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European Summer
  • GoJenCalCarr
  • GoJenCalCarr

European Summer

It’s that time again, we are heading off for another adventure! This trip will include many new experiences and countries! Come along with us. En savoir plus
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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    In one barrel room they have barrels signed by famous people (athletes, actors, etc).Barrel room. 4000 barrels are stored in this one building.While having lunch in the barrel room a worker noticed a mouse sniffing around a barrel (next photo)So he created a little ladder set it next to a glass of sherry so the mouse could always have a sip.Beautiful grapevine covered street in the winery facilities.Part of the old sherry production area.Entrance to one of the barrel rooms.Antique truck showcased on the grounds.The gardens next to the winery.This is Teo Pepe (uncle Pepe) who was the inspiration for the creation of the winery.We tasted three types of sherry and then one sherry spritz (with mint).These painted bottles are part of an art exhibit.I've been adding them to my hat, they die and fall off but there are more the next day.Cal at the Jerez train station. I love the tiles in the train statuons.

    The Spiritual Home of Sherry

    19 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We decided it would be fun and a nice break to get out to the coast for a day/night. There are many coastal options near Seville but Cadiz caught our eye. It is a short train ride away and sounded like it would be a good contrast to Seville. The other bonus is that on the way we could stop in the town of Jerez de la Frontera to learn more about Sherry and do a tasting of the local products.
    Sherry is one of the oldest wines in the world. All Sherry is made from green grapes only, its color comes from oxidation. And there are many different types of sherry including Fino de Jerez, Manzanilla, Oloroso and more.
    There are many sherry producers in the area as the soil and climate make it ideal for growing the type of grapes used for sherry. We only had time to visit one of the bodegas (aka storehouse for wine) in the area - Tio Pepe.
    We took a tour and did a tasting (our favorite type was Oloroso). The tour was a bit commercial but still informative and fun. Sherry has a different reputation in the US - more of a grandma’s drink. But the variety and types produced make it popular for all ages in Spain and we were surprised that they also put it in mixed drinks - we tasted a delicious spritz made with a type of sherry and mint.
    It was a fun stop on our way to the coast. Next stop, Cadiz.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    Next to the main beach - which was pretty full of sun bathers and swimmers.
    Water looked so inviting, alas we did not bring our suits with us (left in Seville).This tree is a "rubber fig" tree that is huge! Info I found online says it's over 120 years old.1Many nods to the moorish architecture/style.While walking to dinner we were treated to a nice sunset.Part of our dinner - shrimp tartar and burrata/tomato salad- yummy!Cafes in front of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross over the Waters (built in 18th century).Known as "The Cathedral of The Americas" because it was built with $ from trade between Spain & US.In the crypt area of the cathedral.1Around the central market were murals by local artists, we both loved this one.A mail slot outside the main post office.We enjoy visiting local markets even when we can't buy anything. This one was full of great stalls.

    A quick trip to Cadiz!

    19 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Cádiz is an ancient port city in the Andalucia region of southwestern Spain. The home of the Spanish Navy, the port boomed in the 16th-century as a base for exploration and trade. The US Navy has a base nearby in the town of Roda (we have friends that were based there years ago). This base was established by JFK in a deal with Franco. The city is situated on a spit of land surrounded on three sides by the sea that two of Columbus´ four voyages set out for the New World.
    The historic district is charming, full of small winding streets lined with beautiful buildings, many with the gorgeous wrought iron railings and doors. And there are many big and small squares full of cafes that are full of people (including families) throughout the day. While there were tourists and tourist shops, the city felt more full of locals. It was sunny but cooler than Seville. With the location on the coast and the beach vibe it felt a bit like Santa Cruz/Capitola.
    We only spent 24 hours but we made good use of our time and enjoyed wandering the streets, checking out the local sites (a famous church was the highlight) and eating delicious seafood.
    Now back to Seville for a few more days.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    Pueblo Zahara, first town we visited. Tucked into the hillside with a Moorish tower above the town.Plaza with a cafe where many locals were gathered. The have a "sit and chat" culture.It's clear they take pride in their homes/village.This is the town of Grazalema, with a sculpture highlighting the cattle ranchers in the area.Loved this church with pink trim, stood out in all the white.Famous bridge in Ronda, built in 1759.Another bridge in Ronda, older than the famous one. And beautiful countryside in background.Bullfighting is controversial but still important to Spanish culture. This is the ring in Ronda.Bullfighters are like Rock Stars, here is an important one memorialized in a bronze sculpture.We noticed this door knocker and liked it...near the bullring.The reservoir in this pic is there water source for agriculture (main industry). It's only 25% full.They have had a drought the last 3 years that has resulted in rationing water for local farmers.2On our way our first Pueblos Blancos we stopped at an olive farm & learned about making olive oil.These are filters olives are pressed thru to extract the oil.The olive pressing equipment. Looked a little rusty to us.The brand of oil with good picture of how they do the olive press with the filters/machine.

