Trying Out Valencia

October 5, 2022

It’s nice to finally be here. After a month of traveling from place to place, I get a break from the daily pressure to see things or to move on to the following location.

I arrived two days ago around 5:45 PM. Disembarking from the plane was slow, but my suitcase was already waiting for me at baggage claim. The Valencia airport is modern and small, and I found the taxi stand easily.

My taxi driver, the first female driver I’ve ever encountered in Spain, was a real character. At first, she didn’t say much. Then she asked if I spoke Spanish. Once I responded, the floodgates opened! She was a talker. She told me about Spain, where to visit, and who spoke the best Spanish in the world. (In Spain, it was the people of Valladolid.) She also held the Basques in high regard. She described them as more rigid than other Spaniards with a stronger work ethic.

By the time we got through traffic, it was almost 7:00. My host was in the apartment awaiting my arrival. He, too, was excited and a bit relieved when I told him I spoke Spanish. He responded that it made explaining everything a lot easier for him. He’s clearly a meticulous fellow and takes pride in the apartment. The vintage apartment has mosaic floors in the bedrooms, entryway, and dining area. The windows are original, including the not-so-easy-to-operate wooden blinds. He’s taken steps to preserve the original beauty as much as possible.

As soon as he left, I walked to the conveniently located Consum grocery store just around the corner. I find Spanish city grocery stores fascinating. From the outside, they often appear small, but when you walk in, most of them are amazingly huge! They go back deeply into the city block. Occasionally, you will walk into one that is two stories. My host had recommended this one because the prices were reasonable, and it is so close.

I grabbed as much as I thought I could carry (It was plenty.) and headed back to make a simple dinner of thin beef steaks, fried potatoes, and green beans. I also bought a tiny bottle of wine. I looked up the conversion, and it was 6.25 ounces, a glass for one. Not bad for 1.29 euros!

I slept well, as I usually do on travel days. Lugging that heavy suitcase around tends to wear me out. And the bed is comfortable. Yes! What would be worse than being stuck with an uncomfortable mattress for four weeks?

I woke up Tuesday morning refreshed but in no hurry. After breakfast, I walked to the Ruzafa Market. It’s not the prettiest Spanish market, but they had everything I could want. I walked the aisles, taking it all in, and decided to go with a mother-son team. Their prices looked good, and they weren’t talking on and on like some of the other vendors were. I know; it’s part of their social life, so I can’t complain. I also bought some olives, walnuts, and a treat made from sesame seeds.

Back at the apartment, I did my laundry and made a big pot of chicken-vegetable soup. It was nice to cook again after staying in hotels for eight days. That had really started to get to me in Seville. I felt a bit trapped there!
I read a bit in the afternoon, relaxed on the sofa, and fell asleep. The rest was needed.

By 4:30, I regained energy and walked through the neighborhood and the Turia. I spotted a large health food store called Herbolario Navarros. What a find! They had more gluten-free items in one place than I had ever seen! They even had my brand of magnesium supplements, which I needed to refill.

Back at the apartment, I got on the computer and chatted with friends on Facebook. I’m looking forward to seeing my high-school friends, who will arrive in a couple of days. She lived in Valencia with her first husband and knows the city well.

I received a lengthy message from my host with suggestions and links to places to visit. He listed some of the more popular ones I have already seen, like the Cathedral, botanical garden, and Ceramics Museum, but there were many other places I had yet to see or would not have known about. So glad I have time to see them all!

I searched to see if any concerts were coming up at the Palau de las artes. Amazingly, there was a free concert the following evening. There were only about 20 seats left in the back, but one can’t complain about free!
Looking forward to that tonight.