Valencia

Fallas Monuments

2012-02-09T18:51:00.001+01:00

The word "falla" is used so much during Fallas that it can get confusing. People will use the words "falla" and "monument" interchangeable, but for clarity, "monument" is better.

It refers to the large structures that will block intersections and fill small plazas all over the Valencian province during the 14th-19th of March each year.

The structures are made of mostly of wood, foam fill, and paint, created in any parts and assembled on the 14th and 15th of March during La Plantá.

They are dreamed up and paid for by the Casal Faller that they represent, the neighborhood group that organizes parties and fundraisers throughout the year. An artist will get the designs in the autumn and start working. The final product is unveiled on the street during the last week of Fallas, just to be burned completely to the ground during La Cremá on the 19th near midnight.

The size and extravagance of each monument is relative to the neighborhood, size, and $$ that each Casal Faller raises. Some of the larger ones are also sponsored by businesses and can be as tall as the buildings that surround them.

For each Casal Faller, there are two monuments. The "Falla Infantíl" is a small one to the side made for children with themes and designs that appeal to kids. The large monuments, the focus of each intersection, are themed for adults, often satirical, political, and a bit crude.

The small statues surrounding each central statue are called Ninots.

The Monument at the Mercado Central 2011

The Monument at the Torres de Quart 2011

Left: The Falla Infantíl at the Torres de Quart 2011

Right: The Monument at the Modern Art Museum 2011 - You can always count on this Monument to be a reflection of it's neighboring building.

Above: A small part of the Monument at Na Jordana.

Below: The Falla Infantíl at Na Jordana

Smaller Monuments in the tiny neighborhoods of Valencia.

Monument in front of the Plaza de la Reina

Above: Another small Monument at Santa Catalina

Right: Part of the Monument at the Ayuntamiento

Fallas Markets

2012-02-09T18:08:00.000+01:00

As if there isn't enough going on already, you'll also run into a few street markets during the last four days of Fallas when streets close after the large monuments go up.

There's a market near the Falla at Jerusalén to the west of the train station and just a few blocks farther south west, you'll find a Moorish market near Calle Estrella.

Sometimes there's a market at Gran Via near Almirante as well and you'll find a great market between Calles Cuba and Sueca.

Fallas is a time to wander, explore, and get lost in the city. You never know what you'll run into.

Spring Cleaning

2012-02-08T18:22:00.004+01:00

I once dreamed I was an octopus... un pulpo... with hands so that I could do a million things at once.

And then I woke up and realized, sadly, that I can't be fabulous at anything if I try to do everything.

And so instead of managing 9 blogs, I'm doing a bit of spring cleaning and pulling them together into... well, not as many as nine.

So, while I'm not deleting this blog (yet), I will most likely not be updating it either. ALL of these posts and more will be added to my travel and food blog here.

Thank you!

Tiffany

http://www.tiffanyweber.com

Jerica, Spain

2012-01-22T16:09:00.003+01:00

Valencia Day Trip: 40 minutes NW from Valencia, 10 minutes from Segunto

Jerica isn't in any of our guidebooks or tourist guides. It barely shows up on most maps, but if you drive from Sagunto up the V-23, you'll notice it on your left with its tall bell tower rising up from a little hill with another hill extending upwards housing what little remains of an old castle. From there is the drop falling to the river Palancia, a thin turquoise green ribbon that springs from Bejis and winds through the Sierra Calderona.

So today, we went there. Just 20 minutes from my house up the V-23, Jerica is the perfect day trip when you're tired of the sea and need a new landscape. Parking on the outskirts of the town isn't difficult, so we found a spot near that big yellow house and began our walk into the town, past a busy corner and across the street onto the mound, the tightly packed hill that contains the cities oldest homes.

Here the streets wind narrowly up to the top. There is no hurry since no car can speed here. Pedestrians amble freely until they hear a car, then squish themselves flat along the thread of a sidewalk to allow the car to go by. It's a quiet day. The houses are all stuck together as they often are here most standing three stories tall and differing from their neighbor by a slightly different shade of pastel and a different colored shutter. It doesn't take long to get to the top, which we did, to find that though the hill didn't look that high, the wind in this river valley roars with such force that we were walking at a forward slat around half the tower, then were pushed into a run 'round the backside.

Jerica's Mudejar bell tower sits upon a platform of Roman origin, though no one knows exactly when it was built. The tower itself was proposed in 1614 when the city council decided that the bells couldn't be heard from all points in the town. The tower was completed in 1622 and the bells moved. It cost 1,775 libras. The bells that ring from the tower now aren't quite as old. They two oldest are from 1802 and 1790 and are named Santa Agueda and La Virgen. The former weighs 2600 kilos.

Near the entrance on one side lies a tiny little street full of flowers. Three homes face each other seeming to battle over who has the most flowers. The best is absolutely adorable. With terracotta pots both on the ground and fastened to the exterior walls and window boxes oveflowing with geraniums, it looks like something out of a fairy tale. A tiny old lady emerged, so I complimented her on the array. "My son did all this," she said. Then she began to tell me how beautiful this town is on a sunnier, warmer day. She also told me about the path near the river and the waterfalls below. We talked for at least 5 minutes. Could have been 10. People are very friendly in Jerica. Given enough time, we probably would have shared a coffee.

Around the corner is a tiny playground flanked on both sides by enormous fig trees heavy with overripe fruit. From there it's easy to spy the path that leads to the top of another hill. This is where we went next, to another windy spot so blustery, that my dad put Elise and Luci into the mouth of the remaining castle tower worried that they'd blow right off the mountain if left alone.

It was here that my darling youngests discovered and collected old bones, excited and thrilled by their discovery, shoving them in the faces of all who were and were not so interested. "Oh, how wonderful! Old bones!" Blech.

Angie and Arianna stood at the bottom of the hill. The rest arrived here. This was the safe house for the littles while dad and I walked to the back and nervously watched each other as we took turns creeping slowly to the edge to look over and take a few photos. The drop would have been scary enough without the wind, but with it, I moved slowly and crouched low holding onto the rocks so I wouldn't be blown over. This is where you can see the river approach, skirt around, then continue down some falls and into the orchards in the valley below.

Wild pomegranates grow here as do praying mantis. We watched this guy walk across our path, then we held him up precariously on a stick to try to get a closer picture.

Old Spanish towns are just cute. The thread width roads and white painted buildings, the terracotta pots and paint peeling doors. It all lends to a certain charm that I haven't tired of. This village also had these funny stacks of pumpkins in several windows that I've never seen before. I suppose with the cool air, this is the perfect storage space to keep them fresh, but doesn't allow for much a view.

This house had created a mosaic around each arched window and its doorway with old broken tiles of all colors. Apparently this is the street to avoid if you lack the green thumb. Each tiny courtyard here is lined, green spilling out of clay pots of all sizes. Even within the tiny room on the right inside the old abandoned tower, someone is keeping beautiful green plants healthy and alive.

Just to the left of this are two small adjoining courtyards and a little water pump. All of these flowers are cared for by the tiny little lady in the photo below. I talked to her too and she told me to return in the spring when the colors are much brighter and the flowers are flowering more. She proudly told me that she had planted all the flowers in that area and all the ones lining the street down to the end of her house, a house that she was born in over 70 years ago, where she grew up and where her own children were born. She loves Jerica and says that people return every year to ski in the nearby hills and attend the many cultural festivals. Just to the right of her house is a little plaque showing that this street won the "most beautiful street" award in 1994. I'm not surprised.

These tiny plant lined streets led to the church where some famous guy was born just facing it. At this point we were all getting a bit tired and hungry which is why I didn't care at the point who the famous guy was. His picture is on the wall in tile with his name. Wasn't anyone I knew. ;)

The door of the church is made of gold colored punched metal. It's extremely detailed all the way down to the key hole covers and fancy door knobs.

The old city was created in three phases. The oldest part began with the castle an only extended to the top of the hill. Another phase built a wall halfway around the hill and in the final phase, another defensive wall was built at the base. Even now, the hill remains divided in those original rings with the buildings stuck together and wall connecting the open parts with just arched doorways here and there to allow people through. There are fun surprises at every corner like tiny covered passageways with half-timbered ceilings that lead to miniascule courtyards with laundry hanging to dry.

We ended up here near where we started famished and ready for food. There's a "real" restaurant up the street, but this little bar was good enough. We sat outside under a tree where a bird decided to decorate one jacket while we enjoyed our lunch of pork and fries for some, omelets for others, and a couple of really quite delicious beef sandwiches. Not beef like roast beef or steak, but a thinly sliced steak about 1/4" thick cooked and placed on a roll with sauteed onions. Good. Simple, but good.

Instead of heading directly home I thought I'd try to find the river that the lady on the hill told me about. I went the wrong way and ended up driving in the middle of nowhere on a very tiny little road until turning around and trying again. Then, I drove up a road past an old communal laundry with a large stone tub of water where I faced a road tinier than my van with a steep incline, but chickened out, made a thousand point turn, and left. We found ourselves in a parking lot and discovered the trail head. Large golden leaf trees bent low over a sequence of water falls and a stone path snaked along the mountain. The gusting wind blew the leaves which lingered in the air as if they had taken flight on their own, nature's confetti. Dad and I jumped out to take pictures. We wanted to walk it, but it was cold... really bitterly cold with that wind and the rest of our party were already warm and deshoed in the comfort of my car.

Another wrong turn and scary retreat down a really steep narrow road and we were finally on our way home with just one stop for this view.

Jerica is beautiful. With enough time, I'll definitely go back.

Events:

July each year they have a medieval market.

Global Champion's Tour: Gran Premio de España 2011

2011-06-07T10:15:00.000+02:00

For about 10 Euros you can get a large coffee and slice of cake at a Starbucks, or you can spend an entire day watching some of the most beautiful horses in the world jump over obstacles. For that price, it's worth going all three days.

THE EVENT: The Gran Premio de España lasts three days each year with five trophies on each day. It begins around 9 each morning and ends at 7 with breaks inbetween competitions to reset and groom the course.

The program will tell you the height of the obstacles and how each contest is judged. It also gives you a list of riders and has a place where you can write down the points and time. This is fun for kids as well and allows them to be involved.

WHERE: Held at Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences, you're surrounded by the airy beauty of Calatrava's white buildings. Pale blue waters, stunning reflections, the course flanked by the Umbracle gardens and the Science Museum, it's just a nice place to be. Your ticket enables you to come and go throughout the day, so the location is great enabling you to walk around the buildings and stroll through the Turia gardens.

TICKETS: Tickets are sold each year through the City of Arts and Sciences. The tickets are sold for a specific day, so if you'd like to attend more than one, be sure to specify that in your request. Tickets are sold as general admission/standing or as seats. The front seats will give you the best pictures, but the back of the bleachers is in the shade and catches the wind, so these are better if you're sensitive to the heat or need to stay out of the sun.

DRESS: The dress ranges from casual to quite nice. The riders themselves always look very nice walking around the shops, and you may just catch a glimpse of royalty as the world's royals tend to be either riders or afficionados.

FOOD: There is a small shopping area and a couple places where you can buy food if you'd like to stay the entire day. They offer pizza, hamburgers, salads, sandwiches, and ice cream in one of the tents. They also allow food to be brought in, so it is possible to bring in water and even your own picnic. If you want something nice, try A Tu Gusto which is a 4-5 block walk on the to the south.

BRING: A pen per person (for the program), sunscreen, and a hat and/or fan. The mornings are fabulous, but it can get hot and the sun after hours can be very intense. This is where sitting in the back of the bleachers can be helpful.

OFFICIAL SITE: http://www.globalchampionstour.com/

El Palmar at the Albufera

2011-06-01T22:50:00.000+02:00

This is the Albufera at El Palmar, a place I haven't been to nearly enough though I've taken visitors there several times. It's old and timeless and absolutely peaceful. Like a long massage or a lullaby, this place calms.

The Albufera was Europe's largest fresh water lake. It still claims that title though much of the lake has been filled in to create the rice fields that surround it. It's home to carp, eels, and an enormous bird reserve where millions of birds come each winter.

The egrets and blue heron stay all year building nests along the water's edge near the bamboo thickets that were planted generations ago to create boating lanes near their village. At any time of year you can see these large birds alight from their nests and fly overhead. In the spring the winter birds have left and the ones that stay are nesting hidden within the bamboo forests. The best time to see the birds is in the fall and winter. October is a fabulous time to go.

El Palmar is a tiny town surrounded by rice paddies on one side and the lake on the other. Accessible over a narrow one-lane bridge, it was once an island whose inhabitants were supplied by boats from Valencia once a week. In August the stalks of rice are tall and full. By October the fields are flooded making perfect photo ops with the reflections of the sky and white farm houses sprinkled throughout the fields.

The village still seems like an island. Everyone knows everyone and the lifestyles set forth by their grandparents and great-grandparents are still ahdered to and respected.

These two boats are cleaning the lake. The large city sprawl on the opposite shore don't have the same relationship with the lake like El Palmar does, so these people collect the trash dumped in and filter the water on a regular basis. They aren't appointed and don't get paid. It's just something that they do to keep their lake clean and healthy. It's something they have to do in order to preserve their way of life.

The people of El Palmar are fishermen and boatsmen as they've been for eons. Rosa was our guide today for a leisurely ride upon the water. She lives where she grew up and still uses boats that were her grandfathers, wooden boats as old as 200 years. They fish and give boat rides. She tells us about her lake pointing out the traditional barracas which once were the only type of home in her town.

It's easy to take a boat. Though there aren't any rental places to go out on your own, you'll find "Paseo en Barca" liberally written throughout the town. Stop at any one of these places and you'll find a local with a boat who will take you on a tour and tell you about the lake they love. Call ahead to reserve a time or for big groups. You can arrange for sunset or sunrise rides and even a paella on the boat. Prices depend on the number of people going. For 2 people, you pay the highest rate of 10 Euros/30 minutes generally, but that price goes down as more people go.

Rosa "La Barquera" y Tonet

www.parquealbufera.com

tonetbarquero@yahoo.es

Tel: +34 657 379 653

+34 619 112 586

This man is 92. He's a fisherman of course, and he's slowing to watch a family of baby ducks swim by. Life is simple. It's a beautiful thing.

Rosa recommends El Ravatjol. It seems every boat guide has a favorite restaurant. Mom and I walked there then sat outside near the canal while we lunched. We had tellines (cockles) and chipirones (tiny whole squid) then rabbit cooked with garlic for our entree. It was good though the tellines were a little sandier than they should have been. Spoiled with the freshest seafood here, I've begun to get picky.

El Ravatjol

C/ Santísimo Cristo de la Salud 10

46012 El Palmar (Valencia)

Tel: 961 620 279

Web: www.restauranteelravatjol.com

From there we wandered in the sunshine though this town of 28 restaurants taking pictures along the way. El Palmar is probably Valencia's favorite place to eat. The seafood is fresh, caught that morning and served at lunch and many places are family places serving the same family recipes for years.

The canals on either side of El Palmar are lined with boats many heavily laden with fishing nets. Some nets hung drying outside of people's homes. These tubular nets are the ones used to catch anguila (eel) in the fall months.

Driving in earlier I'd noticed that many of the nets I'd seen before were down. Rosa explained that they'll put them up again in October for the eel season.

