Closed Today

Valencia, Spain

It took 2 hours to get to the heart of Valencia.  Firstly by panda and then local train.  Of all the tourist offerings, we jumped a big red bus to take in historical (red route) and then Maritime sights (blue route).  Valencia has two distinct personalities.  One is bright, ultra-modern and very trendy.  The other is a medieval, cobbled and ornate.   I’m not so sure they really complement each other but then, that is just a personal opinion….

Modern architecture through dirty bus windows...

Our first bus ride took us around the outskirts of the old city into newer areas; Valencia is proud of its participation in the America’s Cup (2007) and other recent world class events, so a greater portion of our historical tour took in high rise (fancy) hotels, vast shopping malls and giant theme parks – all the best in Europe.   The blue route took us down to the port to see a large but nearly empty Marina Real, host to the America’s Cup challenge; the Formula 1 race track and then into the furturistic Cuidad de las Artes y las Ciencias.

This huge complex, designed by one of Spain’s eminent architects, sits in a portion of the old Turia riverbed.  It is home to an art museum, a science museum, an IMAX cinema and an enormous aquarium.  It was Monday; only the aquarium was open.  Back then into the old city, only to find the Museo de Bellas Artes with its enticing collection of El Greco, Goya, Velazquez and other Spanish old masters was closed too.  It was Monday….

The old city sits wrapped by an amazing green cloak, the Jardines del Turia.  It is 9km of cycling paths, playgrounds, athletic fields and pretty green parks.  This all sits over the Turia riverbed, diverted after flooding caused immense damage some years ago.  Two grand stone gates (14^th c) once faced this river and are now all that remain of the old city walls.   One turns toward Barcelona, the other Madrid.  The latter is pitted from cannon ball firings – Napoleon at his destructive worst (again).

We took a quick turn around the plaza in front of the Cathedral, forgetting to go in to find the Holy Grail.  Very near to this square, in 138BC, Roman soldier-settlers founded Valentia and Castilian knight El Cid fought his best in 1094 to take back the city from the Moors.  However, the turistico-ing KIPS & Motleys were starting to show signs of their own rebellion, so we followed the well-marked walking trail through quiet leafy streets back to the train station.  On route, we did stop for a photo or two of an amazing rococo building (closed), the neoclassical Town Hall, a sparkling main Post Office building and took a slightly closer look at the Plaza de Toros (probably closed too).

We had walked away from Estacion del Norte earlier, failing to notice its impressive façade (1917).   Had our train not been leaving in 3 minutes, we may have taken photos of the main foyer, also highly decorated with mosaics and murals.  Meanwhile we amused the locals with a Pythonesque dash up and down platforms trying to find our train back to Cullera and a waiting panda.