Arriving in La Valle at the two floor apartment which is Nereyda’s home I couldn’t help but be struck by the beautiful view they have over the nearby mountains.
This morning we were going to breakfast (I know it’s a continuous eating fest!) in a local cafe popular with workmen to have what is known in Valenciano as ‘esmorcai’ in Castilian ‘almuerzo,’ which is a snack between breakfast and lunch. Due to the high winds everyone was inside and a noisy scene of almost all men greeted us when we entered. Although loud, the atmosphere was convivial and animated. I had developed a headcold and Nereyda recommended a coffee cremaet (cremated coffee). This is a black coffee which is made in a terracotta cup with rum or brandy which is set alight before the coffee is added. I’d certainly recommend this as a remedy for a cold, it made me feel much better, at least until the alcohol wore off! Although it was windy it was not as bad as we had expected so we headed for Moncofar the small beach village near the La Valle. It seems unusual for Spain as the beach is a pebbly one. The sea was very blue and I wished I had been feeling well enough for a swim but the the current looked strong and I didn’t think it a good idea with a cold so instead we headed to another cafe where I had my favourite ice cream, Blanco y Negro. A ball of ice cream served over frozen coffee, another great cold remedy recommendation.
After returning home for a siesta we made ready to go out for yet another meal, this time to a restaurant ‘Ca Mario,’ in a village Alfondegiya, three kilometers away. The decor was very traditional ceramics and the menu related to us orally by Mario himself. Yet another gastronomic success with Sepia, Pork croquettes and a seafood casserole. I tried my first Vermouth which was beautifully served.
We had arrived early for dinner (eight o’clock) by Spanish standards and we were the only diners when we arrived but by the time we left it was full.
And so home and to bed once again after a busy day of eating and drinking!
The next day after a relatively relaxed morning, Nuria and I headed to Valencia once again, this time to meet some friends Nereyda and Aureli, who live a little outside Valencia in a small town called La Valle D’Uxo. Yet another lunch awaited, this time in an Italian restaurant. Nereyda was also a friend from university who also became an English teacher. We enjoyed a lunch of Pasta and Lasagne, with much chatter and laughter. I then said goodbye to Isabel and Nuria and went back with Nereyda and Aureli to La Valle. At some point in the late afternoon my phone showed an alert for high winds in the area and advising not to go out. The Moroccan meal we had organized with Nereyda’s students had to be cancelled and supplies brought in, in case we were unable to go out the following day. The supermarket was goi,ng to be closed for the day and everyone was advised to stay at home. So we ate (again!) at home and stayed up talking late into the night!
As an English teacher in the School of Languages, Nuria asked if I would be prepared to attend a morning at the school speaking to her students who were learning English. The schools of Languages are government subsidised colleges where anyone can learn a modern language relatively cheaply.
The students are mostly adults learning languages for a variety of reasons. Both groups were delightful and I spent a lovely morning talking a lot (one of my favourite pastimes,) about a range of topics from our pets to the National Health Service to King Charles and my home town, Weymouth..
All were very engaged and enthusiastic so the morning whizzed by! I headed into Valencia once more, this time to meet another friend Isabel who lives in a small mountain town just outside Valencia. I met her and her daughter Maria and we went for possible the largest lunch I have encountered so far. The portions were huge and the food really good, just a shame we couldn’t finish it. I chose my favourite ‘ Arroz Al Orno,’ and it certainly did not disappoint.
Following lunch, Isabel and I headed into the centre of Valencia and to the Mercado de Colon, previously a small covered food market but now transformed into a trendy meeting place with gift stalls, bars delicatessens and eateries. We enjoyed a very large Gin and Tonic (No optics in Spain!) and headed back to the Plaza Del Ayuntamiento. On the way, a crowd had gathered outside the theatre and a band were playing. As we approached it became clear it was a presentation of Falleras. This is a preamble to the huge festival of ‘Fallas’ which takes place next month. Girls in traditional dress are presented in a formal ceremony. The costumes and jewellery are very ornate. It was lovely to see such a traditional event taking place and the girls looked beautiful. I thought I had scrubbed up reasonably well but felt very underdressed when I saw them!