"But why take them down at all if you just have to put them back up again?" The nets are hung from thick wooden poles which are also removed entirely. It has to be a taxing job to put them up and take them down each season.

Rosa explained that there's a lottery system among the fishermen. They do a drawing to see who gets to fish which areas, so they have to take everything down because they'll have to move it all to another fishing spot each year. She pointed across the water to the edge of the bird reserve where several wooden posts remained. That would be her spot next year.

The stations of the cross are painted onto tiles and set into the outside walls of people's homes throughout the town. The houses are painted shades of pastel or tiled completely in patterns that sometimes clash. The town is quiet except for a tranquil buzz coming from restaurant windows and patios, a little girl singing on her balcony, a gaggle of elderly on their way to a luncheon across the bridge, and the keen eyes of a neighbor lady staring at the door I'd just photographed most likely wondering why this crazy stranger would take a picture of her neighbor's door.

Two barracas still exists within the confines of the tiny town. This one has a thatched roof that slopes so low it nearly touches the ground.

The sun and tranquility have a mellowing effect similar to a few glasses of good wine. And we're just 15 minutes from Valencia's city center. This is pure magic.

More info:
www.albuferavalencia.com
www.albuferaparc.com

Camilo Miralles

2011-06-01T13:44:00.001+02:00

Camilo Miralles

Bautista Riera 30

46100 Burjasot (Valencia)

+34 963 638 017

http://www.camilomiralles.com/

The oldest manufacturer of silk fabrics is here in Valencia. Founded in the 19th century, Camilo Miralles imports and processes raw silk, dyes it, and weaves it into the phenomal fabrics you see here.

Visits are possible for groups where you'll see an old upper room with some of the old looms. They'll explain the process of softening the silk by putting it into warm water where one of the silk proteins sinks to the bottom making the resulting silk into the stuff that we know by touch. They'll show you patterns and explain the weaving process.

Here you can also browse fabrics and and buy beautiful shawls in either pure silk or silk embroidery over cotton. Custom pieces are available.

Ripolles and Gabarrón

2011-06-01T12:33:00.000+02:00

Don't miss these two amazing art exhibitions that are going on now at Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences.

Find the works of two talented Spanish sculptures scattered along the boardwalk outside the Umbracle gardens.