    An excursion to the Pueblos Blancos

    21 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We wanted to explore some of the other areas of Andalusia so we signed up for a couple of organized group tours. First up was a day trip to see three of the Pueblos Blancos - Zahara, Grazalema, and Ronda (aka white villages). The White Villages are peppered among the hills of Andalusia, Many began as Moorish strongholds. Perched atop steep hills or mountains, they were established when much of the area was under the control of the Islamic Moors. During the pandemic plague waves 14th century is when whitewashing exterior and interior walls of houses and churches - the latter often visited by disease-affected inhabitants - became predominant. The white wash was made with lime which is what made it effective as a disinfectant.
    The first two Pueblos Blancos we visited were small towns, the third is a larger one with a famous bridge and bull ring (Ronda). All three were beautiful with charming squares and narrow lanes lined with buildings with window boxes full of flowers. All buildings have to stay white (now painted vs lime) except for a few that are much older and started a different color.
    The area is mainly agriculture based with olive trees, orange trees and a few other crops.
    It was a fun outing with good guides, comfy bus and nice cohorts- even though big group bus trips are not always our way of touring.
    We liked the area so much we are thinking of planning another trip just to visit and explore all of the Pueblos Blancos (there are 19 in total).    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    We had a great guide for an hour long tour, barely scratching the surface on what there is to see.
    The building was expanded 4 times, each time they tried to honor the original design concept.When you look through the columns it is supposed to give you a sense of infinity.Central area that still has elements of the original Mosque.More of the original mosque, hard to capture the expanse and beauty.Wooden doors that used to be left open during the day to let the light in.And in the middle of what was a mosque you find a Christian church.The choir was verily intricately carved out of mahogany, with unique characters throughout.View of cathedral tower from the plaza.Moorish architecture and graffiti around the outside of the mosque-cathedral.Door knocker on one of the external doors on the mosque-cathedral.Cordoba is full of narrow streets lined with flowers like these.Homes in the Jewish quarter of town hosts open gardens during a special annual festival.A few of the homes stay open thru the summer. We got to see two.This open courtyard was part of a communal house (where several families used to live.The woman in the picture is the owner of this house/garden. She proudly tells us about her plants.Cordoba is also known for flamenco and for being home to the royal equestrian center.The historic district of Cordoba next to the River GuadaIquivir.1

    A visit to historic Cordoba

    22 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Our second day tour from Seville was to Cordoba, a city famous for its interesting mix of ancient Roman, Moorish, and Spanish history, architecture and culture. The city was founded by the Romans 169 BC. For many years Cordoba was a place of peaceful coexistence of three different cultures: Jews, Muslims and Christians. In the 10th century, Cordoba was the world’s largest city counting about one million residents.

    The city's iconic feature that draws visitors from all over the world is the Mezquita-Catedral, an elegant mosque converted into a Renaissance-style church. The Great Mosque was originally constructed in 785 and was expanded over the next 500 years to a point that 40,000 could attend Muslim services inside. The mosque was converted to a cathedral in 1236 and since then only Christian services are held (they kick out any Muslims that attempt to pray inside).

    The historic center of Cordoba also has a large Jewish quarter with narrow winding streets. Home owners in that part of the town participate in a garden contest every year, inviting the public in to see their gardens in the courtyards of their homes. The contest officially happens in May but typically 2-3 homes keep their courtyards open to visitors thru the summer (no fees are taken, it’s the home owners pleasure to share the fruits of their labors). We got to visit two of the gardens.

