Valencia - 39:27:67N 0:18:83W

Red Skies
David Alexander
Fri 2 Oct 2009 16:55
Arrived at about 3.30 pm on Thursday 1st October, just as storm clouds were forming, but for a change we received just a few spots of rain which quickly stopped. However, there has clearly been plenty of recent rain here as many instances of soil erosion and deposition could be seen.
 
Our pilot book, despite being the latest version with the most recent corrections failed to mention that the southern mole to the America's Cup Marina had been extended seawards by 5 cables, so presenting a very different pattern to that expected - thank goodness for GPS!! The pilot book also had the latitude of the waypoint to the entrance incorrectly printed by 2 minutes - yet another challenge.
 
The America's Cup Marina is very new and now it's past 1st October, quite reseanably priced, yet it is far from being full.
 
Valencia is a very bike-friendly city with plenty of cycle lanes to get about and sensibly arranged traffic junctions. However, not having our bikes with us on this journey we did our travelling by metro and bus, which were excellent.
 
Having read that Valencia was the originator of paella, naturally we had to sample one at a restaurant in the old quarter. Unfortunately, we did not choose well and were quite disappointed compared with others we have tasted. However, the wine made up for the poor paella.
 
This was taking sand castle building competitions too far!
 
 
Some interesting architecture
 
 
and some interesting scuptures
 
 
The railway station
 
 
The Plaza de Torros
 
 
Conjunto Catedralicio
 
 
Church and Tower of St Catalina
 
 
The Hemisferic in the Parc de Arts y Sciences
 
 
Another view of the Hemisferic with the Palau de les Arts behind