Market, Beach, and a Long Train Ride

10/15 Early in the morning, Bárbara returned to the apartment from her weekend trip to Santander. I introduced her to Liz and Julia, and we went and had breakfast at our usual little cafe below our piso. I was happy that my friends could finally meet my roomie- she is pretty awesome after all! After that, she was off to work at the ISA office. The three of us American ladies then headed into the city center to finish our final day of touring Valencia. We took the 10 minute bus ride to the Plaza de la Reina, and then I led the way down the scenic side streets. Soon, we were at the Mercado Central. This big market is inside a beautiful historic building, and you can buy all the fresh produce, fruit, or even alcohol you could ever want. It is frequented by locals who buy their food fresh every few days, so it is a fun authentic-feeling experience for a tourist. We spent about an hour looking at all the different stalls, gaping at the chopped off pig heads, debating what certain fruits were, and then Julia purchased a small souvenir bottles of sangria. After that, we walked across the street to check out the medieval silk market building, or Lonja de la Seda. Since I have already been inside multiple times, the girls felt bad making me pay admission, and so we just admired it from afar. From outside you can still see the gargoyles and architecture, so the only thing you really miss is the inner courtyard.

Ham, ham everywhere!                                  

 After the girls took their photos of the famous main room of the Lonja, we decided it was time for a break. This was clearly a moment for some cocktails. We sat down at an outdoor stall selling the local signature drink- Agua de Valencia, and the girls have their first taste. Contrary to its name, this drink is not water at all. It is usually made with champagne, orange juice, vodka, and gin. Drinking this before lunch was definitely a good decision

Agua de Valencia!

After taking the bus back to the piso, changing into our swimsuits, and packing snacks we bought at Mercadona, it was finally time to head to the beach! When I initially planned this day for us, it was late September, and the weather was much hotter. I didn’t realize the drastic temperature drop would happen early October, and so it was a bit cold for us to be going. Naturally, none of the locals would be at the beach, and upon seeing us in swimsuits would think we were crazy. Despite this, it was around 70 degrees farenheit, so to us, it was perfect! We waited for the yellow bus that runs in front of my apartment once every hour, and then finally we were on the way to Port Saplaya! Once we arrived, we walked around the adorable and colorful port town. I was excited for them to see all the shops, but to my surprise the place was a ghost town. I guess it was “too cold” for all the beach shops to be open anymore. Cutting out losses, we still admired the buildings, and then headed onto the sand. We laid out our towels and had about 30 minutes of good sun, then the wind hit. The wind made it feel like it was 60 degrees, and so of course we were cold. That did not stop us from taking photos in the ocean, and from climbing the giant rope jungle gym in the sand. Yes, we were the only crazy people on the whole beach, and yes some local guys were pointing and laughing at us, but who cares! We still had a great time, and the girls had their first “swim” in the Mediterranean.

Climbing the rope on the "cold" beach

Julia at Estacion del Nord- Train Station of Valencia

Once we started shivering, we decided it was time to head back into town. We had some dinner and then started packing up our belongings for the 9 day journey ahead of us. With 4 people and several large suitcases in the little piso, things were a bit cramped there for a bit. Once we were all packed, we hung out and watched trash tv- Gandia Shore (MTV Spain’s version of Jersey Shore). Around 10:30pm, we hailed a cab and lugged our suitcases to Estacio Nord. Our overnight Renfe train to Granada (southern Spain) left at midnight. It was the first European train experience for Liz and Julia, so they were pretty pumped about this. They also got to sit together, whereas I somehow ended up alone in a different car and sitting next to a woman who reeked of cigarettes. I did not suffer alone though! We all had our crosses to bare on this train, haha. We all took some Tylenol PM, but thanks to a suspicious looking lady that Julia thought was trying to rob them, and my seat-mate smelling and then being replaced by a large man around 3am, none of us got much rest at all. It was a long, uncomfortable ride and the time did not pass quickly. When we arrived in Granada around 8am, we were cranky, but relieved.