    It was a hot day in Cordoba, one of our hottest, but we were able to still enjoy our time there. Now back to Seville for a few more days before we head to San Sebastián in the north of Spain.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, better known as Seville Cathedral, was a initially a Mosque.It's the largest cathedral in the world. The nave is really big and impressive.A mother pelican feeding her little baby pelicans symbolise the Passion of Jesus and the Eucharist.1I walked to the top of the cathedral and loved the view.As you walk the streets you sometimes get a glimpse of a lovely courtyard.Narrow lane in the Jewish quarter.Pipes from the Roman aqueduct running thru a wall in the Jewish quarter.Bullfighting is still happening in Seville. It's seen as an important element of their culture.We visited the bullring and the museum associated with it. We did not go to a bullfight.Outside of the bullring, a beautiful building.The bull continues to be the only advertising structure allowed on Spanish roads (for alcohol).We were lucky to have a nice rooftop bar on our hotel. Great view and nice refreshing drinks.We did not go to any flamenco shows (have seen in the past) but enjoyed seeing them around town.

    A few last photos from Seville

    24 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    Thought we’d share a few more photos from our time and experiences in Seville. We loved our time in the city and while we covered a lot during our time there we did not see and do everything we wanted to. We hope to go back again.
    Now on to Northern Spain - to San Sebastián - for a week to explore new territory, to learn more about Basque culture and to food and to enjoy some cooler temps.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    Anchovies are one of the common tapas/appetizers offered. They are preserved in a vinegar mixture.
    Many types of cheeses and cured meats, we tried several kinds!Pedron peppers were very tasty.Mid morning "breakfast" consists of toasted bread with ham and a poached egg.Another option for mid morning breakfast is an omelet, very thin and somewhat sweet.Pork shoulder and roasted potatoes. Very good but a dish meant for 4-6 vs just 2 of us.There version of a "shrimp fritter"Another omelet, this one with burrata, sun dried tomatoes and cashews.A great example of how they serve their tapas...little paper cones.We went on a food tour and one of the stops was for churros-which they serve with cups of chocolate.Churros in the making. They are not covered in sugar like in the us.Delicious pork belly sandwiches.Anchovies on the left and a torta on the right (potatoe/egg pie).Mushrooms with special garlic sauce.Mushrooms on the grill.AFlamenquin consists of slices of ham placed on thinly pounded meat then breaded & fried.Another example of a meet and cheese selection (house specialties) with toasted bread.Our last night in Seville we treated ourselves to seafood paella.1We discovered a nice refreshing pre dinner drink- Tinto de Verano-red wine with lemon soda.

    Delicious Food of Seville

    24 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    I forgot to post pictures of the dishes and cocktail we tried during our stay in Seville so decided I’d do a post just on the food! We tried so many delicious things, some we found on our own and some we discovered during a food tour. We loved the tapas concept (small plates), which gave us a chance to try many things without getting stuffed. The Spanish tend to eat one or two dishes with a drink or two at one tapas place and then move to another for a different specialty. We only did this with our food tour. But traditionally tapas are not “dinner.”

    The Spanish meal schedule is very different than ours at home…they don’t have anything other than coffee for breakfast before they leave home, but mid morning they typically have a toasted baguette type role with sliced ham (more like prosciutto) or something else on it and another coffee. They eat a proper lunch around 1 and then they do a couple ofTapas with drinks around 6 pm, then they have dinner around 9:30/10. We’ve not really adopted their schedule on all meals, but we have adjusted our dinner time to closer to 7/8, but that’s the latest we can go.

    Also it’s very common for the Spanish to have a drink (wine, beer, cider) with their late morning breakfast and/or mid-day meal (I’ve seen groups of older women with glasses of wine around 11:30 am).

    They love their sweets (ice cream, baked goods, cakes), but their cakes and things are not real sweet.

    Luckily we’ve been walking a ton so we’ve walked off some of the calories.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    Not my pic, I could not get a good shot of the entire building so borrowing this one.
    This flower covered dog is called "Puppy." It's a permanent exhibit in front of the museum.Dropping this in so it's clear how big "Puppy" is.Looking up into the atrium of the museum. It's very hard to capture all the unique aspects.The museum has several large architectural elements outside, including a bridge and a tower.Sculptures outside on a terrace.This one was interesting, changing through the day as the sun hits it or not, and the reflection.Large moving ticker tape like digital art exhibit. Two stories high.I think my favorite exhibit were these huge steel sculptures- called Matter of Time by Serra.You walk through these sculptures to experience them, this one felt like being inside a wave to me.Serra sculptures from above. They take up one big room.Each of Serra's pieces has a slightly different finish/markings.This is Roy Lichtenstein's Girl with Tear. There were a few pieces by him.This is from a Ghanaian artist, all made from discarded bottle tops and bottle labels.There were several Warhol pieces on display.This was cool- Room you went into with mirrors, sound, lights-supposed to be artist's hallucinationsThis artist wanted to "build connections between the objects, the viewer, and the environment."A glimpse of the sculpture of mama spider (eggs can be seen under her).

