Day 14
Fred and I decided to do a little site seeing on our own this morning before I stopped at our latest coffee spot.
Fred has really warmed up to his new Spanish SIM card. Gone are the old days of laying on our counter back in Castlegar inhaling beside a glass of scotch and having crumbs of dried toast land on him. Now he wants to be splashed with a rich bobal or tempranillo or even a French cab/sav and idle beside a paella.
He’s even taken a few photos on his own as I’ve found a shot of my knee on the bus yesterday and then a secret pic of Wilma when she was propped up on her charger.
At first I was concerned that the names that I picked for our two smallest devices would incur some legal problems from Flintstones creators Hanna-Barbera or the city of Bedrock. But famous couple names are used everywhere; Brad and Angelina, Tiger and any waitress, and of course Donald and Stormy. So I’m not fretting a call from Rudy Giuliani anytime soon.
We are located in the El Carmen neighborhood which has lots of museums, unbelievable architecture everywhere, and seriously over 100 bars and restaurants all around us.
This being free museum weekend where many of them are open till midnight meant that revellers congregated even later than usual and partied late, late into the night. Our own Plaza de Negrito a mere 35 meters away was bustling till 4 am! Windows closed, shutters shuttered, and ear plugs firmly inserted were the only way to survive last night. It will be the same tonight and then back to the regular 2 am cool down time for Sunday.
Today’s first item on the agenda was to walk a portion the Jardin del Turia. It is a vast green belt that winds through the city that once was the channel for the Turia River.
The Turia flooded almost three quarters of the city in 1957 and a bold plan called Plan Sur was implemented to divert the Turia around Valencia and into the Mediterranean Sea. It was completed in 1969 but not until the ’80s was the final plan to plant vegetation along meandering paths, build active recreation areas, and bike lanes decided upon. Today it is a magnificent testament to hard work and the will of the people.
It includes fountains, lots of benches and picnic areas, urban art, and is crossed over by 18 bridges. It averages 600 feet across and is 5 miles long.
We will pick up our empanadillas and sweet treats before we start and Carol has stealthly camouflaged a couple of glasses of wine in coffee containers, although it’s not really necessary here.
So back home it is a long weekend and everyone will be relaxing and having fun too and we are thinking of you.
God bless.
Blue Delivery 