Julia & Liz Experience Old Valencia

10/14 For the first full day in Valencia for my American friends, we definitely made it count. We got up early, 

Enjoying some horchata in the morning

had some breakfast in the piso, and took the bus over to the old part of the city. In case I haven’t already mentioned it enough- I LOVE OLD VALENCIA. It has beautiful, unique architecture, an interesting history, and a great authentic vibe. I can’t seem to get sick of it. I hope my friends felt the same.  So, just like the “walking tour” I have given in the past for John and Olivia, we started out at the famous horchata restaurant in Plaza de La Reina. The girls loved their drink, and I’ll be sad to go back to America and not be able to have it anymore! Next we walked down the plaza to the cathedral.  I hadn’t paid to go inside it since I visited here in 2007, and when the girls said they were interested in touring it, I gladly agreed. The only problem? It was a Sunday morning in Spain: Mass was going on. We ended up walking around the areas near the cathedral, and admiring it from the outside. There are still plenty of beautiful sights to see. We ended up sneaking in a side door and listened in for a bit of the Spanish mass. When it ended, we went back around to the front and paid our 5 euros for the entry ticket and the audio tour. We walked around and faithfully hit up all the numbered points of interest, learning all the history of the Catedral de Valencia. The most unique things are the dehydrated arm of Saint Vincent (it’s weird looking), and the fact that the Vatican approved “cup-most-likely-to-actually-be-THE-holy-grail” is in there too. Once we were done touring the interior, we climbed the treacherous 300ish steps up the narrow , winding church tower to the top- called El Miguelete/ El Micalet (in Valenciano). From there we got to enjoy my favorite view in the city. I realized this would probably be the last time I’d make this climb for quite a while, and it made me sad and nostalgic. That was my 5^th time going up there, and I will certainly miss it. After we dealt with wearing skirts in the wind and took all our photos, we headed back down to the plaza.

View of Valencia from the Cathedral

We had a typical Spanish lunch consisting of various bocadillos in the Plaza de La Virgen, and Liz and Julia got to enjoy the great atmosphere of the GORGEOUS surroundings. I just really love that plaza. It’s definitely my favorite in all of Europe (can you tell I’m feeling nostalgic?) Next up, we walked around the city some more, and just explored the surrounding areas. I had intended for us to go inside the Torres de Serranos, but since it was a Sunday, they were closed. Sadly, we just had to admire them from the outside. That did not stop us from taking photos though! We did some souvenir shopping, and then walked around by the Plaza de Torros. At that point, we realized how tired we were. Walking around the glamorous streets of a European city can definitely take its toll! We ended up getting some frozen yogurt at “Toppings” and listened to some live music.

Julia, Myself & Liz on the Miguelete

Liz & Julia in front of Torres de Serranos

After that, we took the metro back to my apartment. We freshened up, and relaxed for a little bit. Around 6 (very early for a Spanish dinner!), we walked the twenty minutes towards Whitney and Raúl’s apartment. She had made una reserva for us to all have dinner together at a cool place right by her building. This was a special occasion because- SADLY- it was the last time I would get to hang out with them in Spain. They

The Farewell Dinner- I miss you guys!

were heading to visit Whitney’s family in America the next week, and I would be out of town. I was glad my friends got to meet her, and we got to enjoy some delicious sangria. I don’t recall exactly what we ate, but I know that we ate a lot and that it was delicious. Also, it was a little different than the typical “Spanish food” that you find everywhere, so I was happy to mix it up. Raúl got to practice his English a little bit, and when Whitney left to use the restroom he talked more than I had ever heard him! When she came back, she didn’t believe us that he had been speaking so much and in good English- guess he is just shy in front of his novia Americana J After dinner, we took some farewell photos, and then I teared up a bit. It was an emotional day I guess. They have been involved in my life in Spain from the start, and I will truly miss getting to spend time with them. Whitney was the best Spanish teacher I ever had L , not to mention she had become a very close friend. It made me sad to realize this chapter in my life was coming to a close. On cue, it started raining pretty hard. Raúl so kindly drove us back to my piso, and I said adios to some great friends. The three of us girls spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the apartment- we were having some plumbing issues, and a hilarious story ensued- ask me if you’re ever curious! 

Enjoying the love from Whitney & Raul

Hosting a Couchsurfer!