It was time to head for home, so `Isabel and I said our goodbyes and I headed for the metro and home to L’Eliana once more.
My ticket for the Art gallery included two visits to churches nearby so feeling much refreshed after a great sleep, I decided to head into the city centre again. I headed first to the church of Saint Nicolas which as recommended by Nuria is known for it’s light show; the entrance was in a very unprepossessing side alleyway but once inside it was clear why this church is known as ‘Valencia’s Sistine chapel.’ The ceiling was totally covered by paintings of biblical scenes and cherubs a plenty. The sides of the church contained several small chapels each dedicated to different saints, each with a story as Tod in the audio guide. I was delighted to see as statue of Saint Anne (My namesake!) the mother of Mary in one of the chapels. It was announced that the light show was about to begin so, I sat (as advised by Nuria, in a back pew. The church came to life with beautiful moving lights depicting flying cherubs all over the ceiling along with blooming flowers and what looked like shooting stars. With the musical accompaniment it was so atmospheric, and so well put together. Definately, another priority for visitors I would say.
One more church later Sant Juan which was also impressive and beautifully restored, I found myself at the Central market. This is the largest covered food market in Europe; the stalls were a blaze of colour with a huge variety of all types of fruits, vegetables, hams, cheeses, wines, fish and seafood. Huge pans of assorted Paella were serving up lunch., Some of the stalls sold drinks and cones of salami and cheese which, locals ate while chatting, creating a social space not just a shopping area.
I continued my wandering around the city, the now pedestrianised Plaza Del Ayuntamiento, the Bullring, El Corte Ingles; all landmarks I remembered from my time here so many yers ago. I was surprised that ‘El Correos,’ a favourite meeting place was now a telecommunications museum as the need for postage must have declined here as well!
I encountered some bomberos attending to a tree which had partially blown down in the high winds. I made my way to the Metro station and headed for home. Having walked nine miles in total I was very relieved when Ana, Nuria’s daughter picked me up from the Metro Station in L’Eliana, it had been a long but really enjoyable day!
The next morning on the advice of Nuria, I headed into the city to see a new Art Gallery in a restored Palace in the old quarter of Valencia. After a wander around a street market, and, the Plaza Redonda; now sadly depleted of the many traditional ceramic shops previously there I headed to the Centro de Arte de Hortensia Herrero. It certainly did not disappoint. A varied selection of artists from around the world including Mat Collishaw, David Hockney and Manolo Valdes to name but a few. A dominant theme in the works was the use and effect of light in both sculptures and paintings. My favourite was a video linked to ‘Fallas’ with the theme of destruction and rebirth. All housed in a beautifully restored palace with archeological evidence of the Roman occupation on the site many years previously. Certainly I would recommend this for any visitors to Valencia.
Prior to entering the gallery, I decided to have a cold beer, (the temperature was much warmer than I’ve been used to of late.) I opted for the neares bar/restaurant and mistakenly ordered a ‘doble’ beer which when it arrived was enormous! I made a further mistake by being adventurous and ordering a dish which I knew was cheese possibly served on a wooden board. I was a bit surprised when a plate of fried bananas, rubbery cheese and a mint mayonnaise arrived. Probably not the best choice!
After a wander around the old quarter with some very traditional shops I decided to head for the Metro and home to L’Eliana.
On a dark rainy morning in February, I joined the throngs a of passengers at Gatwick Airport escaping the near biblical rains we have experienced of late in England, for sunnier climes. Apart from the ‘Fray Bentos’ Steak and Kidney pie which, (clearly an offensive weapon!)caused a bit of a delay at security, (gift for a Spanish friend!) I whizzed through the airport and was soon on my Easyjet flight bound for Valencia.
