St Martin's Irish bar - every European city seems to have one, and this was great, relaxed and relaxing and decent simple food again. The craic is international with a local flavour!
Day one proper ...
Bus turistico, and a visit to the wonderful Oceanografico sea-life centre with many settings and sea creatures from penguins to dolphin displays, sharks, flat-fish and so many others. Abundance of sea life even in an artificial setting.
Tapas at Senía, pricked but delicious, cosy and again so genuinely friendly.
I love the local style of smaller bars, cafes and restaurants and smaller dishes with tapas, away from hearty overeating and exuberance (oh dear!)
Day two ...
Historic bus tour A is more long-winded than the coastal route, especially through the narrow streets at the end. Town historic museum part way along the route is very much a visit though and gives a proper feel for developments and settlements from Roman days of Valentsia through Moorish Spain to
Twentieth Century strife, ending apparently with Franco's death in 1975. Atmospheric and cheap entry at 2 or 3 Euros.
A local park, if a little artificial but giving some green space and relaxation.
Afternoon rest and later Tapas.
Day three ...
Ceramics Museum just down the road from the hotel, strange bent and twisted figures at each side of the door, and some attractive displays inside, one from across Europe and including items from the Potteries museum in Stoke on Trent: thanks to an EU programme and funding (anti-EU campaigners take note).
Botanical Gardens, a real treat of tall palms, cacti of a size I haven't seen indoors in Birmingam, multitudes of collared doves calling in a carpet of sound, the official garden cats snoozing on the bench or the ground, all in a very relaxed setting.
Walk around town, enjoying sights and sounds at the weekend, café and bocadillos.
More tapas ...
Day Four
Museo archaeologico is on the site of original Roman walls and ruins. Another way to gain a feel for the history of the city, well-laid out too and the right amount of information. Interesting to see which languages are on the boards, and in which order ... Valencian, Spanish, maybe English.
Free entry on Sundays.
Processions and ceremonies over the weekend, read about some festivities for the local Saint, Vincent de Ferrer.
Wonderful collections at the Museo de bellas artes, the classics such as Goya and Baroque masters such as Murillo, and Joaquín Sorolla the Impressionist ( http://sorolla.museobellasartesvalencia.gva.es ) who has been represented in the Painting the Modern Garden exhibition in London too, beautiful scenes and colours.
Salads at the friendly local Irish pub.
Day Five
Had a walk round the El Carme area of the old town, gentrified apparently, side-streets, some high buildings, a mural or two, small shops, a feeling of a distinct quarter
Seemed like a Saint's Day with folk in finery and a procession with statue on a platform, from a side-street church, other ceremonies around over the weekend but some held inside the cathedral due to rain! Refuge in the Venezuelan café with a group of Italian guys at the next table and a couple alarmed by a cockroach on the window-seat, which landed next on the ground to be pushed away gingerly by the Italians.
Rain led to standing umbrellas for the outdoor cafe-goers, more rain meant invitations to come inside the café. Mothers staffing the café, children at a table with colouring or homework, mum with a cycle helmet, guests with fajitas and such, small glasses of beer or fresh juice - zumo de naranjas is wonderful as the oranges probably grow locally - or cortados and so on.
Friendly greetings, staff chatting with customers, waiting for the rain to die down, time for the moment, but not too much, moving on tomorrow to Düsseldorf before Birmingham two days after.