10/1- Finally my precious roomie Bárbara was back from her trip to Santander (North of Spain), and back to hang out with me! We went and got breakfast together at the little place by our piso and caught up. I love Spanish breakfast- it’s late enough in the morning that I’m actually functioning, but I don’t have to eat boring old cereal. Instead I get pan tostada con tomate and some zumo de piña… yum!! She had to head off to work at the ISA office, and so I spent my free time cleaning our apartment from top to bottom, and rewarding myself with a siesta. That evening, the two of us ladies went out to the usual restaurant Sal y Pimienta (Salt and Pepper) for some tapas. She knows how picky I am about Spanish food, and so she obliges me by letting me pick what we get. This usually involves (of course) my beloved patatas bravas, some pan tomate, and possibly some ensaladilla rusa. Even though she wasn’t out of town for that long, I was very glad to have her back! On 10/2 I continued the mass cleaning of our little piso, and that afternoon my friend Rachel called and invited me to hang out with her near her apartment in the Valencian neighborhood of Russafa. I took the 20 minute bus ride across the river towards where she lives. I had never been there before so I was proud of myself for making it there successfully. After I met her two adorable cats, we walked around the cute artsy streets of the area. We grabbed some mini-sandwiches and cerveza at one place, and then finished up at another place where we shared more cerveza and bravas. We had some good, genuine girl talk. I definitely admire Rachel for picking up and leaving her life in Wisconsin and creating such a great “new life” here in Spain. Her confidence is definitely something I admire!

Me and my French couchsurfer Olivia!

Although we were having a grand old time, I had to cut things short because Bárbara and I were hosting our first ever “couch surfer” that night back at our piso. I had plans to meet this girl named Olivia for the first time, and get dinner with her. Now… for those of you who don’t know what Couchsurfing is, here is my brief explanation of this amazing new trend in travel: People create an account on the www.couchsurfing.org website, and receive a “location verification” that serves as a background check. You can read people's references and see photos of them if you are worried that they are sketchy or anything- but the theory with this website is you just have to let go and trust people. Basically, you can offer your “couch” to travelers visiting your location. They send you a “couch request” noting when they will be there, and if you are available, you can let them stay at your place. They stay with you for free, and you (the host) get to learn firsthand about their unique country and culture. Every situation is different, but typically you end up going out and becoming good friends with them, and if you ever “surf” in their location one day, they’ll be willing to host you. It’s a good way to meet locals and have authentic travel experiences. I had heard of this idea before, but hadn’t actually done it yet. I created my account about a month ago, and now I was going to finally host my first couchsurfer. Olivia is a 20 year old student from a small town north of Paris, France. She was on a 2 week journey throughout Spain, and she was going to couchsurf the whole way. I definitely admire her boldness and sense of adventure in doing so- not just everyone has the guts to do that alone! She met up with me at my piso, and to get to know her and talk about the city a bit, the two of us went for some tapas at Sal y Pimienta. We really hit it off right away- She speaks perfect English, and is of course fluent in French, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear how great her Spanish was too! All these multi-lingual Europeans, making us Americans look bad ;) So, that night, she stayed on our comfy couch, and had her first evening in the beautiful Valencia!

Horchata and Fartones- the traditional side dish!

Gargoyle at Lonja de La Seda

Optical Illusion at Lonja de la Seda

On 10/3, I spend the whole day with Olivia, showing her around the city and acting as an unofficial tour guide. Of course, I loved this- and I was happy to see that she actually was appreciated the fact that I knew all these nerdy historical tidbits. I love talking about the main sites of the city and its history, and having a friend to walk around, take photos, and admire it all with was a plus! We started that morning out in the city center at the Plaza de La Reina, and I began my “usual” tour of the city (the same one I gave John, for example). She climbed the Cathedral steps, we had some horchata together, and we explored the Torres de Serranos. We headed over towards the Mercado Central area together, and after doing some vegetable shopping we had lunch together at a place right outside, where we also shared a pitcher of sangria. She is very outgoing and was making conversation with all the vendors and waiters, definitely added entertainment to the day! After lunch I showed her the 15^th century Lonja de La Seda medieval silk market building. Olivia wanted to pay the 3 euros to go in, and while I had been there dozens of times I had never actually been inside, so I decided to join her. In addition to being able to see the crazy obscenely-posed gargoyles around the whole complex, we got to explore the gardens and go up inside a few of the old rooms, complete with period furniture. It honestly wasn’t that exciting, but it was cheap and it was something new to see. Plus the floor in one of the rooms had some very confusing tile work that made for fun optical illusion photos. After that, I got us a bit lost- but it ended up being a good thing. We wandered the old city wall perimeters and I finally saw the Torres de Quart that I had not seen yet. These towers are unique because they have French bullet and artillery holes in them from during the Napoleon era. So, once our long day of walking around the city wrapped up, we returned to the piso with tired feet. Olivia is a really good dancer, and so I helped her pick out one of my dresses to wear and she headed over to El Caribe (a nearby discoteca) to join in on some group salsa. I used to do the dance classes there once a week when I was studying abroad, but those days are over for me- I preferred to just relax :)

Torres de Quart- Riddled with Bullet Holes