Juan Ripolles creates whimsy and fun with his "Urban Universe" collection. The figures are all 2-3 sided with at least two faces, but sometimes 4. They seem happy. Each one has a twin, one in color and one in bronze and as odd as they are, they have quirky personalities that are relatable. Ripolles is a local artist, born and raised in Castellón. He's studied in Spain and France and has become well known worldwide.

~~~~~

Murcian artist Cristóbal Gabarrón fills the second have of the boardwalk with his brightly colored "Towers of the Alhambra." The Moorish patterns come from the many designs found within the walls of Granada's famed Alhambra palace.

VUELVE CAROLINA at calle Correos numero 8.

2011-04-19T11:46:00.001+02:00

http://www.vuelvecarolina.com/

Posh without pretention is the new Vuelve Carolina on Valencia's Calle de Correos #8. The brainchild of the well known chef, Quique Dacosta, there is nothing forgotten in this place that offers exquisite food and carefully chosen wines in a place that is modern, yet homey combining clean lines with a bit of nature.

The portions are generous offering a lunchtime tapas menu for 20 Euros that is nearly too much to finish. The dishes are unique, combining exciting textures and flavors with a presentation that is nouveau, but still recognizable. After my last experience with this "cocina nouveau" eating food that looked more cosmetic than nourishing, I was happy to find something fun, but also flavorful, delicious, and natural.

The tapas menu does have a lot of fish which is typical of Valencia, so if you don't care for fish, it's better to order off the regular menu. The menu offers a variety of dishes including typical local rice dishes and meat.

Yogur de cremoso de Parmesano con albahaca y mentas

(Doesn't taste like yogurt) Parmesan cream cheese with basil and mint

Sadly, I got so caught up in the eating that I forgot to take pictures in the middle of our meal of the generous portions of smoked salmon and cod. My tablemates raved over the croquettes and we all enjoyed this unique jar of parmesan cheese and pesto that was as tasty on a spoon as it was spread onto our bread.

Croquetas - Langostinos crujientes con emulsión de tomates secos

Croquettes - Breaded prawns with a sundried tomato tapenade (YUMMY)

Huevo poché con cremoso de morcilla y migas

A poached egg with blood sausage, cream cheese, and bread crumbs

Yogur y violetas - Milhojas con crema

Sweet cream yogurt with voilets and blueberries topped with violet ice cream - Flaky pastry with cream (my favorite!)

Frutas escarchadas

Fallas: Ninots

2011-04-05T15:06:00.000+02:00

Ninots are smaller statues that are set around the larger central figure to create the Falla Monument that will be burned on the night of March 19th each year. Each falla in Valencia will send one Ninot to an exhibition tent at the Nuevo Centro shopping center just outside the city center where it will be on display from early February until March 14/15th.

Exhibit visitors vote on their favorite and the one that gets the most votes will be spared the fire and saved in the Falla Museum. This isn't the only ninot to be saved. Each Fallera Mayor is allowed to take one ninot as a souvenir of her reign. The Fallera Mayor will choose from the adult monument and the Fallera Mayor Infantil will choose one small ninot from the children's falla.

Spain's anti-smoking laws finally took affect this past January, 2011 banning smoking from all public buildings. Cafes have moved more tables outside and smokers are gathered there even though it's still a bit cold for the locals. The cigarette box says "Smoking can kill you from the cold."

The ninots and monument are satirical in nature mocking local and world events and leaders. As Fallas is truly a Valencian custom, the signs of usually only written in the local dialect, but some themes are obvious, even for tourists.

Breast implants seem to be very popular in Spain. They recently found that the silicon implant they were using has a problem, so they're calling women to come back in to have them redone.

This entire monument was a commentary on the negatives of the American lifestyle. This particular ninot implied our dangerous relationship with China.

Paul the Octopus who predicted Spain's World Cup victory is dead, but not forgotten.

El Corte Ingles is the most popular department store in Spain. It is said that if you need it, you'll find it at "El Corte."

The smoking ban was a HUGE deal here, so it echoed in many of the ninots. In this monument, every statue was smoking including the Spanish politicians whose ninot figures were hanging from nooses.

More American lifestyles: TSA Scans, Hamburgers, and Coca Cola.

Obama appeared several times this year although less than last year. In this one he was the "Crazy bird" and in another was wearing a Snow White costume and had seven of South America's leaders as his dwarfs.

The theme of Adam and Eve and the original sin was shown in several different monuments throughout the city. I'm not sure what has triggered this theme this year, but it wasn't even the least bit subtle.

Mourning Egypt and its treasures.

Catalunya, the province just north of Valencia that includes Barcelona, passed laws this year banning bullfighting from the region. Bullfights are still an important even here and the bull culture is alive and well in small local Valencian villages.

Fallas: Iluminaciones (Street Lights)

2011-03-24T16:04:00.001+01:00

These lights by Valencia's Cathedral are in the shape of the Papal hat.

Fallas brings an explosion of color to the senses not only with the smoke and lights of the fireworks, and the creativity of the monuments, but also in the beautiful variations of street lights that fill even some of the tiny streets of the city as each Casal Faller decorates their street differently.

There's an annual "iluminaciones" contest, but Calles Cuba and Sueca take the prize nearly every year with their Vegas-like lights lining the street to their monument. These streets also house two of the larger monuments making them a "must see" location for locals and tourists alike.

Calle Cuba has chandeliers made of lights at the end near their monument.

Calle Sueca

More Valencia street lights at Fallas

L' Hamadriada

2011-02-22T16:22:00.001+01:00

l’ hamadríada
Pl. Vicente Iborra, 3
Valencia 46003
Barri del Carme
tel. 963 26 0891
web. www.hamadriada.com

Down a narrow alley directly across from the main door of the church adjacent to the Backpacker's Hostel near the Plaza Vicente Iborra, l’ hamadríada offers diners delicious food, fabulous service, and a cozy atmosphere. The walls are sparcely decorated with wooden wine boxes. The rest of the decor is clean and simple. The waitresses are friendly and took the time with each course to explain it. They also recommended a delicous wine which, to their credit, was not the most expensive on the menu and fit our taste well.

Having found a quiet corner in the otherwise busy Barrio del Carmen, this is a great place to go for a nice meal before heading out to one of Carmen's rowdier establishments.

Cuina Oberta 2011 Dinner Menu

The map online pointed to Pl. Vicente Iborra, 3, and google maps placed it next to an Aloe Vera shop. That door leads to an apartment building and is locked. We stood there confused for a few minutes before calling. Avoid this by turning down the nearby alley directly across from the church door. Google can't help you here.

We were very happy with the set menu here which, is similar in price and quantity to the regular menu's offered. Each dish was delicious and we walked away full having enjoyed a nice meal which was neither too skimpy nor too generous.

Apple , goat cheese and mint toast

Coca de manzana, queso de cabra y hierbabuena

The combination of flavors here are very subtle with none jumping out at you. I would have like a bit more mint, but it was very good.

Wild mushrooms salad with aromatic herbs and dry tomatoes

Ensalada de setas confitadas con hierbas aromáticas y tomatitos secos

Mushroom connoisours will enjoy this salad. I enjoyed it very much sans mushrooms. :)

Sauté vegetables with ginger oil

Verduras de temporada salteadas al punto con aceite de jengibre

Cooked to tenderness, yet not overdone, this combination of vegetables with just a hint of ginger was delicious. I didn't want to share.

Tuna cubes with tomato and basil

Dados de atún con terciopelo de tomate y albahaca

Beautifully cooked pieces of tuna. If this were available as an entree, I'd order it.

Main: Caramelized cod with garlic, tomatoes, nuts and a dash of honey

Bacalao confitado con refrito de ajos, tomatitos, frutos secos y un toque de miel

Though this dish was very good and the fish was cooked nicely, it was a bit heavy on the almonds and didn't have enough garlic or tomatoes to flavor the dish. Good, but a bit bland. I preferred the next dish... unfortunately, my husbands and he wasn't sharing more than a bite.

T~~raditional pork stew~~ Beef cheeks with potatoes and wild mushrooms ~~pie~~ timbal

Carrillera de ibérico al tempranillo con timbal de patatas y boletus

The crossed out portion is what the English translation said, but Beef Cheeks is what it was and I confirmed it with the waitress who smiled and pointed to her cheek. Absolutely delicious, I'm on the hunt for beef cheeks now. The cut is so tender, you hardly need a knife at all and the sauce that this is served with has an intensity of flavor that's just beautiful. I'll get this next time. The "pie" is a combination of potatoes and mushrooms formed together into a little form like they do with rice. It's not pie.

Three-texture chocolate cake

Chocolate en tres texturas

It seems that the brownies are all the rage in Valencia these days which just doesn't make sense to this American girl who sees brownies as a rather ordinary pot-luck dessert, but here it is, gracing the menus of some pretty nice places as if it's something fancy. This one was dry and ordinary, but thankfully was topped with a really bitter chocolate dollop of mousse and hot chocolate sauce. Those were good. I didn't finish my brownie.

Will I eat here again? I definitely would. The food really was great even with the average brownie. I'd order a meat next time and load up on those appetizers because really, everything was good.

Recommended? This place is tiny, so it's not a big group kind of place. Parties of 4 or less are better and though well behaved or older kids would be fine, it's not really a kid place either.

A Tu Gusto

2011-02-20T15:54:00.001+01:00

A Tu Gusto

By Chef Salvador Furio

Calle Escritor Rafael Ferreres 4

Valencia

Tel: 96 332 7026

Web: www.atugusto.com

Just a few blocks from the Palau de la Reina, part of Calatrava's beautiful City of Arts and Sciences, A Tu Gusto offers creative, delicious, and high quality cuisine at reasonable prices. The set menus area fantastic choice giving the diner an experience with a wide array of complementary flavors.

Cuina Oberta 2011 Lunch Menu

This small starter came early, but we were talking so much, no one ever tried it, so I can't even tell you what it is!

The waiter allowed us to choose from a nice selection of 5-6 different breads. This one is a soft and slightly sweet raisin nut bread.

Pan de pasas y nueces

Starter: Stuffed peppers confit of duck, leeks and onions with arbequina oil and radish sprouts

Pimientos del piquillo rellenos de pato confitado, puerros y cebolla con aceite de arbequina
y germinados de rabanitos.

I was really happy that I didn't have to share these. They were incredibly delicious with a creamy filling similar in consistency to a croquette, but with nice pieces of duck inside.

The Other Starter: Cantabrian anchovies with Brie cheese batter, tomato jam and lumpfish roe

Anchoas del Cantábrico con queso Brie rebozado, mermelada de tomate y huevas de lumpo

Main: Deer tenderloin with cranberry jam and wild fruits

Lomito de ciervo con mermelada de arándanos y frutos silvestres

Wow. This piece of deer was absolutely delicious and without a trace of fat.

Other Choices for Main Offered:

Sailor Sweet Rice Gambit, mushrooms and truffle

Arroz meloso marinero de gambitas, setas y trufa

Confit of cod with garlic cream and trout caviar

Bacalao confitado con crema de ajo y caviar de trucha

Mango tocinillos

Tocinillo de Mango

This is hands-down the best dessert of the week! Similar to flan, but better, this custardy cake of mango was served with a house made lemon sorbet and a dollop of sweet whipped cream with a sour lemon topping. Amazing. I want this again.

Samsha

2011-02-19T17:13:00.003+01:00

Samsha

Periodista Ros Belda 4

46021 Valencia

Tel: 96 389 1902

www.samsha.es

Just a stones throw away from the stadium and Cines Babel, this ultra-modern contemporary restaurant will surprise your senses with food fusions arriving in a unique array of colors and textures.

Samsha is an experience, but is a niche market that won't work for everyone. If you are a meat and potatoes guy, this probably isn't your cup of tea. The portions are small, over-the-top artistically, and don't much resemble the original food source. For the right occasion and the very open minded diner; however, Samsa offers a beautiful setting for a meal unlike any other. Need a conversation starter? The food itself is the conversation.

Cuina Oberta 2011 Lunch Menu

The surprise starter arrived like this, one graphite slab per two people in our group. The waiter read from a card to tell us what we were eating.

The Shot Glass: Olive Puree with Martini Foam

Though it's strange to sip olives through a straw, the combination of green olives and gin was nice albeit a bit salty.

The Tablet: Parmesan cheese and Tomato

This slightly waxy tablet had an unnatural sparkly sheen more akin to a cake of rouge than a food and the consistency of a white chocolate square, but the flavor was good.

The Cream: Mushroon

The small ball of cream had an incredibly intense mushroom flavor and left a long lasting residual taste that wouldn't go away. This is great, supposedly, if you are a big fan of mushrooms.

Starter: Kalamata olives coal, tomatoes drops, goat cheese and dates ice cream with a base from aubergines
& seeds and dates rosquilletas

Carbón de aceituna Kalamata, gotitas de tomate, queso de cabra y helado de dátiles con una base de berenjena & rosquilletas de semillas y dátiles

The base Kalamata flavored cracker has the lightness and texture of a slab of coal. It's topped with an assortment of creams and sauces somewhat hard to identify. The ice cream in the center was delicious with a sweetness that nicely balanced the combination of savory flavors it topped. This appetizer quite honestly frightened me, but it did taste good.

The roquilletas are a typical Spanish bread stick. Every course during this meal came with a special bread item. The rosquilletas were good.

Red rice of scarlet prawns with their legs, lime caviar and sepia veil and cilantro, lime

& 7 Japanese spices bread

Arroz rojo de carabinero con crujiente de sus patitas, caviar de lima y velo de sepia
& pan chapata de cilantro, lima y 7 especias japonesas

This was the other optional starter. I'd chosen the former. This looked beautiful and evoked "mmm" from only diner who ordered it. Those small green balls are the intensely flavored lime "caviar."

Main: Beef Tenderloin steak flavoured with vanilla, foie sauce, shiitakes caviar and raspberry sponges
& hazelnut and vanilla Irish bread

Solomillo de buey aromatizado con vainilla, yema de foie, caviar de shiitakes, esponjas de frambuesas
& pan irlandés de avellana y vainilla

My entree: I have to say the flavors were delicious and if this were served again, I would have no problem eating it. Other than the slightly small size of the tenderloin which is typical for this style of restaurant, I can't complain. But, given that, it was a strange first impression. That shiny pink "bath pearl" when punctured yielded a creamy foie gras sauce. The "caviar" were salty, but didn't have a strong shiitake flavor. The raspberry sponge tasted good, but it was a bit strange. The meal, though delicious, had a very cosmetic feel that was a bit off-putting.

This is the hazelnut and vanilla Irish bread. Each course had a specific bread tailored to it and each bread was quite good. Sadly, the breads were probably the most natural looking part of our meal.

White sea bass with pumpkin rocks, pineapple Teriyaki sauce and oregano bubbles
& pumpkin and oregano focaccia

Corvina con rocas de calabaza, Teriyaki de piña y burbujas de orégano
& pan focaccia de calabaza y orégano

I did not order this one, so I can't speak for flavor. It was funny to watch my friends read the menu and try to figure out exactly what they were eating. Oregano bubbles? That's just strange.

Dessert: Golden Baileys ingot on chocolate and coffee brownie, sesame ice cream with cocoa

& milk and coffee bread

Lingote de oro y Baileys sobre brownie de chocolate con café, helado de sésamo caramelizado y arena de cacao & pan de leche y café

A delicious dessert, our only complaints were the slightly artificial flavor and appearance to the Baileys ingot. The gold sheen on top was beautiful, but we all wondered what exactly was used to create such an artificial look.

Sweet Garden: violets ice cream, roses meringue, jasmine sauce and lilac drops
gel and bread butter and violets

Jardín dulce: polvo helado de flor de cactus, helado de violetas, merengue crujiente de rosas y gel de jazmín y pan de mantequilla y violetas

The Final Thing...

I had a photo accidentally deleted, but it doesn't matter because this unexpected item arrived absolutely identical to our first trio on a granite slab.

Identical. We all tried to tell the waiter that he's already brought this and that we were at the end of our meal. We thought he was confused. Nope. Identical look, but different flavors.

The shot glass was filled this time with a bright green raspberry puree topped with mojito foam. The tablet still glittery and a bit waxy was raspberry flavored. The dollop of ice cream now was made of whisky and could have come three times the size, it was so good.

Bottom Line:

While this may not be my first choice of restaurants and while I may not return, the flavors were quite good and for the right occasion and right taste, this is a great place to go.

La Lola

2011-02-19T12:26:00.002+01:00

La Lola

Calle Subida del Toledano, 8

Valencia

Tel 96 391 8045

www.lalolarestaurante.com

Hidden at the end of a tiny alley just across from the tower of Valencia's Cathedral, La Lola is a great place to go with friends, family, or on a date. Playful and chic, La Lola's decor is anything but serious, yet white linens and nice stemware denote a touch of elegance that speak to the quality of the food presented. A tiny stage in the corner awaits the live flamenco music that plays each Thursday and Friday nights.

The food is creative, yet delicious opening up some new possibilities in food combinations. Portions are generous and the service is excellent.

A weekday lunch menu: Delicious!

The 12 Euro lunch menu is fabulous offering quality ingredients packed with flavor.

A fresh cheese salad with cod.

Pork tenderloin with raisins and goat cheese.

Chocolate Mousse with hazelnuts and mint

Cuina Oberta 2011 Lunch Menu:

Our second restaurant to try, this is another that set the bar high and remains tied for favorite. I will go back here and take advantage of the live music one night just for fun.

Starter: Gin-tonic "gelly" with a carrots dressing

Gelatina de gin-tonic con zanahorias en aliño

The waiter recommended that we eat the carrots first, then the jello. The carrots were lightly cooked, soft, but not mushy and retained a very true carrot flavor. The clear gin jello had a light juniper flavor that cleansed the palate. It had the consistency of jello without the stickiness. The combination surprised us, but we all enjoyed it.

Starter: Tomato "kumato” soup with mozarella shins

Sopa de tomate kumato con mozarella shins