    Modern Art at the Guggenheim Museum

    25 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern and contemporary art in Bilbao (northern Spain). The building was designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry and was opened in 1997. The building itself is a work of art and it alone is worth a visit. The museum has both permanent and temporary modern art exhibits inside and outside the building. While neither of us are knowledgeable about or big modern art fans we felt we could not pass up visiting the iconic museum. We signed up for a guided tour which was a great way to learn about the various exhibits and the artists. There were some exhibits we found to be outlandish and others I really enjoyed (Cal not so much).
    Now on to San Sebastián (or in Basque language- Donostia) for the next week.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    There are three beaches in the city, this is the main one "Conch Beach".
    Cloisters of the main cathedral of the city.Constitution Square were all important festivals happen and where they used to have bull fights.During bullfights residents were required by the government to make their balconies available.Example of the French style in the architecture.Old town streets lined with small shops and pintxo bars and restaurants.Hole studded sculpture commemorating San Sebastian’s victims of the Spanish Civil war.Our food tour guide, Amaia. She was great!Delicious beef on toasted bread- a great pintxo. We went back for more steak another night.Yummy chilled mussels, one dish with a spicy sauce, one with onions and parsley (my favorite).Local hard cider is a favorite accompaniment for pintxos. It's not as sweet as what's in the US.There is a special way to pour the cider to keep the fizz alive in the glass.2Second favorite pintxo of the night- not pretty but delish! Anchovies with creamed crab on toast.The anchovy place was so popular there was a line out the door.Our bike tour was great. It was a little rainy, but we did not let it stop us.This is a gorgeous neighborhood we ride through (going up a big hill). House looked Bavarian to us.We found a speakeasy type place (requires a passcode to enter) to have our Friday night manhattans.San Sebastián is definitely cooler than Seville!

    A visit to beautiful San Sebastián Spain

    26 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    San Sebastián is a resort town on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s mountainous Basque Country (near the border with France). It’s known for its beautiful beaches framed by a picturesque bayfront promenade, and world-renowned restaurants. It’s also famous for its cobblestoned old town that’s filled with “pintxo” (pronounced pincho, akin to tapas) bars pairing local wines with bite-size regional specialties.
    The locals speak Basque, Spanish, and many also speak English and French. The Basque we met are proud of their history and the current state of their province, and they talk about themselves like they are a separate country from Spain. It’s interesting. The city has a French feel to its architecture and that’s because a Spanish queen spent summers in the area and she liked French architecture and style. Also other wealthy European families followed her to the area bringing their architectural styles with them. In fact, the queen is given credit for creating the tourist industry here, although big, tourism is not the top industry - there is a big industrial economy in the area (eg steel fabrication).
    We took a food tour to learn about the “pintxos” bar and food scene which was a lot of fun and delicious. The city is well known for its food scene. We also took a bike tour - the city is very bike friendly. It’s also very walkable, we’ve got a rental car but have only used it to explore a few other cities in the area (see other post).
    We’ve had sunshine, but also cooler weather and some rain during our visit. Tomorrow we head to Valencia.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    The flysch formed by a continental collision, a subducting tectonic plate pushes on the plate above.
    This flysch dates from the mid-cretaceous period to the present, a time period of over 100M years.The flysch is made up of sandstone and shale.The ricks were a lovely pink in this part of the flysch.Big surfing beach, but the waves were rough the day we were there so surfers weren't allowed.I loved the architectural style of the homes in Zamaia.Promenade to beach and Flysch.This is Hondarribia with its charming painted wooden homes.Cathedral in Hondarribia.I've never seen a font or stoup like this. I think it might creep me out to use it.Narrow lanes through the old town. There were few tourists in town.This was on the door of a dentists office.Fishing boat in dry dock.We had a great fish lunch - fish soup, garlic prawns, clams and monkfish (skipped dinner).