Once above the clouds it was a welcome sight to see a blue sky and a hot orangey thing I vaguely remembered as the Sun. Following touchdown, I was greeted by my friend Nuria, we had met 38 years ago when I was studying Spanish at Valencia University, and have remained friends ever since.
We headed strainght to ‘Las Arenas,’ the beach area of Valencia, almost passing my old home just off the Avenida del Puerto to the seafront area which, when I lived nearby was quite run down with a polluted beach. Not any more; very up market apartments and a five star hotel now replace what were old decaying port buildings. Listen the ‘Americas Cup’ some years ago meant large amounts of cash investment were injected to enhance the whole area. The beach is now clean, with miles of golden sand, although I didn’t venture into the sea I plan to go at least once while I am here.
We had a coffee and caught up with all the news, it is six years since my last visit here so, lots of family and friends news to catch up on. Afterwards we headed to a beachside restaurant for a Tapas lunch which, outshone any Tapas I’ve had at home! It just always tastes different in the home country!
Following this, we browsed a couple of shops and headed for home which, for me this week is a small town North West of Valencia called “L’Eliana.” I was welcomed by Nuria’s husband Antonio, and after unpacking and ‘cena’ headed for my bed, the 5 o’clock start had caught up with me!
Well she’s off again after a brief respite in Dorset, it was off to Liverpool this time with my sister Gabs as a belated birthday treat for her, a committed Beatles fan since her teen years back in the 1960’s. We set off from Weymouth with the now obligatory fizz on the train and arrived in Liverpool in the late afternoon. We headed for Panoramic 34 on the recommendation of a friend and it certainly did not disappoint! A cocktail lounge and restaurant on the 34rd floor gave fantastic (panoramic) views of the whole city.
We arrived before sunset, so it was great to see the change as night descended and the lights began to twinkle. They twinkled even more after a couple of rather strong spiced Margeritas and we then headed for our dinner venue, ‘The Hard Days Night Hotel.’ Full of great photos and Beatles memorabilia and of course Beatles background music, we joined a rather full restaurant. Gabs was recognized by one of the diners who proved to be on a coach trip from Weymouth and we discovered all the diners were on a trip with Bluebird coaches; one of our local coach companies. No escaping Weymouth for these Budmouth wenches!
Dinner was great and very reasonably priced, certainly would recommend this hotel and restaurant.
The next morning after a hearty hotel breakfast, we headed to the Albert Dock for our ‘Magical Mystery Tour!’ We headed off around the city seeing the Beatles birthplaces, schools, song writing locations, streets that inspired their songs and places where they first performed. We also passed Brian Epstein’s house and were told the story of how he came to be their manager. The tour guide was so informative we learned some new facts along with reminders of what we already knew. We were amazed that other travelers included: Dutch, Brazilians and Argentinians confirmng just how unique and famous the Beatles still are. I could not imagine traveling to Argentina in search of a similar experience for a 1960’s Argentinian band!
On then for a stroll around ‘The Albert Dock,’ followed by of course a trip on the famous ‘Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey,’ as immortalized by Gerry Marsden, another Mersey side talent. As well as the iconic statue of the Fab Four, Billy Furey also graced the quayside. The buildings alongside the waterfront provided a mixture of aged grandeur and the very modern City of Liverpool museum with the odd modern sculpture thrown in!
For those of us who remember the 1970’s a popular sitcom about two single girls living in Liverpool was called the ‘Liver Birds,’ I learned that this name was taken from the two birds on top of the Royal Liver building shown in the photos. They face away from each other and it is said that if they ever leave, Liverpool will be doomed;somewhat unlikely as they are statues! After this busy afternoon we headed back for a brief rest before our evening booked at the Cavern club.