Our bowls arrive with just the small ball of white in the center and a sprig of mint on top. The waiter then poured a thick pool of orange around it - the Kumato soup. Kumato is a dark tomato, thus our orange soup had a very nice clean tomato flavor. It wasn't very hot. The white ball contained a small tomato inside. The white is a Mozzerella skin. It was really good.

Starter: Mackerel fillets marinaded with sweet pineapple and crunchy carambola fruit

Suprema de caballa marinada con dulce de piña y crujiente de carambola

Delicious, we were all pleasantly surprised at the huge portion of mackerel presented to us. Not overly fishy, the tomato and avocado balanced the flavor well.

Main: Rack of lamb with a taste of tarragon and dry fruits and chocolate cous-cous

Carre de cordero al estragón
con cous-cous de frutos secos y chocolate

The star entree of the week, this lamb is the best I've eaten in Spain, tender, flavorful, and with very little fat. Served on a smear of dark chocolate with a sprinkle of cous cous, pistachios, and dried fruit, the flavor combination left us all wanting just a bit more. Amazing food.

Dessert: Orange pie with cookies and chocolate truffle

Tatín de naranja con cookies
y trufa de chocolate

A thin cake topped with orange segments with a precariously placed dollop of chocolate mousse topped with... chocolate poprocks! Great taste and a surprising crackle afterwards made this one of the most surprising desserts of the week.

Seu Xerea

2011-02-18T16:46:00.001+01:00

Seu-Xerea

C/ Conde de Almodóvar, 4

46003 Valencia

www.seuxerea.com

tel: 96 392 4000

Hidden down a narrow street just two blocks from Valencia's Plaza de la Virgen is this little gem, unassuming without any signage to make it obvious, but a great find. Those beautiful doors open up to a narrow hallway that leads you to a cozy room with red walls and white linens, classy and elegant.

The service is attentive without being bothersome and the waiters are happy to tell you about the food and give you their opinions.

The food is a delicious fusion of international and traditional local cuisine presented well with fair portions. The flavors are nicely balanced and full without being overpowering. This is an excellent restaurant to go to with friends, family, and business assosiates. Reservations are recommended.

The Cuina Oberta 2011 Lunch Menu:

Seu Xerea was the first of the Cuina Oberta restaurants we'd try this week and it set our expectations high. The number of dishes, portions, and flavor put this as one of our top two choices and a restaurant that I look forward to returning to and recommending to friends.

Amuse Bouche: Thai style coconut and pumpkin soup.

Crema de calabaza y coco al estilo Thai.

Served warm, not hot, this creamy soup is sweet and spicy, the cilantro adding just the right touch of zing.

Starters: Mixed salad with cured fish.

Ensalada de hortalizas y salazones

Seu Xerea doesn't skimp. This salad was packed with large chunks of nice fish. This is quality food.

Starters: Poh piah rolls with duck and hoisin sauce.

Rollios Poh Piah con pato y salsa hoi-sin

Yummmmmmmy. A home-run of flavor, I'd go back just for these.

Starters: Pizetta with roasted vegetables and marinaded sardines.

Coca con escalibada de verduras y sardina marinada

I'm not a fan of fish, but every fish dish I had here was delicious! Again, this restaurant does a fantastic job at combining flavors to create nicely balanced dishes.

Starters: Falafel with guacamole and fresh tomato salsa.

Falafel con guacamole y salsa fresca de tomate

As good as falafel I've had at Middle Eastern restaurants, the tomato and avocado add a nice fresh taste to the chickpea based ball.

Main: Traditional Morish /Castilian style stew with chicken and rabbit.

Gazpacho Manchego/Morisco con pollo y conejo

Though this isn't how my Valencian friends have eaten it, the soup is delicious and they even admitted that while it isn't like their mother's, the flavor is really wonderful. I really enjoyed the rich flavor and square crackers that softened on top. This is pure comfort food.

____

Other options: Cod with wild mushrooms and vegetable minestrone

Bacalao con setas y pequeña menestra de verduras

Valencian style rice with monkfish and seafood

Arroz de marisco y rape

Dessert: Tart Tatin with vanilla ice-cream.

Tatin de manzana con helado de vainilla

An ice cream topped square of apple tart atop a smear of vanilla custard... what's not to like?

Trattoria Napoletana Da Carlo

2011-02-14T10:50:00.020+01:00

Trattoria Napoletana Da Carlo

C/ Doctor Manuel Candela 79 bajo (near the intersection with Blazco Ibanez)

46021 Valencia

Tel: 963935562

There are few restaurants that haunt me. Few that I feel drawn back to. This [sigh], this is one of them. The entire experience was absolutely one of the best food experiences ever for me, but the octopus salad - so delicious - I can't get it out of my head. Silly, isn't it? It's just food. But, no. It's phenomenally great food that will redefine your concept of Italian.

Go with an adventurous spirit and an open mind and let Carlo bring what Carlo thinks is best. He knows. His wife cooks. He and his sons serve. It's a beautiful thing.

Reservations recommended. Lunch is so big, you won't need dinner. Park behind the restaurant if you can, but allow a few extra minutes as parking can be difficult.


The lushious green olives that great all guests. A snack to stave hunger while perusing the menu.

"At Valencia's Trattoria di Carlo you're a guest in a Napolese home. The restaurant is small and cozy. The counters are cluttered with wine bottles and glossy Italian travel books. The linens are stark white and the plates artistic and curved are as striking as the food put on them."

"After a recent two weeks in Italy, this meal is the best Italian that I've had - may be ever."

Trust Carlo. He knows what's good. This is one of the best wines I've tried here locally and it was brought when I asked for a half-dry white. Perfection in a bottle.

Las Entradas: The first is the octopus salad that's haunted me, different from the first, but just as delicious. The second contains my newest haunt, an amazing dome of the freshest mozzerella that I've ever eaten.

Ensalada de Pulpo aka "Bikini Salad"

Entrada Tier: Fresh mozzerella, artichokes, sundried tomatos, an assortment of meats

Our entrees: All beautiful and packed with flavor. I had the Puttanesca and although I am adverse to the visual of a whole fishie atop my pasta, when smooshed and blended in, it adds to the intensity of flavor that makes this dish one "to die for." The others with veal and fish ate theirs up with the same tenacity that I attacked mine. And we weren't even hungry. It's just that good.

Puttanesca

A fish enjoyed by two of my friends.


Quite possibly the most tender veal ever.

Dessert: You may not be hungry for dessert, but order it anyway. Your tastebuds won't object. The apple pie and cannoli are both favorites.

An experience: http://estrogenpalace.blogspot.com/2010/06/trattoria-da-carlo.html
Another experience: http://estrogenpalace.blogspot.com/2011/02/trattoria-di-carlo.html

Pizza Mondays!!!!!

On Mondays while you can experience all the mouth-watering flavors that break your diet the other days of the week, the traditional Napolese pizza, arguably the only "true" pizza, enters the scene. This is the day that Carlo puts on the apron and gets into the kitchen making two flavor of pizza that have already brought me back for more and redefined, yet again, an Italian concept for me.

You will have two choices.

1. Pizza Margarita: The standard pizza of Naples. Fresh tomato, mozzerella cheese, and beautiful green basil leaves. (I've eaten this one and it's delicious, but my absolute favorite pizza of all time is Carlo's other pizza, the Pizza Marinera)

2. Pizza Marinera (pictured): My favorite: Tomato, olives, capers, and anchovies.

Ok, here's the deal. I hate anchovies. I have always thought that anchovies were about the most disgusting thing that could go on a pizza. I wouldn't eat an anchovie or anything that had come in contact with an anchovie.

And then I met Carlo. And he brought me this pizza. And I saw the anchovies and cringed inside, but knew that if Carlo brought it that it couldn't be horrible and I didn't want to be rude, so I tried it. And I loved it and it became my all time favorite pizza ever and I even drug my anchovie-hating mother there too and she loved it too.

These are fresh from Santander, Spain. They aren't fishy. I squish them into the tomatoes and the flavor is shockingly good.

I still hate anchovies. Except on Carlo's pizza.

El Siglo Horchateria since 1836

2011-01-10T16:49:00.000+01:00

Recommended by a Valencian well versed in the hot cup of drinking chocolate so popular here as the "best cup of chocolate in Valencia," I was eager to try El Siglo. Sitting just next to the tower of Santa Catalina near the Plaza de la Reina, El Siglo is easy to find. Tourist flock here not knowing how special it truly is in part because of its location and in part because of the pretty tiled entryway.

El Siglo is deceptively larger than it looks. Tables spill out onto the sidewalk from the tiny place that is a long bar and with one tiny table and a small door to the bathroom. A tiny flight of stair leads to the balcony that overlooks the bar. It holds just three little tables, but behind this, out of view from below, is another room and a relatively spacious one with a black and white checkered floor and gold framed mirrors.

Founded in 1836, the interior has that older style. Gold painted borders along the ceiling and little softly colored paintings. It gives you the feel that you have somehow been transported to a different century - another "siglo."

In the summer you'll find home made ice creams and horchata, a local Valencian drink made from tiger nuts which are grown here. Horchata is either served plain or "granizado," which is the best way to drink it more like a slushy filled with tiny granuled of crushed ice.

In the winter the offerings change to reflect the seasons bringing hot, fresh churros made to order and a delicious cup of chocolate. This is what I came for today.

It's the perfect between meal snack and feels a bit luxurious to be eating such a rich treat in this beautiful atmosphere steeped in time. I enjoyed them both - the churros were delicious and not in the least bit greasy as is a problem with many. The cup of chocolate coated them perfectly as it should being the right consistency. This is a very good cup of drinking chocolate and tastes exactly the way drinking chocolate should taste. It is reliable and traditional. Only, for me, it was nothing special.

Go here for the ambience and the history. Go because it is good and the foods you get are exactly what they should be. Just don't go to be wowed. This isn't wow food, and if you prefer dark chocolates and richer flavors, then go straight to Valor just across the plaza because it's there that they serve darker chocolate and ones with exotic flavors.

El Siglo is the standard serving up tradition. Valor will wow you.

New Years Eve: Red Undies and Grapes

2011-01-10T13:39:00.000+01:00

There is one day of the year where Spanish will not have to post their underwear color in their Facebook status because everyone alreay knows. It's red.

Don't go buy your own because tradition states that someone has to buy them for you, but if you want to ring in the New Year in Spain, you must have your red undies on. They aren't hard to find here as most markets stock up. You can even buy them red and skimpy in an outdoor market like this one, but they won't be for you, so it won't be embarrassing.

So you're dressed and ready to go? Get some grapes and you'll find some luck. Thanks to a particularly good harvest one year and a generous king who gave grapes to the people on New Year's eve, now each year Spaniards all over Spain listed to the clock at the Puerto del Sol in Madrid's main square and count down from 12 eating one grape with each stroke of midnight. Each grape gives you one month of good luck, so it helps to by them seedless and peeled.

New Year's Eve isn't quite the party holiday that it is in the states. It's quieter and spent more with family, so if you're in a small town, streets could be completely abandoned. For a party, go to a big city. Most people will celebrate with family at home until Midnight and then go out to clubs if they want to party.

Cava is Spanish champagne and perhaps the better bubbly, so grab a bottle or two. It's inexpensive and quite good.

Valor Chocolate at Plaza de la Reina

2010-12-13T15:55:00.000+01:00

If you're standing on the edge of Plaza de la Reina staring at the massive Cathedral in front of you and you turn your head to look to the right and notice the green awnings there, that's where you need to go for the perfect cup of drinking chocolates at one of Spain's best chocolate maker's, Valor Chocolates.

I was worried that I wouldn't find good chocolate in Spain, but then I tasted this. Choose from a variety of flavors or get a sampler with three different intensities of chocolate. The orange is a very dark bitter chocolate flavor with a strong taste of orange. It's delicious, thick and smooth, but not too thick.

Chocolatería Valor

Plaza de la Reina, 20

46003 Valencia

963 152 198

valor.es‎

Map

The churros are freshly made and soft, but not greasy at all. They are the perfect dippers in a "taza de chocolate."

You can find this all year here, but on these colder days, it's even better.

Montanejos and beyond

2010-12-13T14:50:00.003+01:00

An easy scenic drive and day trip from Valencia or Teruel

Surprises happen here. Life has been going on here since before Christ's birth and so, as with any old country, little treasures just appear here and there without warning. Today was one of those treasure hunts, a drive without a destination, an idea that turned out to be better than expected.

Part 1: Getting to Montanejos

From Valencia: Drive up the A-23 from Segunto just north of the city about 20 minutes and take the second Jerica exit. You'll turn right following the signs for Montanejos.

Between the A-23 and Montanejos, you'll be driving on the CV-195, a curvy road through a gorgeous landscape. It's a bit hard on the stomach if you're sitting in the back of the car or get car sick easily, so be aware of that if taking children.

You'll pass through both Caudiel and Montan. It's in this section betwen the two villages that you'll find this old fountain and several places to pull off the road and take pictures of the views.

Part 2: Montanejos

Montanejos is a small village known for the warm mineral springs that surround it. A spa town, there is an abundance of senior tourists here partaking in the therapeutic/healing baths.

It is evident that the town once enjoyed a bit of prosperity. Large orchards (masias) still exist on the plateau above the town which is littered with the bedraggled remains of palacial homes. The tranquil Mijares river runs around it, clear and shallow with large schools of fish visible from the bridge.

The town itself is fairly quiet, but pretty. Here you can visit the 18th C. Iglesia Parroquial Santiago Apostol, the 17th C Chapel of the Virgen de los Desamparados, and enjoy some of the fountains and ceramic plaques hidden among the streets of the town.

Walk across the old San Jose bridge that leads from the old part of town to a path continues up the mountain to an old castle ruin. The bridge was built in 1803 over what was then the Montan river. Now a dry bed, the bridge still stands connecting the two hills. It's called the San Jose Bridge-Aquaduct because a small irrigation channel within takes water to the small pueblo of La Alqueria nearby. Two ceramic panels in the center show paintings of the Virgen of the Dispossessed on one and San Jose on the other.

The castle ruin is an easy 2.3 kilometer walk up the hill. There are a few short walls and the remains of the tower, but it's pretty grown over with vegetation.

The real beauty here is in the surroundings. If you have time, take walks along the river or into the hills.

The hotel Rosaleda Del Mijares on the right as you leave town serves decent food in its bar. I had this sandwich there with steak, ham, and caramelized onions. It's simple food, but really quite delicious.

Part 3: The Mijares river views

When leaving the pueblo towards the north, the road splits. Take the CV-20 to the left following the signs towards the Embalse and La Fuente de los Baños.

This is the section of road that hugs the Mijares river at various altitudes providing spectacular views. If there's a place to park along side the road, stop and look. It's bound to be amazing.

Stop #1: La Fuente de los Baños

There's a small green sign here that says "La Fuente de los Baños"with a scribble of graffiti over it. A little trail leads down the hill and a small sign on the side of it points to where Arab baths were in the 13th century. At the bottom of the hill there's the fountain, the rock walls, and a shallow pool of crystal clear aqua water.

This is the most beautiful swimming hole I've ever seen. The water is shallow fairly warm coming from a natural thermal spring that remains at 25 ºC all year. Almost 150 years ago in 1863, these thermal waters were declared a public utility by a royal order.

There is no food permitted here in this area, but just beyond is a small playground for kids and a water slide. Just a bit further near another pool of water is a small area with picnic tables.

Stop #2: A precarious view

The road elevates from the fuentes winding up the side of the mountain while the chasm below gets deeper. There's a turn-off just before this one with a dam up ahead, but the trail is blocked and leads nowhere. This turnoff just before you enter the tunnel is stunning, but a bit dangerous. I wouln't let small children out of the car nor adults who are terribly afraid of heights. The view from the edge is worth it, but the drop-off is sudden with no fences to block your misstep.

If your car is small enough, you can park two more times inside the tunnel itself to admire the view from there or you can just jog there from this place and wave from the tunnel.

Stop #3: The Emblase de Arenos

This dam was built here in 1977 in a region inhabited since 225 B.C. From the dam wall you can see the remains of an old Arab castle on the hill to the left and a small town just ahead.

There are a couple small docks at the water's edge, but nothing else on this side of the lake to suggest recreational usage.

Part 4: The villages to Olba

This village, Puebla de Arenoso, is the first in a string of quaint mountain villages strung along the tiny highway from here to the A-23. Some of the villages are nothing more than a tight collection of houses clumped together on either side of the road. Many homes look so run down that only a small kitchen light and a newer car in front give them away from my first assumption that they're abandoned ruins. It's a different life here where people rely more on themselves growing what they need and using the elaborate water systems set up here centuries ago that deliver fresh cold spring water all year.

Between here and Olba, you'll drive through Los Cantos, La Monzona, Caserto las Lucas and Los Ibanez Bajos. All are easy to access and very small. You'll enjoy the terraced hills, the river running nearby, and wild pomegranate trees on the side of the road. Watch for old aquaducts and fountains.

Part 5: Olba and some aquaducts

Sitting above the town of Olba right off the main road, is its cemetery, a typical Spanish cemetary encircled by a stone wall. Inside are boxes lining each side carved with the name and date, inset on some with a photo and with others a vase for flowers fresh or plastic. They're very clean and stark here in comparison to the old French cemeteries with the crumbling carved headstones from eons ago.

Continue straight here. If you turn to the right as the road forks, you'll end up at another small village, Fuentes de Rubielos which leads to Mora de Rubielos, another great day trip in Aragon.

