baguette, expecting something small, instead it was like a subway foot long - huge!!  I was juggling messaging the tours for the following day, all of whom made changes to the time.  The first one was group 1 for 10 tastes of Valencia- he asked to change to 2.30pm as 4pm when the tour was scheduled for, was not suitable with the siesta.  Then the morning art and architecture tour wanted to change to 11.30am which meant we'd finish at 2.30...meanwhile the group 2 for the 10 tastes wanted to change to 5.30pm.  I was messaging them all and Viator and feeling quite stressed about the whole situation!  In the end, the morning tour agreed to an 11am start, I worked out the finish of that tour and the start of the next one where close by, and people who really wanted the 5.30 slot had put their hand up.  I tried not to feel peeved that as the organiser, I had to take what  was left, rather than chose the  time that suited me best.  Greg kindly pointed out that I had taken on this task and therefore had to wear it.  After lunch we went into the cathedral, another stunning church.  The best bit though was the museum attached to the church.  The first bit had a Perspex floor revealing the ruins of the mosque that was originally in place before being destroyed.  The treasurers in this small, beautifully presented museum where quite breathtaking.  Then we met up with the others at the (very busy) collection point!

21 April

Minutes away from the hotel was the best market in all of Valencia (and possibly all of Spain, its pretty bloody good) - the Central Market.  It runs 6 days a week from 7.30am to 3pm.  After breakfast we went there and were quite blown away by the produce, which was beautifully displayed - if we'd had an apartment we would have bought so much there!  Greg loves a good dead fish display (although to be fair, the eels and clams were all alive for the time being!) and he was in heaven checking out all the fish on display.  All freshly caught and on ice.  We lingered by the oyster bar and found ourselves having a second breakfast, two oysters each for 3 euro an oyster!  The Valencia oyster was the best, very creamy and delicious!  Valencia is obviously the place for paella - the pans, spices and all other ingredients to make it were on display everywhere!

This is clearly a popular way to make money - this guy was one of many we saw and we couldn't resist a photo with him!

We met up with the rest of the group joining our three hour tour and had a bit of worry when our guide didn't show up on the dot of 11, but he rushed in 10 minutes late and made up for it by providing a great tour.  It could have been greatly enhanced by having whispers - luckily it was a small group but we had to keep very close to him to hear all the wonderful information he had to share!  He told us a lot about the history of Valencia, and the development of the city.  He showed us important buildings, nobles houses (some still privately owned), the merchant hall and two churches.  The first one, St Nicholas, he said was Valencia's sistine Chapel.  I think our gasps when we saw the floor to ceiling frescoes that covered every surface gave him immense satisfaction! It was absolutely amazing and we all loved it.  In the Cathedral of Valencia we saw the holy grail!  Apparently another church in Spain claims to have it but it has been proved to be owned by Valencia.  Once again, a truly beautiful cathedral with some stunning frescoes that only came to light a few years ago when work was done to renovate the baroque ceiling that covered them!  We really enjoyed the tour.

I didn't know how the ten tastes of Valencia tour would go - I thought Danny would be a bit pissed off with me because of all of my messages (and he probably was, but he hid it well!).  He met us with some little sweet potato pastries which were delicious.  Then we dashed back into the market before it closed for ham, cheese and chorizo, plus a wine or vermouth.  Knowing how strong the vermouth is Heather, Di & I opted for wine.  Greg, Deb, Richard and Jack (who had missed the earlier tour but joined us for this one) had the vermouth.  A dangerous start! Then we walked to a tapas bar for potatoes bravos, which was very good, and a Russian salad with shrimp, monk fish, wasabi peas and kimchee.  Both were delicious.  Served with wine or beer.  Heather and Deb had the tinto de verano, Di and I stuck to the red wine.  Next stop was a bar that specialises in Aqua De Valencia.  Like a mimosa on steroids was how Danny described it, cava, orange juice, vodka and gin.  It doesn't taste that strong but it is!!  Then we went to a bar across the road from the police and fire station!  We had dried cod with roasted capsicum on bread, really lovely, with more drinks.  Danny told us he could either buy us a nut milk to end the tour or buy us another drink.  We opted for another drink, figuring we could pass on a sweet nut milk!  After Danny left we went shopping.  We'd passed a shop that took our eye, the Hedra Gallery, about four times that day with both tours so I said we had to go in.  As we browsed the man produced some trousers.  I said thank you, but they won't fit me - I've got long legs.  He said :"No its OK!  These are made for Holland people!" So then I had to try them on.  They fitted perfectly, as did the top he gave me to go with them.  Di found Greg to get his approval - while he did Heather found a skirt that Greg insisted I  try on.  It was beautiful.  With a matching top of course.  So before I knew it I had two new outfits!  Deb and Di also bought new outfits.  A little more shopping, and it seemed time for a drink, so we found a seat at a bar.  Before long a fan salesman came and charmed Deb & I into buying  a fan....Greg ended up doing a little flamenco (at least I think that is what it was!) with hm - it was very funny.  We bought some of the famous sweet potato donuts.  They just tasted like donuts to me!

We got back to the hotel and met up on level one, in the breakfast area, with a collection of drinks and snacks.  When the other tour ended the rest joined us.  When ended up having much to much to drink, but a very fun night.

22 April

Today we had a Paella Cooking class!  Anna and Joelle (I think it's spelt Joel) were very fun and charming.  They took us into the local market where they bought some ingredients for the paella.  It's a smaller version of the General Market and no less impressive!  They bought some Easter sausage for everyone to try, apparently it was good!  Then we walked to the cooking venue, where we were given some delicious tapas (the mussels were amazing) and Joelle demonstrated how he makes sangria.  I said no to a Sangria - I need to take things easy!  - but  most people got stuck into it!  Then we were divided into two groups (the other people didn't show up).  One group with Anna and one with Jose, and we set about making the paella to their instruction while Joelle kept the glasses filled  Lots of tips and tricks were given, which was great, and then we had a shot.  Apparently the workers going out in the cold would have a shot each morning!  It was delicious - like black jellybeans, or Jack bellybeans as Esther said!!

The paella was lovely, served with wine, and finished with dessert (cake, oranges with cinnamon) and a dessert wine.  All up a great activity, we had a terrific time!

After such a big lunch a walk back in the old river bank seemed a good idea.  The river flooded the city in the 1950s so was diverted to the end of the city.  Apparently the area was left vacant for 20 years, it was full of drug dealers and rubbish, then eventually they decided to make it a garden/sports area.  It was not as lush as I was expecting - clearly the drought is taking a toll - but still was more pleasant to walk along than the road.  We stopped to watch some salsa dancing - and realised Suzy and Ian were not with us.  Ian turned up, without Suzy... while he went off to find her Tania, Di, Deb and I joined in the dancing.  We were all hopeless and apparently completely out of time but we had fun!  Di, Simone, Greg and I continued onto the Torres de Serranos - our tour had started there the day before but we didn't have  a chance to climb up and enjoy the view.  It was a tough climb - Greg stayed downstairs while the three of us bravely climbed up!  A great view of the city from the top!  We safely made it back down (the railings were perilously low!) and had a gelato to celebrate!  We got back to the hotel by 5.30pm!!  Quite tired! 16,422 steps!