The band were great and had obviously studied the Beatles closely, their sound and mannerisms were so accurate. They were accompanied by a slide show with recordings and quotes from the Beatles and they followed the different stages of the band with appropriate costume changes as well.
Following the encore of ‘Hey Jude” which we sang along with the couple from Inverness, we headed out into the street which was buzzing with Liverpool Friday night partygoers. Way after midnight, late for us Silver citizens!
Another hearty breakfast later and we headed to the Catholic cathedral affectionately known as ‘Paddy’s Wigwam;’ 75 percent of Liverpudlians have Irish heritage. The building was completed in 1967 and was very different to all the cathedrals I’d recently visited in Europe. Inside the stained glass could not fail to impress even on a cloudy day.
We also visited the crypt a huge arched structure below ground level which was part of the original plan and used for mass before the final building was completed.
After a quick stroll around the shopping area Liverpool 1, it was time to head back to Lime Street for the train journey home.
A truly great city with so much to offer, everyone we met was so friendly and the humour and warmth of the Liverpudlians is evident.
I can’t recommend this city enough! Until the next time…..
Whilst the adventure was wonderful and exceeded expectations, the two young maids were happy to be on their way back to Budmouth and, Weymouth and Portland certainly did not disappoint. A sunny afternoon five mile walk along the beach with my furry friend and a bracing dip in the sea at Chesil the following day reminded us that Dorothy was correct! Until the next adventure…
And so to our last port of call Paris. We had to catch two trains both of which were really busy so we were glad to have reserved seats. After the pristine appearance of Vienna, Paris proved a bit of a shock. We emerged from a very grubby Metro station to a street with overflowing bins, people sleeping on mattresses on the pavement and large groups of men lurking on street corners. It felt more like a shanty town than part of such a glamorous city. We hastily headed for our hotel which fortunately proved to be fine and not in keeping with its surroundings. The next morning after a quick coffee and croissant, we headed to Norte Dame, an easy journey on the Metro. It was busy outside with travelers from all over the world, we joined a queue which was probably the most orderly we had experienced within Europe (almost British!) and, within an hour we were inside the cathedral. It was warming to see so many people interested in seeing this famous monument in its almost new state after the extensive restoration and, having paid twenty quid to enter York Cathedral earlier in the year it was amazing that it was free of charge. Once inside it was busy but possible to move around; an announcement kept telling people to be quiet but with so many people it was difficult to maintain complete silence. While the shop was doing brisk business at the back of the cathedral, Mass commenced even with hoards of visitors skirting the perimeter. Not what I would call conducive to spiritual communion.
We found out afterwards that one of the entrances was dedicated to my namesake St Anne, Mary’s mother so I felt very at home!
A long stroll along the Seine taking in the Louvre and Tuileries in the direction of Le Tour Eiffel followed after a fuel stop of crepes.
It was lovely walking along the river, sellers sold the inevitable souvenirs but it was a relief not to see fridge magnets! (I never want to see another one again!)
We arrived at ‘Le Tour Eiffel,’ and having decided to reach for the top, were disappointed to find out the top was closed, due to full capacity. We acccepted the first floor was the only option and waited in the ticket queue. By the time we got to the ticket office we were informed the top was open so, we went for it! Foolishly I stood at the window of the lift and the ascent made me feel very sick and disorientated; however, in the next lift I stared at the floor and was relieved to discover upon exiting it was enclosed! Once acclimatized I was able to go up to the next floor which was open and enjoyed the vista of Paris before me . Before long I was tap dancing on the glass roof! ~Might have been the glass of wine that helped!
We descended and after a fairly average meal in a very touristy spot headed back to the hotel for the final night before our departure for home.
And so on to our next port of call Vienna: the scenic rail journey had me expecting to see Julie Andrew’s popping up over every mountain top. (Sense a nun theme on this journey!) Mountain peaks clad with pine trees trimmed with very lush green fields with grazing cows reminded me of a Lindt advertisement and I started craving chocolate!