Just past Olba where the river Rubielos meets Mijares, is this dramatic view and a small turnout just past. Here are two aquaducts, the older from the middle ages and the newer finished in 1905 and still functioning today to help transport water throughout the chain of villages in this valley. A path leads behind it to a tiny little paradise, as tranquil as it is picturesque with clear reflective waters and this tiny "Fountain of Health" nearly hidden under a rocky overhang.

Part 6: Beyond the aquaducts

The road continues up along the side of the hill overlooking the towns of Pertegaces, Los Ramones, Los Villanuevas, Planuevas, Los Giles and Las Ventas before straightening out. The entire valley is picturesque, a little stream running through the center with tall aspen trees on either side whose golden leaves float on the wind like New Year's confetti. Each village is pretty and quaint in these surroundings and the photo opportunities from little stops along the road are plentiful.

Part 7: Bare countryside and a couple herds.

Between Las Ventas and the A-23, the road levels and straightens. It's a easy drive now to the highway, but not necessarily without surprises. In this area, it's common to see herders of sheep and goats moving their herds from one place to another. Watch for them as they do cross the roads.

This goat herder had over 300 goats with him many with old tin bells hanging from their necks.

Once you get back to the A-23, it's about 30 minutes back to Segunto.

Easy Spanish Gift Giving

2010-12-13T12:03:00.000+01:00

If customs would allow a few dozen pig legs of amazing serrano ham and a few cases of Jerez sherry, local cava, and some olive oil, I'd ship back half the country. There are some amazing culinary ingredients here.

Sadly, those things aren't easy to ship, but the next few are and these next few are great souvenirs from a trip to Spain and fantastic gifts for family and friends.

Dulce de Leche: A milk caramel spread, this stuff is delicious yet inexpensive at the local supermarkets. Spread it on toast, stir it into coffee, and use it in your baking. It's fantastic in cheesecake. This is a grocery store staple that you can buy all year round.

Paprika (pimentón): Comparable in quality and flavor to Hungarian paprika, this spice is a staple in Spanish cooking with a flavor deeper and more intense than the paprika you'd buy in the US. The peppers are roasted over open flames, then ground into this deep red powder. It's wonderful in rubs for grilled meats, sprinkled on buttered toast or over vegetables, and in Hungarian dishes as well. You can find sweet, half-sweet, and spicy paprika sold in bulk at many of the Spain's central markets like Mercado Central in Valencia or look for one like La Dalia, made for 4 generations now by the Hernendez family in Extremadura at Macro or specialty food stores. Click for more info.

Valor Chocolate: Valor has been making chocolates since 1881 and is without a doubt one of Spain's leading chocolatiers. It you're lucky enough to be near one of Valor's shops, you can enjoy a cup of thick drinking chocolate there and then pick up an assortment of truffles to take with you. The drinking chocolate is a traditional winter drink here served with churros. You can buy the drinking chocolate as well either ready to serve, or as a powder so that you just have to add milk and heat. The directions are also in English on the back of the package. Both the drinking chocolate and assorments of truffles and other Valor chocolates are available at most grocery stores including Mercadona all year. If you're near Valencia, you can also head to Valor's chocolate museum in Villajoyosa. More info: http://www.valor.es.

Turrónes: Nothing says Christmas quite like the Turrón. Sold in bars of various flavors in local bakeries and all the supermarkets, this is a special holiday treat sold in only a few shops outside of the season. The Turrón de Alicante is a sweet crunchy white nougat filled with whole almonds. Turrón de Jijona is a softer bar similar to marzipan, but with a smoother toasted flavor very different from any German marzipan. These are the most popular, but you'll see them as bars of almond or dried fruit filled chocolate or layers of flavored marzipan as well. Outside of Christmas, you can find them in Valencia at these two shops: http://justspain.blogspot.com/2010/02/turrones.html

Suchard classic: is the perfect child's stocking stuffer. This bar of crunchy milk chocolate (like Nestle crunch, but better) is only available at Christmas time.

Carbon de Reyes: In Spain, the biggest gift giving day isn't Christmas, but the three kings day on the 6th of January. It's on this day that the Tres Magos bring the gifts to the children. Legend has it that if they are bad, then they will get coal, but if they are good, then the coal will become a delicious treat. With the look and feel of real coal sold in this little burlap sacks, it may trick you, but bite into it. It's a crunchy sugar candy. I don't really like the flavor of this, but it is a fun surprise for those who don't know about it.

El Glop

2010-12-10T16:03:00.001+01:00

The name should have given me a clue.

But it didn't, so I'm here to tell the sad tale of a meal that was, well, exactly what I should have expected from the name of the restaurant. Call it food, call it glop, we called it gross.

The coffee? Well, it's pretty difficult to get a bad cup of coffee in Spain, but we found it here, weak and watery. This flavorless coffee makes American coffee look strong. That should have been our second clue.

The front of this little cafe/restaurant looked cute, charming, inviting... the name? Well, I thought, "I'm in Spain. Glop might mean something good in Catalan."

We ordered two bowls of French onion soup, a salad to share, a stuffed eggplant, and a plate of ham to go with our watery coffee.

The salad was ok, but I got greens stuck in my throat and it took a bit of swallowing to get them down. The ham was cheap ham, not great, but not bad. After all, all they had to do was slice it. The eggplant was tough and overly saturated with sauce. Too cheesy. I've ordered eggplant at several places locally and this is absolutely the worst I've eaten in Spain.

The soup. The soup is what had us shaking our heads and laughing all the way home.

French Onion Soup. That's what we ordered.

It was served without the classic cheese baked crust of bread on top nor any bread on the side. Instead the watery flavorless (clearly a theme here) broth had a few thin slices of bread floating in it with a few strands of onion and a thick glob of cheese melted together into a tough ball. It was tolerable at best.

Until we found the egg. To date we've ordered French onion soup in France, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland, and the Czech Republic and never have we had an egg in our soup until today. Tonight I sat stunned as I watched the horrified face of my daughter while she lifted her spoon slowly from her bowl with a bright orange egg yolk sitting in the middle. Not cooked, no. This was in the middle of a perfectly raw egg thick strands of egg "white" hanging from the yolk. I checked mine. I had a raw egg too.

Blech. So our luke warm soup wasn't even warm enough to partially cook this egg that sat nasty and raw at the bottom of our bowls. This is when we lost our appetites and pushed the bowls from us.

I looked for the hidden camera. Seems like a cruel joke. Instead, it's just bad food.

The website if you dare. We ate at the Taverna. Apparently this is a chain. We sat next to the old photo of Bruce Springstein signed with "Superfood." Apparently they have a new chef.

http://www.tavernaelglop.com/index.php

The Albufera: Valencia's Fresh Water Lake

2010-12-10T00:55:00.000+01:00

Just south of Valencia lies Europe's largest freshwater lake, or at least it used to be. I'm not sure if that claim by locals is figured off of the current lake size or what it used to be before much of it's circumference became home to the rice paddies that grow the regions paella rice. Which ever the case may be, it's still an impressive lake and a different kind of way to spend your day while visiting Valencia.

Only 15 minutes from the city, it's an easy escape from the crowds and the noise. The only crowds you'll see here are the birds.

My suggestions:

1. Do go get lost in a rice paddy. A maze of narrow dirt roads line wide expanses of these flooded fields all along the outside of the lake. Here you'll find traditional homes sitting randomly throughout the area and tons of blue heron and egrets who feast upon the insects there. The reflections in the water are beautiful. It's a great place to take a walk, bike ride, or drive. If you love birds, bring binoculars, a camera, or both. DO NOT go with a nearly empty gas tank. The rice paddies are a maze and while getting into them isn't hard, sometimes getting out can be. Give yourself time and a full tank.

2. Do go to El Palmar and take a boat ride. The only way to see the lake is by boat as there are no paths around it to walk. A typical 45 minute boat ride will cost about 10 Euros/person. The guides can tailer your trip to take photos or do some bird watching. The herons nesting along the water's edge provide for some phenomenal photo ops as they startle and fly off. Bird enthusiasts will also enjoy the island reserve in the lake, but will need to bring binoculars to see the hundreds of birds resting there. You'll also see several of these typical homes called barraco with the distinctive triangular shape. Years ago, these were the only homes seen in El Palmar. They're still found along the outskirts of the lake and among the rice paddies just south.

Boat rides aren't hard to find. You'll see many signs as you drive towards El Palmar for "Paseo en Barca." Stop and ask or reserve ahead if you have a group or want to go at a special time. Sunset rides are amazing. Bring a picnic or a bottle of wine and relax.

We enjoyed our tour by El Tio Pastilla. You can make reservation by calling: 0034-629 675 092

3. Do go to lunch (ask a local where). With the ocean just a couple kilometers away and fishing abundant in the lake as well, the fish here is absolutely fresh. Normally, I'm not a fan of shell fish and will just eat a couple to be polite. Today I polished off my half of this plate of tellines happily. They were unlike any shellfish I've ever eaten. The waiter told me they are caught fresh that morning and delivered at 1 each day with just enough time for them to "spit out" the sand inside and be cooked by the lunch hour at 2:30. Another favorite: Puntillas. These are tiny squid battered and fried. Delicious. Fresh water eels are quite popular here as well. You'll see the tubular nets on the edge of the lake made especially to catch these long black anguilas.

We ate at La Sequiota which was recommended by the guy who drove our boat. The food and service were both excellent.

La Sequiota

Vicente Baldoví, 9, Valencia, 46016

Chinese Shops - Manises

2010-11-15T15:25:00.001+01:00

Wholesale prices to the public!

In Manises, there is an entire street of wholesale shops selling mostly what we see at weekly markets and in Chinese shops. The prices are amazing and the selection is incredible.

"Por Mayor" means wholesale sales for businesses only. Most of these shops are labeled that way, but some will let you shop anyway. "Particulares" refers to the individual non-business owner who just wants to shop. Some have signs telling you that "particulares" may not shop there.

Sadly, my receipt does not have the address nor name of my favorite shop, so directions will have to suffice. Some are cash only. Some take credit cards. There are small cafes sprinkled along the way which is good for die hard shoppers as this could easily turn into an all day affair.

To arrive:

From Puzol: Take the A-7 south towards Alicante. Take the Riba Roja/Manises exit. This is the first exit after the airport exit. Turn right following the signs towards Manises. You will begin to see buildings with Asian writing. We found that the shops that are more open to the public are in the are between the first and second roundabouts.

Go through the first roundabout. Take the second roundabout and make almost a complete turn, turning off the the smaller road on the right. This one way road is full of places to spend your money.

What you'll find: Clothing, shoes, purses, beading supplies, home decor, cosmetics, stickers, costume jewelry, key chains, hair bands/clips, scarves, etc. It is a great place to go for party favors and stocking stuffers.

Pumpkins and Gourds

2010-11-11T14:26:00.000+01:00

If you're looking for pumpkins and gourds for Halloween and Thanksgiving, you have two options.

1) Buy one a bit overpriced at a local store.
          Consum carried pumpkins just before Halloween. This year the prices were 5 Euros for a medium pumpkin and 2.50 for a small one. There were no large ones by American standards.
          Verdecora sells pumpkins and gourds for very high prices, but does have a decent selection if you shop early.
          Lidl sells pumpkins for the best price int own, but they sell out fast, so go early and ask about incoming shipments. Lidl also has one of the best selections of Halloween decor.
          The Chinese shops will sell some costumes, fake pumpkins and random decorations including spider webs.

2) Look in the fields. Though locals don't sell, eat, or use these odd squash, they do often grow them and then let them rot putting all that nutrition back into the ground. They'll often let you grab a few for free.
          Natura grows these large green gourds and a great variety of small orange and white bumpy pumpkins and gourds. They don't sell them or use them. I asked and they gave me this big guy and a handful of small ones without charging a thing.

Taxi

2010-11-11T12:32:00.000+01:00

Puzol Taxi*:

Julio -- 649 095 761
Tomas -- 659 066 799 or 658 805 656

*A taxi from Puzol to the airport costs around 30 Euros each way and only has room for 4 passengers. If you have more than 4 passengers, you'll have to book two taxis to arrive together. Just ask Julio or Tomas if they have a friend. They are both very friendly and extremely reliable.

Valencia Area:

Radio Taxi -- 962 680 999

Buñuelos

2010-11-11T10:46:00.000+01:00

Around November 1st, when Spain celebrates All Saint's Day, local bakeries will come out with these goodies. The foreground are flavored marzipan shapes. The background, buñuelos.

Buñuelos are similar to the American donut holes, a small round of deep fried dough rolled in sugar, but these particular buñuelos made and sold at Dolços i Cafe C. Aixa in Puzol are generously filled with custards and cremes. Choose from vanilla custard, whipped cream, chocolate mousse, or coffee cream.

Absolutely delicious, these come with rave reviews from my house guests who devoured them without leaving even a crumb. Sadly, they're only sold during this one week each year, so buy a few extra.

Keep refrigerated until served.

Navajas

2010-11-10T16:33:00.000+01:00

Twenty minutes up the A23 from Segunto, lays Navajas, a small town just past Segorbe with beautiful palacial homes and a blue green river that curves around it. If you follow the signs to Navajas and drive straight through the town, you'll find yourself at a roundabout that overlooks the little river valley and a small parking area. Park there and take the path to your right or drive down the narrow road to the right just in front of the roundabout and park along the side at the end. Turning around is difficult there, but not impossible.

The trail begins here with little caves on the right and the river on the left. A fountain lies to the right of a new bridge and the path is clean and well groomed. It's an easy walk.

You'll find the Salto de los Novios (Lover's Waterfall) just a few meters up the path near some large smooth stones that just out into the river. Past this point there's a wide grassy area for picniking. It's a popular area with a lot of families and dogs gathering on the weekends. The water is shallow and calm enough here for kids to play.

From this point the path continues along interesting rock formations. It's a very nice hike, but does not hug the river, so there aren't many more opportunities to see the water and the path is hotter and drier than the green space near the falls.

You'll see a variety of interesting rock specimens, butterflies in the summer, and quite a few interesting trees as well as a large bamboo grove.

Rincon Del Faro - Puzol

2010-11-09T21:40:00.001+01:00

Rincon del Faro

Ctra. Barcelona #49 (across from the service station)

46530 Puzol

Tel: 96 142 01 20

Open for breakfast and lunch. Closes at 4pm daily.

A family owned restaurant for more than 15 years, El Rincon Del Faro is widely loved and respected by locals who go there for excellent food and a friendly staff.

The experience is what you make it. No matter what you order, it will be good, but ask the waiter what he thinks because he knows what's best that day.

Priding themselves on the absolute freshest ingredients, Rincon serves up traditional dishes with exceptional flavor.

Prices are average, though if you relax and enjoy a full meal, it can add up. With wine and appetizers, a meal and dessert, it can average up to 50 Euros/person. Credit cards are accepted.

Breadsticks served with aioli

Croquetas

The salads are delicious.

Tiny octopus-like things served in ink. Extremely delicious.

Grilled artichokes. My favorite appetizer.

Fideua con gambas

A really nice wine. The wine recommendations are spot on.

Top and Bottom: Coulan. One of chocolate and the other of orange. Each served with home made ice cream. Both with hot runny middles and both absolutely delicious.

Il Gelataio - Valencia

2010-11-09T16:38:00.000+01:00

Located on a small pedestrian street directly across from Valencia's Plaza del Toros, you might think that this tiny ice cream shop is better left for tourists. It isn't off-the-beaten-track enough to really be good. After all, to be delicious and local, it must be a hike to get to and nearly impossible to find.

No. This treasure in the middle of the city puts all those ideas to rest. Just blocks from the train station, this gem is easy to get to for tourists and locals who flock here for fresh, home made gelato made on site.

It's creamy and rich without being heavy. The flavors are true with a melon that tastes as if you're biting into the fruit itself and a dark chocolate ready to take on the best of the chocolate lovers. If you can't decide on one, the friendly staff will combine two flavors into a generous "small" scoop. Perfect for kids and belly-conscious adults.

The coffee is so good, I had to have two, but if you want something cold, they offer local horchata and granizados as well. There is no wrong thing to order here. Those allergic to milk can even choose from a small selection of soy ice creams.

The small family business is open year round with the exception of a few weeks in the January and February when they take a short vacation.

Restaurante Agricultura

2010-10-27T16:00:00.002+02:00

AgriculturaC/Comedias 12ValenciaTel: 96 394 1226Web: www.rsvad.com Open: Lunch 1400-1600 Monday - Sunday; Dinner 2100-2400 Tuesday - Saturday

Inside a secure building where Calle de Paz crosses Calle Comedias lies one of Valencia's oldest bars and an elegant restaurant with dark wood along the walls and enormous chandeliers. Part of the "Real Sociedad Valenciana de Agricultura y Deportes," a society that began in 1777 to promote agriculture, it's occupied the same building since 1859.

A doorman will buzz you in as the doors stay permanently locked. Man and women in business suits come in and out. The restaurant itself is full of finely dressed people talking in quiet, civilized tones.

Primero Plato: Chicken salad

Primero Plato: Fried egg with tomato and toast. Delicious.