    Fun day trips to Zumaia & Hondarribia

    27 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    There are many interesting cities on the Basque coast, we did not have time to visit all of them so chose two that sounded interesting for different reasons. First up was Zumaia. It has two beaches which are part of a Geopark and are of interest to geologists from around the world because they are situated among the longest set of continuous rock strata in the world. These rock formations are called flysch and they are over 100 million years old. We took a boat ride to see the rock formations from the water and then visited one of the beaches to see them close up. The beach (and others in the area) is also a big surfing beach.

    A couple of days later we visited another small town, Hondarribia, a small town very near the border with France. Some say it’s the most beautiful coastal town in the Basque Country. The old town is loaded with beautiful Basque houses, most having wooden balconies that are painted in a myriad of colors (home owners used left over paint from their fishing boats). It has become a big foodie scene with many great restaurants and specialized pintxo bars.

    Both outings were fun and nicely complimentary to our time in San Sebastian.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    2We walked up one of the local hills above the city, one with a large statue of Jesus. Great Views!
    This area was part of a fortress used by troops over the years to protect the city.Elements of the fortress are on display.We walked on a gradual promenade most of the way, the last bit was stairs.Views were worth the effort. Plus the area was full of trees and other native plants.We are staying in a modern apartment building, but this pretty building is just a half a block away.Another beautiful building.2You can clearly see the French influence in the baked goods.The summer palace used by the queen of Spain when she spent the summers in the 1800's.Calvin and a statue of Don Quixote.There is a Bicycle race happening which is why you hear an announcer in the background.San Sebastián & surrounding areas are popular surfing areas. Funny to see a surfboard in the city.We treated ourselves to a nice dinner. Cal had spider crab but ate it before I could get a picture.My appetizer was octopus. Sprinkled with dried peppers so slightly spicy and really good!We've enjoyed a local wine called Txakoli (pronounced chacolí). Light and easy to drink.We've also enjoyed trying some of the Spanish Reds.After a couple of days of rain we had the sun come out and a beautiful sunset.11

    A bit more from San Sebastián

    30 juin 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    There were a few other photos and descriptions from San Sebastian we wanted to share so I’m adding another post.

    We’ve really enjoyed our time here and appreciate our friends (the Tjernlund’s) recommending we add it to our itinerary.En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    On our first day we took a tuktuk tour and first stop was what used to be the main gate to the city.
    Built in 1392. Soldiers manned the gate, plus there is a mote around it.The architecture is beautiful, with Moorish, Roman and some French influences.This gate opened on the Arab wall itself and used as an entrance to the Moorish quarter of the city.This is the view from the terrace of our airbnb. In the "Carmen" district of the city.This district is known for its street art, edgy stuff mixed with family/culture images.This is part of a mural that shows family connections- grandparent with grandchild.An example of an edgy graphic.The Central Market is the largest in Spain. We had a great time exploring it.Amazing assortment of fruits and vegetables, plus cheeses, meats, seafood, olives and more!The area is known for great seafood.Oranges are highlighted on ceiling of dome. Oranges "saved" València economy when silk trade died.1These kids were sitting on the market stairs talking about a book- so cute!The district we are in changes thru out the day with some cafes open in the am & some in the eveningThe main hall of the historic Trade CenterThis is in an old palace that now houses a ceramic museum.A miniature setting of an artist, new work vs old but it highlights the art of ceramics.Current city hall for the city.Valencia was a silk export center in the 14th century. We visited the silk museum to learn more.Evening in one of the main plazas. The fountain of Neptune highlights the importance of water.On a bike ride we went by the main beach...which was full of people on a weekday!

    City of 100 Bell Towers - Valencia

    6 juillet 2024, Espagne ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last week in Valencia. It is a beautiful, vibrant and interesting city. It doesn’t have the historical depth and amazing monuments of Sevilla but that means it also doesn’t have as many tourist. And it’s located on the coast which keeps the temperature reasonable.

    It was founded by the Roman’s and like other Spanish cities it was conquered by the Moors and French at some point in its history and you see and feel those influences around the city -architecture, food, art.

    We are staying in an Airbnb in the El Carmen district which is considered one of the most charming neighborhoods and is known for street art and vibrant nightlife. The neighborhood really changes throughout the day, some cafes open earlier in the day and other cafes, restaurants or bars only open after 7:30/8 or even later…and they tumble out into the streets changing the look of a street or plaza.

