Day 2 18/11/07 - Spain

Valencia

Highlight

• Sunday of course means that all the shops were closed. We walked around the Arts & Science Centre, really grand and different and magnificent, there were lots of joggers about.
• Took 20 minutes to find the Museo de Fallas. Slokky didn’t even look and it was right next to where we were going, and he took us on a big walkaround.
• We got stuck behind 2 tour groups as a result. We tried to follow the English one around, but they were too slow.
• The puppets stuff was very cool, including a few movie themes. There was no English again. We’ll definitely try to go to a festival one year in March.
• Finally, some shops were opened, we went to a bread shop for some pastries and we were actually able to buy Bono Bus.
• Bullfighting Museum – actually some English (yeah!). Very inhumane to bulls but the costume were grand and the displays were good. Unfortunately we couldn’t go into the ring because there was an event going on.
• Got metro to the seaside, but couldn’t find the Royal Shipyard – finally asked someone and made it 10 mins before it was supposed to close. A modern arts and design exhibition, but all in Spanish.
• Had to find the Museum of Semana Sena (Easter), the other of the big festivals in Valencia. Asked more people again. We did stumble upon the rice museum, so went in, as they had a repaired rice machine. We watched them prepare production rice, but as usual, everything was in Spanish only.
• Finally got to the Easter Museum, again, all in Spanish, but it was fun to look at all the floats and displays.
• Finally got to go to the beach, which was very flat with beautiful sand, some waves, a wide boulevard and a whole row of restaurants and bars.
• We did a walk through before deciding, only to find out that All of them were full and won’t serve you. There were HEAPS of reserved tables for 2:30pm, but also a lot of people leaving. Still, we tried every single one and they all said no. I guess they have enough business and don’t want more. In the end we had to give up and eat chocolate for lunch instead.
• Went to Pio Turia park and played on equipment of a giant man, quite fun but the slide hurts.
• Walked around the City of Arts and Science again and got combo tix to museum and Imax. Walked around the outside of the Oceangraphic and to the greenhouse for more pictures.
• Saw Secrets of the Titanic, but the sound was stuffed. We had to sit up and not move, otherwise we couldn’t get English. We complained afterwards and managed to get a refund.
• Bought some xuju juice – very yum, from the cart outside.
• Had an early dinner (7:45) since we didn’t have lunch. We ate with all the people there having their pre-dinner drinks, at a chain in the shopping centre of the hotel. At least the guy spoke English and the food was decent.

Food

• beer
• orange and pineapple juice
• palmier
• mini croissant, mini brioche
• chocolate croissant
• chocolate
• xuju juice
• dinner at Canas y Tapas:
  • San Miguel
  • mixed cheese (Manchejan, Idizabal, Cubra) (6.46)
  • croquette combo (ham, cabrales)
  • grilled wild mushrooms with garlic oil sauce (4.49)
  • potato in hot sauce (3.48)
  • white anchovies in vinegar with natural tomato (3.75)
  • pan of broken eggs and potatoes chistorra and green pepper (5.30)