There is a menu available with two prices. The lower is for members if you are lucky enough to be one or be eating with one. At 23 Euro or 17 Euro (for members) lunch is quite good and the portions are perfect for a lunch that is enjoyable, but won't leave you feeling heavy afterwards.


Segundo Plato

Segundo Plato: The tuna with veggies.

The paella comes highly recommended from friends, but I had the tuna which was served with vegetables cooked soft, but not mushy and flavorful. My salad had chicken and a bit chunk of deep fried brie on top. And the dessert? A delicious chocolate cake that was moist and intensely flavored with a deep bitter dark chocolate almost coffee flavor. At Agricultura, you'll find yourself amidst tradition and luxury, a classy restaurant with exceptional service and food that is as well presented as it is delicious. Reservations are recommended.

An intensely flavored, not overly sweet, chocolate cake

Russian Orthodox Church - In Altea Hills

2010-10-19T11:29:00.000+02:00

So you are interested in Russian Churches and don't think you'll make it there anytime soon? Head to Altea. Strange as it may seem, the growing Russian population there is such that they actually built a Russian Orthodox church right there in Altea hills overlooking a roundabout off of the hwy 332. It will take you by surprise the first time as it completely stands out as something not at all Spanish and it is in an odd location, but, it's there with bright gold shiny domes and beautiful mosaics.

Exit at the roundabout to the right of the church and follow the road to the left. There is free street parking available and the church is open and free to enter though donations are encouraged.

Officially opened in November of 2007, the Parish of San Miguel is the first Russian Orthodox temple in Spain. An exact replica of a 17th century church, all the materials were brought from the Ural Mountains in Russia including the engravings which were set into the Valencian made altar. Frescos adorn the ceiling and there is an abundance of gold color everywhere.

It's beautiful and worth a quick stop to see it. So incredibly authentic, you truly feel as if you are in another country and not sitting on the edge of the Med.

For more views: http://www.360cities.net/image/russian-chuch-aleta-hills-www-foto360-tk#0.00,0.00,70.0

Snorkling in Benissa, Spain

2010-10-17T15:02:00.003+02:00

The town of Benissa is set back from the coast, but take the road along the ridge overlooking the Mediterranean and you'll find little signs indicating Calas, coves where you can find the water's edge, swim, and perhaps snorkle a bit.

This small stretch is a snorkler's paradise lined completely with small coves and a ton of sea life. It's like swimming in an aquarium with so many brightly colored tropical fish and huge schools swimming by you.

For a strong swimmer and experienced snorkler, the possibilities are endless. If you are traveling with children, I recommend Cala Advocat.

Cala Advocat:

Fisherman line the end of the pier next to the small parking lot. There's a small cafe that stays open from 1 June until 15 October that serves drinks, sandwiches, and delicious burgers and calamari. You can also order a paella here during lunch hours. The lady who runs it is very nice and has been there for over 20 years. Try her "Agua Valenciana." It's her own special recipe and only sold by the liter. Delicious!

When the tide is in, the beach is quite short, but it's big enough and stretches all the way around the cove to the other side. Part sand, it's easier on the feet than some other Benissa coves. On the right of the pier, a metal ladder allows you to get directly into the water. Here, adults will be able to stand mostly and it's the better place to begin snorkling. The water is warm enough in early October to swim in with normal swim suits. You won't need a wetsuit then.

For young swimmers, they will see plenty of fish swimming just to the right of the ladder as you face it. Between the ladder and some big rocks that protrude from the water's surface, you'll find little valleys created by other rocks with beautiful pink sea plants and many fish of various sizes. They will be impressed.

For strong swimmers, a paradise can be found be exploring the entire cove. It's vast and full of sea life. Dive down into the valleys and see more. The current can be stronger there and the pull of the sea a bit scary, so young children should not be out there without an adult keeping careful watch. My nine-year old went out only with her father holding onto her the entire time.

There is a clean port-a-potty and free parking here.

Cala Llobella

Unfortunately, the sea isn't as calm here as we hoped and the rocky platform is quite slippery, but for a strong swimmer, this is a phenomenal location. Quiet and secluded, you may be lucky enough to have this for yourself. It is unmarked at the entrance, but look for a large red and white sign that says, "La Chaka" and turn there following the road down to a parking lot on the left. If the tide is out, you'll be able to easily walk out along the wide flat rock ledge that leads to deeper waters.

Cala Baladrar:

Like Llobella, the rock shelf here is too slippery for young swimmers and the currents too strong, but it's also quite beautiful and would be a fantastic location for an experienced swimmer. In summer months you'll find a cafe and bathroom here. By early October, they are both closed.

Links:
Benissa's website is in English and has incredibly detailed information about each cove, the routes, and the sea life you'll find. Just be aware that "calm" to the writer of Benissa's site, doesn't necessarily mean calm enough for children under age 12. Though we only explored three of the six coves, we found that only Advocat was really safe for the younger kids to enjoy the water.

http://benissa.net/
http://en.benissa.net/ver/11/Our-coves-and-beaches.html
http://en.benissa.net/ver/37/Subaquatic-trekking.html

Alaska

2010-10-16T22:26:00.000+02:00

If you find yourself in Callosa, Spain, this is one treasure that you don't want to miss. A local favorite, this little shop only serves what it makes there and it is all delicious. There is no skimping on flavor. The Oreo flavor is dark with big chunks of oreo and the chocolate has nice chunks as well.

You may see the locals sipping something different. As addicting as it is temping, this ice cream drink is apparently typical of the Valencia region though I've never seen it until today.

Like the American root beer float, this "Alaska" is a glass of lemonaide with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream inside.

The sweet vanilla and sour lemon balance each other well contributing to a refreshing drink that is light despite the calories and cleanses the palate leaving your mouth feeling cool and clean.

Mmmmm. Delicious.

Valencia's Cathedral

2010-10-13T15:27:00.002+02:00

Valencia's Cathedral lies at the north end of the Plaza de la Reina with the Plaza de la Virgen to its back side. An exquisite church both inside and out, it warrants a visit. For 4 Euros, you can enter the church and see the museum spaces. An audio guide in English is included.

If you're a history or architecture buff, you'll enjoy walking around the outside of the church as well noticing the different styles of each entrance door. The door on the east side is the oldest and shows seven couples around the top. Many local legends try to guess at who these people are. One says that the seven men built the door and the seven women were brought from other villages to wed with them.

A nice quick synopsis can be found on this sacred destinations page to give you a bit more feedback.

Check the Cathedral's website for more information.

Open:

20 March to 31 October: Mon-Fri 1000-1830, Sat 1000-1730, and Sundays/Holidays 1400-1730

1 November - 19 March: Mon - Sat 1000-1730, Sun/Holidays Closed 1400-1700

La Espadana Aparthotel - Rota, Spain

2010-10-13T14:06:00.000+02:00

Located in a quiet residencial part of Rota directly across from a nice park that leads to the beach, this apartment hotel is a nice, inexpensive place to stay and enjoy a vacation to Rota/Cadiz.

Aparthotel La Espadana

Avda. de la Diputacion 150

11520 Rota (Cadiz) Espana

www.hotelespadana.com

Tel: 34-956-846-103

The lobby is beautiful and the free breakfast is decent. Meals in the adjoining restaurant are good, but nothing special. The multi-lingual staff is incredibly helpful. There is secure parking for a fee or plenty of roadside parking available. The pool is central and next to the restaurant, so you can sip a sangria and watch the kids swim.

The apartments themselves are decent for a quick stay, but are not as clean as the lobby. The seem a bit dingy and outdated. A double bed in one and two single beds in the other and a double hide-a-bed sofa allows for six to sleep comfortably. The small kitchen does have a microwave and small refrigerator.

The great thing is the location just a 5 minute walk to the beach. From the port at Rota, you can catch the ferry to Cadiz every hour to avoid driving and parking in the congested historic town.

Authentic German Bakery

2010-10-13T13:58:00.000+02:00

This comes highly recommended from a friend who grew up in Germany and knows his pastries. Do call ahead to order and arrange a pick up time.

For German cakes:

Plza. Pedagoga Pestalozzi n. 3

Valencia

(close to Avd. Plata)

Tel: 96 333 07 05

Call ahead to order

Feria de Albacete

2010-10-13T11:35:00.000+02:00

300 years is a long time, no?

2010 marked the 300th year that Albacete has been putting on this amazing two-week party. Book your hotel in advance if you'd like to go as people begin to plan for the next as soon as the current one is over.

What will you find? Everything.

Covering large fair grounds, a long path is set aside for artisians where you'll find jewelry, leather, pottery, and many other beautiful things for sale. Past that you'll find rides - typical carnival rides: rollar coasters, water rides, ferris wheels, and a wide variety of spinning things. You'll find games and food and things to buy. If you want to sample some wine, go to one of many "Burrica" stands. They stand out with their bright lights and mechanized figures stomping grapes. One Euro will buy you a little shot or "chato" of the local wine.

For more food and entertainment of all types from traditional music bands to scantily dressed dancers, head to a food tent. They are crowded and messy and loud... but then, you're at a fair, so it's to be expected.

These are just the things you'll find immediately here at the fair grounds, but the Feria encompasses much more and fills the city with events ranging from art shows, to traditional dances, to bull fights. Considered an event of "touristic interest," it's worth checking out. Grab some tapas downtown while you're there. Albacete knows how to cook!

The Official Website of the Feria de Albacete

Music shop

2010-10-06T22:28:00.000+02:00

This is the larger of two music shops on Calle La Paz (Pau) located just a block from each other.

Both carry a variety of instruments and have excellent customer service.

UME had what I needed, so I shopped there. They do take credit cards.

UME: Union Musical
C/La Paz 15
46003 Valencia
Tel: 96 392 2202
Web: www.unionmusical.es and www.adagio.es

Riviera Musica
C/Paz 19; 46003 Valencia
Tel: 96 391 55 67 Fax: 96 392 17 36
valenciapaz@riveramusica.com
Hours: Mon - Fri 0945-1330 and 1630-2000

Near the Library:

MUSICAL 1

C/. Angel Guimera 10,

46008 Valencia 

Tel.96 391 49 88 / Fax.96 391 68 46

Hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1400 and 1700-2030 (Sat only open afternoons)

Massapan

2010-10-06T14:40:00.000+02:00

Massapan, marzipan, maçapão, massepain. These are all poeticly delicious ways to say almond paste, a simple, yet versatile confection made from just almonds and sugar.

This week in Valencia you’ll see more “massapan” treasures than any other time of the year as they present themselves as fruits, vegetables, and firework shapes to commemorate the arrival of King Jaime the First in Valencia. When he arrived in 1228 to conquer the land and drive our the Moors the people thanked him with what they had: fresh vegetables and fruits from their gardens all wrapped up in the simple scarves they wore around their necks. Now people give these tiny treats to loved ones wrapped in prettier scarves on el dia de Sant Donis, the 9th of October.

You’ll see signs referring to Sant Donis, but the giving of these fruits has little to do with the saint and everything to do with King Jaime. It just so happens that 9 October is also Sant Donis day. Every day has a Saint associated with it and in the Catholic faith, you’ll celebrate your Catholic name on your name day, the day corresponding to the saint that shares your name.

These little fruits are all made by hand. The almond paste is made in the weeks before at my little Puzol bakery, then these pieces are dyed and formed by hand by one very talented pastry chef from whom we learned to make marzipan roses just last week.

Llinares

2010-09-29T11:18:00.002+02:00

A Madrileno once told me that Valencia is known for their ice cream, so of course, I had to try it. Here, at Llinares, you'll find every flavor both traditional and not, just bring a little pocket translator along to help you out.

The servings are generous and the ice creams are rich and creamy. They won't skimp on flavor. In fact, my After Eight was so minty, I could feel it in my nostrils. It tones down well with chocolate - yummy! And the Selva Negra (Black Forest) has chunks of chocolate cake in it.

You can try donut or pumpkin, watermelon or vanilla, and... if you're feeling adventurous look to the right in the smaller containers where you'll find sardine, aphrodisiac herbs, potato tortilla, gazpacho, ostrich egg, and even violet ice creams.

There are two locations to serve you, the most prominent being at the corner of the Plaza de La Reina near the horchata shops and the tower of Santa Catalina.

Plaza De La Reina, 6, 46001 Valencia

+34 963 91 74 66 ‎

C/ Archiduque Carlos, 17, 46018 Valencia

34 963 84 55 92 ‎

San Juanes y Santa Catalina

2010-09-22T19:54:00.000+02:00

Church of St. Juanes

Church of St. Johns. A baroque style church originally built in the 14th century, but refurbished after a fire, this is one of Valencia's oldest churches. Located next to the Mercado Central in the old part of Valencia, it is worth stopping by and an interesting contrast to the Gothic Santa Catalina mentioned below. This church is full of chandeliers, crosses, statues, candelabras, and all sorts of religious paraphrenalia. To me, it's quite gaudy. The ceiling though, is beautiful. Go and see the frescos there.

Santa Catalina

Another of the oldest churches in Valencia is the Santa Catalina, a church that is both stunning and simple. 14th Century gothic, it boasts a beautiful tower with views of the city. For 2 Euros you can climb the narrow winding stairs to the top. Go slowly or you might get dizzy, it really is that narrow.

The inside of the church itself is refreshingly simple with very modest chapels on the sides. Found at the corner of the Plaza de la Reina across from the Plaza Redonda, you'll know it by the octagonal tower.

Barcelona Tapas

2010-09-22T19:32:00.000+02:00

Recommended by a friend who visits Barcelona often...

La Esquinica

Passeig de Fabria I Puig 296

08031 Barcelona

Chinchilla. Castilla-La Mancha

2010-09-20T19:25:00.000+02:00

Chinchilla is only 10 minutes from Albacete. There, a castle looms high on a hill with the village cascading down from it sort of like an overfrosted cake in the sun. It's pretty impressive at first glance, but then, these "castle on a hill" villages are almost common place here.

Still, there's nothing "common place" about Chinchilla. It will surprise you. There is an active theater group that does a lot of street performances, so if you get lucky, you might just find yourself watching a play.

There are a couple small cafes in the Plaza de la Mancha where you'll find the old church of Santa María del Salvador and several other historical buildings with a nice mix of wood and stone architecture from the 16th-18th centuries. Up the hill, you'll find an old Moorish bath house, and further on, you can see the 15th century castle which is currently undergoing renovations.

It's worth a visit if you're in the area. Do take the time to stroll through the old streets. It's really a beautiful place with a lot more to offer than appears from the highway.

Authorized Apple Repair

2010-09-14T12:15:00.002+02:00

Tecnimac
C/ Padre Carbonell 7 Bajo
46025 Valencia
963 409 908
Open: M-F 9-14 and 16-19

They were very helpful and nice. Only take cash though.

Almansa, Spain

2010-09-11T19:05:00.000+02:00

Once upon a time there was a castle on a little hill in Spain pretty much out in the middle of nowhere which is quite typical for many of these castle-on-a-hill types in Spain... You'll find this one in Almansa about 90 minutes south of Valencia on the way to Albacete in the province of Castilla La Mancha. I suppose there is probably more to see in this little town than the castle, but the castle is quite nice, unique, and open to tour with a small fee.

There is a nice open ring of parking at the northern base of this old hill, so that you can drive directly to it and park without stress. In this land of medieval towns, hills, and bicycle width roads, easy parking is a rarity and a luxury because as pathetic as it is, the task of finding a parking spot and actually parking the car can be the most stressful part of any trip.

A little pedestrian only road spirals up the hill from there past short homes all stuck together with a variety of painted doors and shutters being the only decoration. The entrance to the castle is through another small building where you enter, buy tickets, then climb the stairs inside the building to come out on the second floor where there is access out the back to the stone steps up to the castle.

The swallows are going crazy this time of year. Flocks swarm around Almansa's castle like daytime bats tucking into small holes in the outside castle walls. They are pretty and fun to watch, but hundreds of birds means babies and a few fatalities. We saw several dead baby birds here including one cradled on the back of the stone swan below.

The castle was built by the Moors in the 12th century, then taken by the Christians in the 13th. It grew, changed, and passed hands a lot through the years as Almansa stands at the crux of several regions, but even now almost 900 years from its beginning, large portions of the castle still stand.

Part of its success and may be the most interesting thing for me is that the Moors didn't just haul endless stones up the hill, but minimized the materials used by utilizing the existing stone on the hill itself. Entire walls standing now are solid natural rock. It's really beautiful. The keyhole windows are unique to this castle as well and very pretty.

You can climb the spiral stone staircase to the very top of the tower for a view of the surrounding area, hills lined with windmills almost faded completely in the distance, brownish green fields, then more hills. The Almansa castle is an oasis in a land of windmills. It's another Spanish bargain at 3 euros/adult and only 2/child.

From the castle you can see the church below and the square around it where there are several cafes to choose from and a beautiful Ayuntamiento. The best views are from a distance, so do stop outside of the town for a photo op before getting on the motorway and zooming to your next destination.

Star Trek: Welcome Aboard

2010-07-27T01:00:00.000+02:00

A replica of the control room of the Starship Enterprise.

Space: The Final Frontier. Even non-Trekkies know that catch phrase and now the popular series will delight the kids of all ages at the Prince Felipe's Science Museum at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.