We arrived in Vienna, and found our way to our very trendy modern hotel/apartment called ZOKU. A very different concept from the traditional hotel, it provided a studio with all facilities along with a large and airy open plan living/dining area/working area complete with restaurant, cocktail bar and roof terrace overlooking the Prater; Viennas oldest fairground, it has been there since the 1870s. Our studio had panoramic views over the city and the attention to detail within was exceptional, postcards giving advice on how to sleep well, be more sustainable along with kitchen table wisdom and recipes were pinned to a noticeboard. Whilst it was not huge, every bit of space was utilized so well we had plenty of storage space. A staircase pulled out from the wall to give access to our mezzanine bed. Modern prints were placed at the end of the corridor in case we wanted to swap the artworks already in our room. Bikes were downstairs, available for hire for only 20 Euros a day! They are planning to open one in London so look out!
The next morning was Tina’s birthday and we had a lovely surprise when the waitresses brought a little cake with a candle to our table at breakfast. Afterwards we headed to the city and walked around admiring the many huge and very grand buildings, clearly a city with a very wealthy history. We decided to head for Schonbrunn Palace, the number One tourist attraction in Vienna. We had a stroll around the gardens which were a bit like Versailles, then we toured around the inside of the palace learning about various Hapsburg Emperors, their families and daily life throughout their 700 year rule. The range of decor was impressive and varied but Roccoco was clearly the order of the day!
Each room had a huge ceramic stove which was fueled from behind to create a more aesthetic look for the royals!
Upon our exit we were greetings by Mozart, and very charming he was!
We returned in the late afternoon to the hotel to hastily prepare for the surprise dinner Niall, Tina’s son had kindly booked for us in a very typical Viennnese reataurant, Meissl und Schadn. It was a lovely restaurant setting, very traditional with waiters swerving around bearing huge portions of Viener Schnitzl. We opted for a hearty meal of roast beef, mixed vegetables followed by Plum Dumplings which accompanied by wine had us waddling out a bit later and provided a lovely way to end a very full birthday for Tina!
Th next morning we had a light breakfast in our studio and headed into the city Centre following a guided tour Tina had found on the internet, dodging the numerous touts selling tours and music concerts. More grand buildings were proof of the very rich history Vienna can boast. En route we saw the stables for the Spanish Riding school and we impulsively booked some tickets to watch a performance the next day. We then headed for The Grand Hotel for afternoon tea another birthday treat. We were presented with a menu of various teas and served with a selection of beautifully presented canapés, scones and miniature cakes. Once again, the staff surprised us with even more cake and a candle! We waddled home – again and after a rest headed for the rooftop for a couple of cocktails overlooking the Vienna sunset witnessing The Prater coming to life. A disco which was accompanied by live musicians created a very buzzing atmosphere and I suspect we were the oldest in the room but were we bothered! No!
The following morning we headed to the Spanish Riding School for the performance which began at 11.00am. These were trainee riders and horses but the standard was to us outstanding. It was such a beautiful thing to watch, the horses performed dressage moves, and the commentary told us of the history of the school and the costume traditions. It seemed as if the riders and horses were one. We were asked not to take photos during the show as it can upset the horses, it was really refreshing to watch without phones being waved all over the place. Sadly some idiots still took photos and had to be reminded by staff of the rules.
Another walk around the very busy city centre (Saturday shoppers) and we headed for the Albertina Art gallery which also housed the old state apartments. It was a mixture of modern gothic, Impressionism, surrealism and cubism fauvism (too many isms!) displaying a very impressive selection ranging from Monet to Picasso.
We then headed back to the hotel for a quick rest before going for a wander around the Prater which really comes to life at night. It was a tad rainy (the only rain we have encountered the whole holiday!) which dampened the atmosphere a little but it was still great to see. We didn’t brave any of the rides but it was lovely to hear the whoops of delight from other fairgoers.
The Hardy Wench 