    We’ve taken a few tours, visited the major sites, rented bikes, hung out on the beach for an afternoon and spent evenings just wandering the narrow lanes. And while a big change for us we’ve adjusted to eating dinner at 8 or later.
    There are some local foods and drinks here that we’ve enjoyed, I’ll do a separate post on those.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    The complex at Sunset.
    1The Hemisfèric, aka as the planetarium or "eye of knowledge."Opera house.1Me outside the opera house.Even inside the opera house the walls are covered in mosaics.1Not my picture but thought it would be good to show from a different angle.It's hard to see from a distance but the building is covered in mosaic tiles.The Agora, an event space.Even the sidewalk along the complex is interesting.The garden area of the complex.Red sculpture is a memorial to those who died of Covid. It's an abstract heart.Again not my picture but I felt it gave a great view point of the pools around the buildings.

    Valencia’s City of Arts & Sciences

    9 juillet 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts) in Valencia is a spectacular architectural complex. There are several buildings that house a science museum, an opera/performing arts venue, a garden and an aquarium. It is said to be the most important modern tourist destination in the city of Valencia and one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. It was designed by Valencia born architect Santiago Calatrava, who also designed a beautiful building at the World Trade Center, the Transportation Hub.

    The complex was opened in 1998 and is located in part of an old river bed that the city turned into a park after diverting the river after a major flood in 1957. Most of the park is green space with bike paths (which we used), soccer fields, dog parks, children’s parks and more).

    We visited the City of Arts on three separate occasions and noticed new and interesting things about it each time. We even went to a performance at the opera house so we could see the inside of the building. It was the musical Chicago, performed in Spanish. We only stayed through part of it, the music and choreography were great but we did not understand the words.

    We hope to get to the aquarium before we leave.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    We were on the first boat of the day into the tunnel so the water was super clear.
    The path along the caves.They turn on a light show at one of the larger canyons.This is called the mirrored room.Delicious Cava at Murviedro winery.This is the first Bobal we tasted and our favorite of the day. We are bringing one bottle home.They bottle two of their wines in these clay bottles, it was aged in large clay amphoras.Live it when the church bells ring and the swallows are chirping overhead. Adds to the ambiance.Young Bobal grapes.The Bobal vines grow like small trees vs strung on wires. They are not irrigated.Calvin outside the Vera Deestenas Winery.We tasted another varietal from the region, a Bobal and a Chardonnay- our favorite was the Chardonay1

    Excursions from Valencia

    11 juillet 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We took two excursions from Valencia. First up was to a subterranean river in the Grottoes of San Jose. The river is visited on a boat, accompanied by a Guide-Barquero, that takes you through part of the underground river (about 800 meters), and there is a short walk around the low part of the caves. In parts of the cave the water is a beautiful blue because of the minerals in the water and the depth. The origin of the river and the end of the cave is still unknown. It was very interesting to see.

    Our second excursion was for Calvin’s birthday, a private wine tastings tour and tapas lunch in a wine region about an hour from Valencia (Uriel-Requena). It’s one of the areas that produces Cava and they have a Spanish red varietal called Bobal that was really nice. We had a lovely guide (French woman married to a Spaniard) who educated us on the wines of the region. We tasted wines at two places, which were a nice contrast. The first was a larger winery that had a tasting room in the small town of Requena. Under the town are a series of caves that historically were used as storage for the homes/businesses above them, during the Moorish period they were used for grains and after that they were used to age and store wine. Many are interconnected and a good amount expand under the current plaza (which used to be covered in houses). The second stop was a small family winery where we were able to taste their wines and have a tasty tapas lunch on their terrace overlooking the vines. It was a relaxing and informative day and a great way to spend Cal’s birthday.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    The drink of Valencia is Aqua de Valencia
    Gin, vodka, procesco, and fresh squeezed Valencian OJ.This little bar is supposed to have the best, we've visited a few times.Another drink (non-alcoholic) famous in Valencia is Horchata.Locals line up line up for them !Horchata in Spain is made from ground tigernuts. Tasty and good for you!The other popular drink in Valencia is Vermouth. Cafes have Vermouth de La casa and it's been great.Our favorite little tapas bar.Notice the grey containers on the floor in front of the bar, they are for tossing shells, trash, etcWe found a great tapas place near our place, Cal at our favorite table in the corner.Braised beans, tomato toast, fried anchovies and mussels.Back at our little bar to try the grilled Sepia (cuttlefish).A popular dish is Potatas Bravas. Roasted potatoes with cream freche and spicy sauce or paprika.Potato omelet. Light and nice as a side dish.Traditional Valencian paella is made with chicken and rabbit.We visited a seafood restaurant that was a favorite of Hemingway (who wrote Sun Also Rises here).The local clams are small but delicious!Oysters are more expensive here so Cals not ordered them as often as he would have.Scallops cooked on a light butter sauce- very yummy.One tapas place near us specializes in dishes prepared with canned fish. These mussels were great.Another dish made with canned item, clam stew. Really good!