It actually is really cool, and that is coming from me, an avid non-Trekkie. The collection, on exhibit now for the first time outside the United States, is comprised of posters and concept art, a time line of the television series and movies, a beautiful assortment of original costumes, character heads, weapons, and aircraft models.

Kids of all ages will enjoy the replica of the Enterprise' control bridge where you can sit, pose and pretend to be Captain Kirk or Spok. There are several chairs from other vessels and a transporter that you can pose in as well.

This exhibit is included in the regular cost of admission to the science museum and, of course, free for members. Catch it before it "beams" away in February 2011.

For more information on this and other science museum exhibitions: http://cac.es/museo/exposiciones/

Dinosaurs in Valencia

2010-07-24T00:03:00.000+02:00

The largest of the Umbracle's dinosaurs, the T-Rex at the midway point of the tour.

There are dinosaurs in Valencia...

No need to fear. They are "interesting" and great for young enthusiasts, but no one will run away in fright for these rubbery creatures look more B movie than Hollywood thriller and watching their fingers jiggle like yesterday's flan is more than laughable.

The robotic dinos move their heads and limbs while boxes behind them blare distorted bellows. The giant T-Rex's entire torso jiggles as if he'd just swallowed a pack of toads.

Still, if you are a little boy or have a hankerin' for the warped battle cry of a prehistoric reptile, this might be right up your ally.

Enjoy it at the Umbracle, whose beautiful white arches enclose one of Valencia's fancier gardens. Here you'll find 26 "utterly lifelike" dinosaurs with "a wide range of movements and sounds that will amaze any visitor." Lol. Funny. They have a great marketing team.

Kids will enjoy special workshops offered each day. You can also sit on a dinosaur for a souvenir photo - 5 Euros.

Price:

Adults: 6 euros
Kids: 4.80 euros
Free for CAC members

Hours:
Through 31 August: 1000-2400
1 Sept - 12 Oct: 1000-2100
13 Oct - 29 May: 1000-1900

AO-YAMA: Japanese in Valencia

2010-07-11T18:08:00.000+02:00

AO-YAMA

C/Joaquin Costa 3

Valencia 46005

Tel: 963748943

Open: 1200-1600 and 2000-2400

Directions: Just off the Grand Via on Joaquin Costa. Look for the KFC on the corner. AOYAMA is right next to it.

I have no idea what the dinners are like here because I just can't get over their lunch! For 9.90, you get "all you can eat" fresh and hot from their kitchen as you order it. The buffet menu includes appetizers like fried won tons, a delicious octopus salad, and spring rolls, fried rices including duck and several fish rices, meat dishes with lemon and orange chicken, and a nice variety of sushi. You can even get a scoop of green tea ice cream for dessert. It's all included.

Bring a group so you can try more things. You order and they will cook the items as you order them to come out hot in nice tapas sized portions. Finish that and order more as many times as you want. The only extra cost is your beverage.

English is spoken by some staff, but not all. It really doesn't matter though. It's all good. Once they didn't bring the pickled ginger and it took a lot of "dancing around" the subject to finally make him understand, so go armed with the word "jengibre" if you order sushi and need the ginger. Wasabi is the same.

Coves de San Josep at Vall D'Uixo

2010-07-10T12:22:00.000+02:00

Vall D'Uixo is a small village just off the old A-7 about 30 minutes north of Puzol known mostly for the caves of Saint Joseph where a subterranean river flows. After a week of errands, swimming, and "hanging out" at home, I was in the need to get out, at least for a while.

Coves de Sant Josep

Vall D'Uixo

GPS coordinants: 3º 26´ 08´´E, 39º 49´34´´

http://www.riosubterraneo.com/informacion.htm

To get there: Follow the A7 (NOT the toll highway) north towards Castellon then exit at Vall D'Uixo. Follow the towns to the town, then watch for signs for the caves. They are called Cuevas, Coves and Grotes on different signs. You'll continue straight through the roundabouts towards the mountains at the back of the town, then the signs will bring you to the left and around to the entrance of the park. Parking is free, but the attendant does accept tips.

Activities: Cave tour, small chapel and museum on the hill, swimming, train ride, paintball, go-carts, reastaurants including one inside the caves, cafes and ice cream shops, gift shops.

Paintball: http://www.paintball-vallduixo.com/

Pool: Open roughly June 15th - September 10th from 1130-1900

The Cave Tour: The cave tours begin at 11 and last about 40 minutes. A new tour begins every 45 minutes until 1315, then there's a afternoon break until 1530 when tours begin again. You'll enter the cave at the tour time, get onto a boat, and cruise down the river a bit through narrow areas where you have to duck down to avoid hitting your head and through large "rooms" with stalagtites hanging from above. The crystal clear water reflects the caves with many places lit up along the way. The boat will dock and let you out for a short walk along a very clear, flat path. It's quite beautiful there as well. Then you'll return to the boat to finish the tour and return to where you started.

Temperature remains 20 degrees C. all year, so it's a perfect activity to do on a very hot or very cold day to escape the elements.

These beautiful caves can be a nice quick outing as well as an educational one. The tour is in Spanish, but an English one could be arranged for a large group if you reserve ahead.

The DO NOT ALLOW PHOTOGRAPHY, but don't say anything about touching the stalagmites which is very strange. Touching these "growing"rocks can stop the growth.

The Ermita Sagrada Familia: Accessible from the stairs next to the cave entrance, this chapel is very pretty, but it is, just a small chapel, so if you don't like stairs, don't go. There isn't much more than the chapel at the top of the hill and it's very small.

The Museum: Next to the chapel is a small museum that you can enter for one euro, yet even at this price, it's hardly worth it. It contains a room of priest robes and several rooms of paintings dated 2009 and 2010. A few old shoes and "new" tapestries held up to the railings with clothespins. If you follow the metal path from the side of the museum, it leads to an overlook where you have a nice view of the town of Vall D'Uixo.

Day Trip: For a nice day, combine this cave trip with a visit to Chilches/Xilxes, a nice beach and village nearby.

Albacete. Castilla La Mancha.

2010-07-09T15:31:00.000+02:00

Albacete holds a place on several "worst places to visit in Spain" lists including some created by Spanish travel sources as well. Really. I've seen the lists. It's there. If you mention Albacete to Spanish you'll either get a look of sympathy that you have been there, a look of shock that you'd ever think of going there, or you'll hear the popular rhyme, "Albacete??!?!? Caca y vete" which essentially means that all Albacete is good for is to make "caca" and leave.

It's not horrible, really. It's a big-ish city with nice shops, pretty parks, and really amazing restaurants. It's just generally a historically uninteresting city stuck in the the middle of Castilla La Mancha with nothing really much in its immediate vicinity. No beaches, mountains, lakes... What I've found with these sort of places is that where there is absence of something, people create it. The most "boring" towns are where you find your closest friendships. Here, it's where you find the best nightlife. We're not really sure where they come from, but at 10 at night a trickle begins and by midnight the restaurants and tapas bars are overflowing with friends and families. Children play on the playgrounds in the summer to 1am and later. People are out laughing and smiling. It may not be a popular town with the Spanish as a whole, but the people who live here really live and enjoy their life.

THE DRIVE: It's an easy two hour drive to Albacete from Valencia, but along this route are several castles and castle ruins sitting on top of hills beckoning to the curious. So if you do go to Albacete for some reason, there's plenty to do on the way down. Suggestions: Almansa, Montesa, and Chinchilla. All fabulous little towns with castles on top. Chinchilla is my favorite and only 15 minutes from Albacete.

THE FOOD: The really good thing about Albacete. Families are out into the morning hours with young children during the summer months when the temperatures are only tolerable at night. It's a very social place.

Favorite restaurants: El Callejon and La Taperia. Both closed on Mondays. In fact, Mondays is the worst day to visit Albacete. Thursday - Sunday is when the night life is at its peak.

Tapas: Gambas, dates wrapped in bacon, chicken wings... unlike Valencia where most tapas are centered around fish, there is a lot of variety here and a lot more pork.

The datilles con bacon (dates wrapped in bacon) aren't always on the menu, but are almost always available. Ask for them. They're delicious.

Another delicious local item is the friend goat cheese with jam. It's some sort of dark jam - may be blackberry. Definitely worth a try.

Oreja a la plancha translates to grilled ear, but who's ear? Pig's ear. It's a local thing and, according to our Romanian waitress, is "muy rico." Apparently it's served in Romania as well. To my American palate, it tastes like pork fat probably due to the large squishy balls of pink tinged fat clinging to the white ear pieces. The ear itself tastes ok, but the texture is what you'd expect from an ear. A bit firm with that small crunch of cartilage. Ok for the more adventurous, but if you have strong food aversions this one might be better to skip.

THE FERIA: 2010 marks the 300 year anniversary of the annual Feria in Albacete which is known even beyond the borders of Castilla La Mancha. The folks in Albacete know how to throw a good party. There will be music, bull events, food... and it will last the entire month of September.

It may not be a great tourist destination, but the nightlife is good. And the food, if chosen carefully, can be delicious!

Alcalá del Júcar

2010-07-09T14:56:00.000+02:00

One hour 45 minutes from Valencia. 50 minutes from Albacete.

The Júcar river has carved out a narrow valley here amongst these limestone cliffs where many people have created cave dwellings by carving into the cliffs themselves. In Alcalá del Júcar, these dwellings begin on one side of the crag and continue all the way through.

The Drive: When you approach the river valley, the land is flat for miles. It may seem that you're lost, but within minutes of Alcalá del Júcar, it's still completely invisibile sunken down in the valley, so that you won't have any idea it's there until you reach the edge where the road slopes carefully down along switchbacks. The main roads are good. Narrow in some parts, so drive carefully especially along the curves. Locals take the roads fast. The road to the castle is narrow and a bit steep at the end, but was passable with a minivan.

The Castle: 2 Euros to enter/children free. The remains of the castle are nice enough. Two rooms still exist upstairs in the tower and the rooftop are is open as well. You can also venture down to see a couple lower rooms. The views are beautiful and if you're lucky (or not), you may see one or two of the resident bats sleeping (or not) in the stairwell.

The Village: It's a 5-10 minute walk from the castle to the river below through the narrow picturesque streets of this village. You'll see many signs for "cuevas." These will lead you to the entrances of a few of these cave dwellings that begin on this side and go all the way through to the other. Only a handful of these homes are open to the public. All along the river you'll see many private cave homes in use today.

The church is open, but currently undergoing renovations. The frescoes are nice, but there is very little else to see.

Across the Roman bridge from the older part of town is the shopping are where you'll find an ATM, a nice park, a playground under large shade trees, and several restaurants and ice cream kiosks. A souvenir shop on the corner also has information for cave tours, rafting trips, and paintball among other things.

If you continue to the hill on the other side, you can visit the Plaza de Toros, unique for it's oval shape.

Above: The view from above the town.

Below: The view from across the river at the village, the castle and the Roman bridge. Look to the left to see doors and windows in the rocks - evidence of the cave homes within.

Above: The inside of the church at the moment.

If you drive along the river, you'll discover an old fortified cave, a tiny "ermita" and this amazing town called Jorquera.

This entire area is absolutely beautiful with surprises at every corner. Another one on the long list of "we have to go back."

Discovered in: DK Spain (DK Eyewitness Travel Guide)

Clean bathrooms in Valencia

2010-07-08T20:33:00.000+02:00

Because sometimes "nature calls" and you don't feel like eating out or grabbing a quick coffee and sometimes finding a clean, free bathroom seems nearly impossible. Here's my list beginning with one. If you know of another clean bathroom that is also free and doesn't require the purchase of a coffee, leave a comment and I'll add it to the list.

Mercado Central: Go downstairs. Yes, there's a downstairs. There are clean bathrooms and a couple nice tile paintings.

Montesa, Spain

2010-07-06T19:21:00.000+02:00

About 1 hour from Valencia lies this tiny little village creeping up the hill towards an old castle ruin at the top. It's off to your right just off the highway and nearly impossible to miss.

The village was quiet today, so it's hard to know if it ever really gets touristy, but if you're on that stretch of highway towards Albacete anyway, Montesa is worth a stop. The village is nice and the locals are generally very friendly and helpful. There is a small tourist map with points marked along it with translations in English telling you the importance of each area and the castle itself is really pretty.

There is a nice road that winds up to the castle, so it's easy to drive directly there and there are nice picnic tables set up on a couple sides of it, so you could spend some time there. The view is beautiful and one side of the castle is significantly cooler than the other, so depending on the weather, you have a warm side and a cool side to sit on.

This is an easy day trip from Valencia and really a quick stop, so you could fit Montesa in with a tour of Almansa further down the road or Xativa just a bit closer in.

Information in Spanish: http://museumontesa.com

Bejis and Los Cloticos

2010-07-03T17:16:00.000+02:00

Bejis is a small mountain village in the Comunidad Valenciana known for the water that's bottled there. It sits high on a hill with amazing panoramic views from its ruined castle.

There isn't a tremendous amount to be seen in the town, but it's still a nice little village to walk through with an old church and the plaza with the Ayutamiento, a fountain, and a couple cafes where you can get a quick refreshment.

The castle itself is in small fragments, but it's worth the walk for the views or to enjoy the wildflowers and the butterflies that they attract. There are small scorpions up there, according to a local, so advise children not to turn over the rocks.

It is a lovely place to bring a picnic if the weather allows. There is absolutely no shade on a hot day and if you have pets or children, be aware that there are no walls or fences at the cliffs edges and in some places, the land drops off completely.

If you follow the signs from Bejis to Los Cloticos, you'll pass the aquaduct and the curvy road that follows the Rio Palancia. Just past the bottling plant the road splits. To the left you'll curve around eventually crossing the river and coming to a camp ground. To the right you'll find a small parking area, a play ground, a large picnic area with tables, and a fountain where you can get fresh, clean, icy cold drinking water. The sign limits the number of bottles you fill to 5, but locals fill more.

On the river side of this parking lot is a tiny staircase that begins the 100 meter trail down to the river. At the trails end, you'll see this.

Here, the river flows together, then splits, unites, and splits again, the water going where it wants to go. It's crystal clear, clean, and cold, but absolutely beautiful in all areas.

Families come here and swim. They play under the waterfall. They find other waterfalls farther down and spend entire afternoons relaxing. This is a real paradise and it's only an hour away from Valencia.

Bring:

Water shoes. The trail "along" the river often becomes the trail "through" the river.
Swim attire and towels as this water is too tempting to ignore.
A picnic as there aren't any places to eat there and even in Bejis, the options are limited.
Empty bottles so that you can fill up on that great drinking water!

Directions: Take the A23 towards Teruel. Turn off at Jerica and take the CV-235 towards Bejis.

Yuste: Ceramic Shop

2010-06-26T23:33:00.002+02:00

Yuste

Artesano Popular

Plaza Miracle de Mocadoret 5

46001 Valencia

Tel: 630-37-36-03

Open: Every day 1000-1400 and 1630-2000

This is the place for pottery in Valencia. Here you get a nice variety, great quality, and the best prices plus, you're supporting a family run business.

If you like antiques, you'll love Yuste. The lady pictured is an artist. She paints many things sold in this shop including the socarrat pieces that she's holding. Socarrat is a old style of ceramic painting done here hundreds of years ago by a certain tecnique. Now, at Yuste, they create these pieces using those same ancient tecniques to create these pieces. Some are newly painted on tiles as old as 500 years.

This artist is the mother. Her son is also a painter and has created beautiful pieces here both in traditional designs and modern ones. The prices are amazing. If you want a true antique, you can find them in bins or hanging framed on the wall. Her husband was in the business of buying and selling old homes, so they have collected many, many tiles from the 15th century until now. It's a small shop, but impressive.

They do not take credit cards, but an ATM is close just at the corner of the Plaza de la Reina on the opposite end from the cathedral.

L'OCeanographic

2010-06-19T17:15:00.000+02:00

L'Oceanographic: Valencia

This aquarium is part of Valencia's CAC (City of Arts and Sciences) and the inspiration of architect Felix Candela which creates it's own unique feel independent from the life displayed within. Instead of going inside of one gigantic building, the exhibits are divided according to ocean habitat and put into separate buildings, each different from the others. Connecting them is a series of wide trails with landscaping and several large pools of water where you can see the seals, pelicans, flamingos, and other creatures. Overall, a pretty nice place.

The outdoor portions have benches and shade, so on a nice day, you can easily sit and relax outside a bit. It's also nicer if traveling with young children or older folks who might need a rest. There is no outside food allowed in, but to make a day of it, you could easily keep a cooler in the car and head to the turia garden for some picnic time or enjoy the food sold inside the Oceanographic. There are a lot of choices.

Dolphin Show:
I have never seen the trainers so involved in a dolphin show before and that participation makes this dolphin show stand out from the rest. L'Oceanographic has a large number of dolphins participating in the show, so the view is quite impressive. Scheduled at 3 times each day, it's included in the cost of admission and is completely worth taking the time to see.

To get up close and personal, you can reserve your place to see and visit the dolphins and seals in a special "animal passport" program available on the weekends. Space is limited for this private tour with the trainers where you'll learn more about them and get to see them up close.

