¡Valencia, España!

I attended the Influenza Vaccines for the World Congress in Valencia, Spain in early October, so Gayle accompanied me and we arrived a few days early to enjoy Spain.  Since we didn't have a lot of free time, we chose to just remain in Valencia and get to know it rather than trying to see a lot of the country in just a very few days.  Since it's difficult to organize photos coming from two cell phones and one digital camera, the shots are not in chronological order.  I apologize also that the lens on the camera appears to now have a problem that shows as a slightly blurry portion on one side of the photos (depending on how the camera was held).  Oh well, sit back and enjoy...

 We shopped at a Consum grocery store.  The special on meat was whole rabbit, in Euros per kilo, of course.

 As with all but one vehicle in this photo, everyone seemed to drive hatchbacks of one make or another.

 This is the inner courtyard of the museum of bellas artes we visited.  As you'll see later, all street signs, brochures, etc. were first in Valenciano (local language, somewhat similar to Catalan, and remotely similar to Spanish) and then some were in Spanish.  Spanish was spoken to outsiders or transplanted Spaniards.

 Inside the art museum.  There was a lot of impressive work.

 Just outside the museum but before entering the actual botanical garden.

 I've seen these trees in Argentina too.  The weather and palms reminded us of Valencia, California, but not the style of living, which is in high rises.  Virtually no individual residences were to be seen in the city.

 Resting at the botanical garden before heading off to find the local meetinghouse.

 Mediterranean style cuisine was the norm.  We stopped for a shrimp salad.  No restaurants served water for free (from the tap).  Even when I asked for it they brought bottled water (choice was with or without gas).

One day I jogged while Gayle walked so I could show her the way to the zoo, which she later attended while I was in meetings.  Here I am not far from the entrance.  Note residences in the background.

 You can't go to Valencia without trying Paella.  This time we had rabbit in it.  I also had seafood paella and just veggies once.

 Our hotel included breakfast buffet every morning.  It was a good choice, but got boring after 8 or 9 times.

 Gayle wanted to show the ubiquitous and slow flies.  One time she killed with her hands 5 flies that were getting too cozy on her.

 Gayle made it to the zoo and wanted to show some of the birds she got to watch.

Our home away from home.  We were on the 6th floor and had a great view.

 Our best dinner bargain was when we ate at the Osaka restaurant and had the buffet.  Here I'm chowing down on seaweed, egg roll, and noodles (in my Ecuador shirt).

 You could select all the raw items you wanted and they stir fried them right there for you.

 At another restaurant one evening we ordered their seafood platter.  That's all it was - a bunch of critters from the sea.  There wasn't a lot of actual meat, and the flat white thingy was pretty rubbery.

Although we rode the bus, the tranvia (trolley car), and the train, the very best way to get around quickly (i.e., without walking) was to rent bicycles.  Here's Gayle outside the store.  In Spain they use the "ye" version of "you (like in the King James Bible), but in Spanish.  So instead of, ¿Adonde van?,  the guy asked us, ¿Adonde vais?

 One of many sculptures in downtown Valencia.

 More sightseeing on the bike.

 Gayle loved seeing these kids' clothes in a store window, and the reflection of the buildings at our back came out nicely in the shot too.

 Another sculpture in another plaza, with yet another old Catholic church in the background.

 Interesting from two standpoints.  First, the bank is the Bank of the Holy Ghost (literally, Holy Spirit).  Second, that's not actually Spanish, nor is the street sign to the left.  They are Valenciano.

 Lots of scooters and motorcycles used in town, and lots of graffiti on all pull down doors.

 A flower market in the main plaza downtown.

 Gayle in the main plaza.  Very scenic town center.

 We loved the downtown flats/apartments, whatever they are.  These are just outside the central market.

 Inside the central market.

 A view of just some of the market downtown.

Gayle next to some actual artwork on a wall.

 Still some old towers.   Gayle later ascended this one on her free time.

 An interesting roundabout just a few blocks from our hotel.  In fact, our hotel is across the street from the tall cylindrical skyscraper in the background.

 The low building is the Palacio de Congresos (convention center) and the building on the right is our hotel (and an office tower).  In front is a roundabout and fountain.

 Gayle shot this as she crossed a bridge into the zoo.  This is looking out at one of the parks of the city.  There is a dried river bed that runs through the city and it has been converted into a series of parks (or one long one) and has several scenic bridges crossing it.

 Again, the Quart, towers Gayle went up.

Francois, a Frenchman, assisted Gayle who was a bit turned around when out on her own one day.  He spoke no English, and very little Spanish, even though he has been living in Valencia many years.

 From atop the Quart tower.

 A view of downtown Valencia from the Quart.

 Typical balcony.

In front of the museum of modern art.

 Lots of dogs. 

 One of the soccer fields in the extended park that the dried up river bed now holds.