    Delicious food & drink in Valencia

    14 juillet 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We’ve had fun trying the local food and drinks . Luckily on one of our first days we found a traditional tapas bar near our place that was open throughout the afternoon/evening (so no waiting until 8 pm if we were hungry earlier) and we had delicious traditional tapas there a few times. During our food tour we learned about the best place to have an Aqua de la Valencia, the locals cocktail (see photo caption first recipe). It was not far from our apartment so we popped in often during our stay in the city. Another local drink is Vermouth. Many places have a house vermouth just like some places have a house wine. We also enjoyed a horchata or two at a historical cafe. Every time you order horchata in Valencia you will be served a pastry called a farton (something like deep fried donuts).

    With Valencia being located on the Mediterranean Sea it’s no surprise that we ate a lot of delicious seafood. I’ve tried to describe our favorite dishes in the captions. One place we went to was Hemingway’s favorite paella place (Pepica) . He spent time in Valencia, enjoyed the bull fights and being part of the political talk about what happens with Spain. He also wrote The Sun Also Rises while staying in the city in the 20’s.

    Being here for two weeks has allowed us to try many bars, cafes and restaurants in the city, and no where have we had a bad meal. The food is very reasonably priced as are the cocktails and wine. We tend to have a lite breakfast at our apartment, then one main meal at either lunch or dinner time depending on what else we are up to that day. Luckily we’ve continued to walk a lot and that helps burn the extra calories we are taking in. As someone who likes to cook I’m leaving the city with lots of inspiration for things to make at home.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    We only made it to the beach once. Water was lovely but beach was crowded and a long walk!
    Loved theses scenes done in ceramic (from ceramic museum).Plate created by Picasso.Walking around the city you look up and see amazing images in stone, marble and even alabaster.More of the street art near our apartment.The terrace of our apartment.One night they had fireworks over the city. We had a great view from our apartment.Right across the street from our building is a small bookstore.It is a dog friendly city. There are usually water bowls at cafes, and cafes have hooks like this.Great aquarium, the largest in Europe.These sharks were really different.1They have an underwater tunnel so you are looking up at the sharks...very cool!A sawtooth shark. I'd never heard of it so was excited to see it. They are big and scary looking!They have two beluga whales that are part of a study on communications between whales.A great example of day vs night on our block.

    A bit more from Valencia

    14 juillet 2024, Espagne ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We have enjoyed our time here in Valencia. The city is a fun place to explore, beautiful architecture, great food and interesting history. It’s been warm but manageable with highs in the mid 80’s (luckily we are leaving just before a heat wave is forecasted). The city is very bike friendly, with bike lanes in many areas and bike rental shops everywhere.
    The last few days we’ve visited the aquarium, tried to explore parts of the city we’ve not been to, and purchased a few items to take home. The aquarium is the largest in Europe. It was fun to visit as they had many types of birds and fish we don’t have in our area or at our local aquarium (eg beluga whales, sawtooth sharks).
    Monday we fly out at the crack of dawn. Next stop home, Sunset Beach.    En savoir plus

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  • GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerVoyageur
    Beautiful sunrise as we flew out of Valencia at 6 am.
    We arrived home with only one extra bag, but cheated by shipping home cruise clothes from Hamburg.Beautifully clear day, and about 70 degrees.

    Next and last stop - Home!

    15 juillet 2024, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We are back home at Sunset Beach a bit earlier than we had planned. A few things came up that prompted us to change our plans. Our exploration of Scotland will have to wait for another day.

    After a long day of traveling, we were lucky to arrive home on a gorgeous afternoon and we ended the day with a beautiful sunset.

    I’ll be adding more photos for the places we visited, those that we liked but did not make the initial cut when updating our journal while traveling.

    We hope you enjoyed traveling along with us.    En savoir plus

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    Fin du voyage
    15 juillet 2024