Membership: There are different memberships available, but they are really nice. Membership will allow you advance notice on activities, special "member's only" events, and a discount for parking, the restaurants, and other local businesses. If you have more then 3 children, ask about getting the 4th child free.

Website: Look at the website for more information including great articles in English as well about the fish, mammals, and birds that you'll see. It's a great way to get the kids ready for a day at the aquarium.

Open: Everyday at 10am. Closing time changes according to the season.

Prices, Map

The Calamari Sandwich at Casa Mundo

2010-06-17T15:57:00.000+02:00

Apparently, in Spain, anything can be made into sandwich. Really. I was shocked the first time I saw a tortilla sandwich (the Spanish tortilla is a think egg and potato pie - not really sandwich material... but that's just me). Today, I had, on bread, something that I've only enjoyed before served on a plate. tddddddddddd... drumroll. The ever popular, apparently all the rage in Madrid, calamari sandwich!!!

And it was good. Really good. I'd actually order one again.

It would normally come with mayo, but you can order it without. They'll also bring you coffee if you ask for it, but give you a look like you're absolutely nuts, so just go Spanish and order a beer or wine. It's a good combo.

So we sat in this tiny little bar with a buzz of people walking in and out and a thick crowd pushing in at the bar where bowls of pre-fried fish sat waiting.

It was small, local, and though it doesn't look like much from the outside, this place has been around pretty much forever and is very well known with the locals - that's how I found it. Delicious tapas and a quick bite if you're in a hurry.

Casa Mundo

Address: Don Juan de Austria 11 - Valencia

Tel: 963 210 033

Location: On a pedestrian only street near El Corte Ingles Pintor Sorolla

Cost: Under 10, you can get something good.

Baroque in Valencia

2010-06-17T15:25:00.001+02:00

The Glory Of Baroque Exhibit in Valencia
http://www.laluzdelasimagenes.com/Valencia2009/

Aging gracefully is a concept that very few have mastered without a little outside help. Even here, as you walk through towns centuries old and look at paintings and sculptures that seem untouched by time, there are hundreds of restoration artists hidden in the background, the plastic surgeons of art and architecture who return these wonders to their former glory.

Today I had the pleasure to doing a small tour of three of Valencia's Baroque churches, three churches that King Jaime ordered to be built on the grounds of Muslim Mosques after he conquered the city in 1238.

The "Light of the Images" foundation has been restoring churches and monuments in the Comunidad Valenciana for the past 10 years and this exhibit is the latest of their work. Apparently the baroque style from Italy had a large impression on Valencian artists in the 17th century creating a new baroque, the Valencian baroque, that can be seen in the bright blue ceramic domes seen profusely in this region of Spain.

The tour begins at the Almudin, a mill built on the site of a mosque that is now an exhibit hall with just a small series of columns remaining inside. Though you can get tickets at any of the 4 stops along this "tour," this is the recommended starting point. You'll get a guide with information in English adn a map. You can also follow the white painted design in the streets that literally leads you from church to church.

This part of the tour talks (in Spanish and Valenciano) about the foundation, the restoration process, and the long list of buildings that the LoI have worked on these past ten years. It wasn't very exciting and wouldn't allow photographs. None of the churches allowed photographs, so I was reprimanded in 2/3.

The Almudin
Plaza de San Luis Bertrán, 1

Saint Stephen's Church reminds me of Bavaria's Vierzehnheiligen with so much pale blue and white. It's difficult to get the scope of the church with so many walls set up in the center. A maze of artwork on grey "office-style" walls. It's like a Dilbert cubicle inside this church. They also have all of the side chapels blocked with art as well, so though it's beautiful, the feeling that you're walking through an exquisite church is pretty lost. The fact photography is forbidden and there are a plethora of bored employees listening for the smallest click, makes it difficult - for me, at least - to enjoy.

Still, this blue and white beauty is where El Cid's daughters were married and where El Cid himself was buried, so it must not be too shabby.

Saint Stephen’s Church
Plaza de San Esteban, 5
Featuring: Valencian baroque painting

The next on our tour is one that has been closed for years - so long, that most locals have never been inside. It's open now as more museum than church with a zig zag of walls throughout with artwork and glass cases of reliquaries and fancy garments. This Church of Saint Martin and Saint Anthony the Abbot shows a completely different style of baroque - this one in white and gold, an uplifting image of heaven in stark contrast to the fearful darkness of gothic cathedrals.

The nave stucco was destroyed in a fire and is unable to be restored, so they have left up the scaffolding there so that visitors can get a view of the church and a closer look at this impressive ceiling and the dome with the dove inside.

Church of Saint Martin and Saint Anthony the Abbot

Calle de San Vicente Mártir, 11
Featuring: Valencian sculpture and gold and silverwork from the Middle Ages to the 20th century

The St. John of the Cross Church is where my landlord's oldest son was married years ago - before it was restored. Then, the interior was grey. Now, it's been returned to a bright white background with relief work in a bronze color - not nearly as pretty and shiny as Martin's. The nave here is covered as well and there is another museum-like set up with paintings and religious artifacts, but, the chapels here are not covered and they themselves are the jewel of this church. Beautifully painted ceramic tiles. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else. Created here in the 18th century, there are 6000 tiles. Amazing.

Saint John of the Cross Church

Calle del Poeta Querol, 6
Featuring: Veneration of the Virgin Mary

Duration: If you do not stop and read every plaque, you can easily do this tour from start to finish in 3 hours. Allow 4 for a slower pace. There's a great little pinchos bar directly across from the Church of Saint Martin and Saint Anthony the Abbot called Sagardi.

Photographs: Again, no photography of any kind is allowed even without flash and there ARE lots of people walking around watching and listening for illegal picture taking, hence, my sad shortage of photos. :(

Tow Truck = Grua

2010-06-14T18:53:00.000+02:00

If you need a tow truck, you'll be looking for "grua" in your yellow pages or web search. They ask you to pay in cash and it can easily run over 100 Euros depending on how far you're going. From Puzol to Paterna on a weekday cost around 130 Euros.

It wouldn't hurt to put one of these numbers in your cell phone.

Gruas Asensi, 961-830-226

Gruas Virosque, 961-597-520

Gruas Autodisa, 963-429-075

Gruas Acruval, 963-770-404

Books Online

2010-06-14T15:54:00.000+02:00

Books in English and free shipping! Can't beat that.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/

Neumatico = Tire Mounting

2010-06-14T15:15:00.000+02:00

Need to swap some tires?

If you are buying tires from Norauto, then they'll do them for you, but if you have tires already, you need to go elsewhere.

Ask Jose. He's a "taller" at the BP in Betera. Known by a lot of US folks, really great guy.

Jose

961-60 2396

Look for BP and "Cooperativa Matricula."

Processional Pine Caterpillars

2010-06-14T14:35:00.002+02:00

Pine Caterpillars (thaumetopoea pityocampa) are probably one of the most unpleasant creatures you will find in Spain, especially in areas where pine trees grow in abundance. They are found throughout the warmer regions of Southern Europe, the Near East and North Africa.

As well as causing much damage to pine forests, they are a major danger to animals and, to a lesser degree, human beings. Do not touch them. Warn your children that they are not like the friendly English caterpillars.

Season:
They are most noticeable from January to mid April and are at their most dangerous in mid/late February.

Movement:
When hungry, they leave their cocoon to seek another uninfected tree on which to feed. The caterpillars are most often seen in the evenings, walking between trees in a line, hence the name "processional."

Nests:
These caterpillars create silk cocoon style nests that hang from pine trees. They are incredibly harmful to these trees stripping them of their pine needles.

Danger:

The very fine hairs on these creatures are poisonous. If they drop onto you or your pet, don't brush them off with your hands because the poison can cause irritation, rash and pain. Dogs, cats and people can suffer from shock. These hairs are still virulent even when the creatures are dead. Do not hit them with sticks because hairs flying in the air are just as dangerous.

Elimination: Burn them, but be careful of floating hairs. Take care to only do this where you cannot inadvertently start a forest fire because during the summer months the undergrowth and trees are very dry.

If the caterpillars are in the tree cocoon state:

First spray the nest with hair spray to seal down the hairs
Cover the cocoon and the affected part of the branch with a plastic bag
Cut down the branch and place it on clear ground
Burn it

If the caterpillars are on the ground marching:

Spray them with lighter fuel.
Light it. This reduces the risk of flying hairs.

Prevention:

Avoid them and keep an eye on your pets. If you live near pine trees, keep Anti Histamine tablets handy as an early treatment. Avoid breathing in the hairs (just stay away from them.) Take particular care with your eyes. If affected the result is serious, causing pain and swelling similar to a bad case of conjunctivitis. Dogs are most at risk by sniffing the ground where the caterpillars have marched.

Treatment:

If a person or animal shows signs of shock, get them to a doctor, hospital or vet immediately. If you have children and are considering buying property, take the above details into consideration.

Golfing:

When these caterpillars march across golf courses, play ceases immediately because it is too hazardous to try to clear them away.

El Pito 2

2010-06-14T13:44:00.000+02:00

Casa El Pito 2

Picaeta Valenciana

C. Enric Valor 28B

Meliana

Tel: 652 971 100

Recommended by a Valencian friend as one of the "best tapas restaurants" in Valencia, El Pito 2 doing a great job living up to that reputation.

The place:
The ambiance is casual. Dress up or not. Date night or family night. Guests, family, friends. It's great and the owner and his son do a great job running this place that not only serves amazing tapas, but does it with fantastic, friendly service.

The history:
El Pito began in Meliana "once upon a time," run by a husband and wife. Apparently, at El Pito, it is traditional to make a loud yell each time the tapas come from the oven adding to the crazy atmosphere there. We ate at 2 which, we were told, is much better (and much quieter). The story goes that husband and wife split. Wife kept "la origional" in the old center and husband started "dos" on the Carretera de Barcelona, the main road through town. You'll find it on the left as you head south towards Valencia.

Reservations:
At 9 you may be able to find parking and a table, but after that, don't count on it. I recommend making reservations as this place isn't fancy, isn't big, but is very well known and extremely loved.

Menu:
I've never actually seen a menu, but there is one. Our waitress gave me a list of tapas and I just proceded to say yes to all but one. The great thing is that it was all delicious! Even things that I normally don't like - at el Pito - are delicious!

Tapas

Caracoles Salsa: Close to 60 small snails served in a flavorful sauce. Eat them by pulling them from their shells with a toothpick.

Tellinas: Honestly, I am not a shellfish person, but these are delicious. Cockles, I think, in English, these small purple shelled fish are very light and not overly fishy.

Croque Bacalao: Full of fish, these croquetes are not greasy like many served at other places.

Pan Plancha: Delicious with the bacaloa below. Great bread with thin layer of tomato cooked on top.

Bacaloa con tomate y aceite: A delicious layer of bacalao covered with a layer of tomate, then olive oil. Spread onto the pan plancha they serve, it is heavenly.

Mushrooms: Eaten with gusto by an mushroom hater, these are really delicious. Grilled, may be? They are not slimy, but fully flavored and dry.

Artichokes: Cooked like the mushrooms, these thinly sliced baby artichokes are simple and delicious.

Sepia a la plancha. A nicely grilled whole cuttlefish.

Bereghenas Relleno: Stuffed eggplant. Delicious, but next to the other items on our table, not the best.

Patatas Foie: A twice-baked potatoe filled with foie gras. A hater of foie gras loved this, however. The flavor is rich, yet light. Definitely worth a try!

Dessert:

Torta de tres chocolates: If you like chocolate, you'll love this. Very light, but intensely flavored. Don't share it. It's way too good.

Blueberry cheesecake: A very nice blueberry cheesecake. Delicious without being overly sweet.

Grocery List

2010-06-03T14:29:00.018+02:00

It is no longer one-stop-shopping for me if I want to cook anything out of the ordinary, and I've begun to forget where I've found those special ingredients. Here's a start...

Amarula: A south African liqueur similar to Bailey's Irish Cream, but arguably better. You can find it at CE, Hipercor, Alcampo, en Bodegas Cabañal (Avda. Malvarrosa de Valencia.

Blackberry Jam: At C & Ma.

Feta Cheese: Sold cubed and herbed in glass jars: Ma & C. Sold in a lovely unherbed chunk only at Ma.

Phyllo Dough: Absolutely necessary for spanakopita, baklava, and other Greek yummies. CE

Legend:
C = Consum
CE = Corte Inglés
Ma = Masymas
M = Mercadona

Peñíscola

2010-05-27T22:19:00.001+02:00

Just 90 minutes north of Valencia and about 10 Euros in tolls lies a beach like none other I've seen here so far with fine pale sands that squeak under foot and the aqua blue waters of a travel brochure.

The land rises to a hill on one side with homes stacked like legos along the side facing the sea, then flattens on the northern side where you can walk along the wide flat beach all the way to Benicarló.

In the center is what most people know Peñíscola for, a small mound of land that juts out into the sea with a castle at its peak overlooking it all. Tall white buildings with tiled terraces and geranium filled terra cotta pots sit wall to wall along narrow streets. Little corners hide gift shops and cafes. The north side has a small bird refuge and from every edge all around you have the stunning view of this turquoise water.

Tourist Trap?
It's beautiful and quaint, and, yes, of course it's touristy. But isn't everything these days? If it's great, then it's been discovered. Avoid July and August unless you enjoy rubbing shoulders with thick crowds of tourists. During those months, you'll have a difficult time finding a free patch of sand for your beach towel. June is perfect says the shopkeeper I talked to. The weather is beautiful and the crowds are minimal.

Gift Shops:
Along the south side of the castle itself one street is completely lined on both sides with an eclectic array of souvenirs. Here you can buy an Australian boomerang and a hunk of Murano glass, African art and shells. A small gallery on the right as the road bends sells local art: pottery and beautiful sterling silver jewelry. If you're lucky, you'll even meet one of the artists, a kind woman who does pottery and creates jewelry from pieces of glazed clay. A baker at the end sells local cookies and really delicious lemon empañadas. If you look on the wall, you'll see pictures of her father and hear how he was an extra in a movie that was filmed there. Walk farther and you'll find a nice tapas restaurant with good Spanish ham and wines.

On the other side of the castle is a lighthouse and steep stairway that leads down to the edge of the peninsula where the land meets the sea and every restaurant has a stunning view. The waiters here will offer, in several languages, the special of the day until they see the recognition in your eyes, then try to lure you in for a rest and a meal.

Parking:
There is free tourist parking near the beginning of the beach. Just look for parking signs.

Food:

Of restaurants, there are plenty, but why waste your time? Tapas and a drink is enough or bring a picnic and soak up the beauty of Peñíscola without the clinking of plates. When I go back, I'm stocking up on those delicious lemon empañadas!

Restaurante Altamira

C/ Principe 3

Casco Antiguo (old city center)

Tel: 96 44 800 38

The Altamira is one of the restaurants on the eastern side of the peninsula high overlooking the water. There, you'll find absolutely amazing service, an amazing view, and the friendliness of a family run restaurant. The food, sadly, is very average. The salads are ok, but the calamare is quite average and the expensive lobster paella is flavorless. Go for the view and a drink, but this isn't the place for a big meal.

Burdeos in Love

2010-05-17T12:30:00.001+02:00

Burdeos in Love

Comida y Vinos

C/ del Mar #4

46003 Valencia

96 391 43 50

burdeosinlove@yahoo.es
http://www.burdeosinlove.com/

I usually look for a bargain at lunch time, but when walking through town with a pregnant friend, sometimes you just have to eat NOW and it doesn't matter where or how much. Today we fell into our seats at Burdeos in Love a few minutes before they were actually open, but the friendly waitress didn't mind. She politely took our drink orders and told us the kitchen would open in 15.

It's a wine bar/restaurant done in upscale tres chic, clean, classy, modern. Reds and grays. It's nice, clean, and just a couple blocks from Plaza de la Reina.

Bargain, it's not, but it does offer beautifully plated, flavorful, interesting food in a nice atmosphere. I got the 25 Euro menu which came with three plates, dessert and coffee. Everything was delicious - the portions were just small. You will not leave hungry, but won't leave stuffed either. That's good, but at 25 Euros, a little more stuffed would be nice.

Above: A generous appetizer that could stand alone as a light lunch. A friend ordered this with a ceasar salad and it was almost too much. Great ceasar salads here and this plate of artichokes and grilled octopus was delicious as well.

To the right - my menu: Chicken skewers in tandoori sauce. The sauce was so perfectly balanced that I grabbed a piece of bread to soak up every last drop. If I could order just a plate of this, I would. The next was a balalao ravioli in some sort of paprika sauce - good, but didn't pack the punch of the chicken and wasn't anything really special. Those four bites below are probably the most perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth, buttery morsels of tuna that I've ever eaten. More. Would have loved more. Next: Dessert. Rich, decadent. No complaints.

El Parisien

2010-05-17T12:20:00.001+02:00

Known for all things delicious, this little bakery can do no wrong. Here is where I've eaten the very best quiche aside from what my mom makes (or may be even a bit better) and their pastries are phenomenal. Pictured here is a little pistacio muffin. Moist, flavorful, a little sweet - the perfect treat to share at the end of a light meal.

El Parisien

Horno Y Pasteleria Artesanal

email: hornoelparisien@gmail.com

Hours: M-F 0800 - 2030, Sat0830 - 2030, Sun 0900 - 1500

Locations:

Salamanca 2

Valencia

Tel: 96 312 5241

Guillem de Castro 63; Valencia

Tel: 96 391 4644

Soledad 3

Valencia

Tel: 96 352 6988