Part of an exhibit in a historical museum of the area.

 It only rained the last day we were there.  Here's Gayle on her bike, in front of the bike shop.

 Near the bike shop was a spine clinic .  You should recognize most of the scientific words.

 View from our window, including the convention center below.

 Looking past the convention center from our window (and zoomed in a bit).  The yellow building to the right of center is next to a bus, trolley, and train station (note cars parked there).

 Convention center again.

 Other direction.  Had to remember that the Mediterranean was to the east, and the sun set in the west, away from the water. 

 The only time we actually went to the pool and fitness center area of the hotel was the day we arrived, and then just to check it out.  Too much else to do.  Here Gayle tries out the woven furniture.

 The roundabout not too far from our hotel.  Note the stadium in the background.  It is unfinished and I suspect on hold due to the poor economy in Spain right now.

 Near the same roundabout and stadium.  Just to show some of the office and residential buildings.  We literally saw no houses.  I suppose you would have to leave town to see any houses.

Just part of the amazing City of Art and Science.

The husband of a couple from Italy snapped this shot for us.  We saw lots of tourists, almost all from Europe.  A few from the UK.  Don't remember any from the US.  Were immigrants from Nigeria (LDS ones too), Latin America.  One Chinese girl who spoke perfect Spanish said she was actually from Panama.  She was a college student working at a Subway restaurant near the town center.

 More of the City of Art and Science.

 This is an event center at the City of Art and Science.  They use it for things like professional tennis tournaments.

 We went to the Oceanografic, sort of a Sea World.  It has the largest aquarium in Europe.  It's part of the City of Art and Science.

 We took this shot while looking at a mirrored wall outside the Oceanografic.

 Of course we had to see the dolphin show.  It was good.  See the housing buildings in the background?  I guess I'm too used to my own house and having to mow my own lawn.

 Do you know what Horchata is?  Well in Valencia, Spain it's made from small tubers called chufa (see lower left in photo).  It's not cinnamon flavored as is Mexican Horchata.  And in Valenciano it's spelled Orxata.  I liked it, but don't expect Mexican Horchata.  Note my Peru shirt.

 There is a large mall just across the street from the City of Art and Science.  And when all else fails, there is always a McDonald's where there is shopping (see the yellow "M?").  Note that although October, the trees still had blooms.

 Part of the gardens at the City of Art and Science.

 Unreal architecture.

 Candy sculptures made from different country flags.

 The last one (left) is the art center (operas, etc.).  The middle building is the I-max center (science shows - we saw one on rafting the entire Nile river), and the one to the right is a science museum.  Behind us is a garden, and farther to the right is the blue event center, then the Oceanografic.

 We took the tranvia (trolley) to the beach on Saturday.  Here's a building with a grassy roof.

 Very pleasant weather, even at the beach (as opposed to the California beach, where a cold current keeps it cool near the water).

 Not our hotel!

 Plenty of sailboats out.

 Some incredible sand castles had been created.

 I have a jogger's tan - only my arms, neck, and legs.  Water temp (guess) was around 72 F.

 One of many bridges across the dried river bed turned into a series of parks.  Yes, the grafitti next to Gayle says, "Hello, chicken" from January 7, 2011 (remember, most countries put day/month/year).

 Awaiting our shrimp salad lunch.

 The local meetinghouse (where two wards meet) was a one story building between two multi-storied high rises.  we caught some conference talks here. There were lots of members and visitors in attendance, including some Nigerian converts.

 The flowers were fantastic on one of the bridges.

 More of the flowers, with another bridge in the background.

 These trees looked like they were from Madagascar.

 A view towards the event center.

 The I-max center represents an eye.  I'm not sure what the art center is.

 Some wedding photo sessions were in process while we were there.

 Can't say it's not interesting architecture.

 How does that suspended piece stay up?

 Yet another interesting roundabout.

 This sign and the one that follows were at the same grocery store and say the same thing.  This one is Spanish and says (loosely translated), "Save as never before, choosing as always."  Meaning you can make your regular grocery choices and now save like never before.

 This says it in Valenciano.  Obviously the "com" means "como" and the sempre is siempre.  Otherwise, it's very different from Spanish.

 We cracked up at this sign.  It says not to wait till you're 65 to start planning your retirement if you want to keep enjoying the things you like.  Look at the guy I'm pointing to.  I hope I don't look like him in 3 years.

 A monkey after a gold fish at the art museum.

 Inside courtyard at the art museum.

 Top is part of a brochure from the art museum, printed in Valenciano.  Bottom is a wrapper from some chocolate I bought.  Labeling is in Spanish then Valenciano.  Black chocolate (dark) and almonds.  Amb is con (with).

 Zoo animal photos from Gayle's excursion.  She said it was the best zoo she's been to.  Actually called the BioPark.

Collage of some of the plants we saw.