plaza de la virgen – Christina’s Journey Journal

My advice: When you love a place with your whole heart, don’t wait 37 years to return! Oh, how I have missed you, Valencia.❤️💛❤️

On one hand, it’s so different—bigger, even more vibrant, more modern (duh…that’s what I get for waiting so long). On the other hand, it’s still the same—seeped in rich history, unforgettable architecture, and amazing paella.

I barely had two days here but what a memorable two days they were. We walked everywhere and saw everything we could (in Español): Plaza de la Reina, Plaza de la Virgin, La Catedral de Valencia, Plaza del Mercado, La Lonja de la Seda, La Plaza de Ayuntamiento, Mercado Colon, El Barrio del Carmen, Basílica de la Virgen de los Desamparados…

Plus we went to El Mueso Fallero de Valencia to see the best “ninots” that have been spared by the fire of Las Fallas over the years.

Pictured is the spared ninot from 1988. Ninots are the individual sculptures or groups of sculptures that make up the larger Falla. Las Fallas are large sculptural monuments, often satirical and deal with the socio-cultural or political events of the year. Las Fallas are made by the individual neighborhoods and seen in streets and plaza durng the festival in March. They are then burned on the evening of March 19th (La Crema), which symbolizes renewal.

I am standing by the 1988 poster that advertised Valencia’s world renowned festival, Las Fallas. Why 1988? That is the year I experienced it. Some day I will write a post to share more — for now, know Las Fallas are incredible!! A definite add to the bucket list.

We strolled the Jardín Del Turia, which is a 5.6 mile-long lush green park that used to be the Turia River before it was diverted due to flooding in 1957. (To name a few things) The river bed is the largest urban park in Spain and holds the Palau de la Música, bike paths, refreshment stands, and the otherworldly looking Cuidad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias.

**La Cuidad de las Artes y Las Ciencias wasn’t around 37 years ago. The last major part was finished in 2005 and it is one of the 12 treasures of Spain.**

**I could spend days here under the blue Valencian skies. The oceanarium, I hear, is world class.** Oceanogràfic València

**La Catedral de Valencia – the formal name is La Catedral del Santo Cáliz. It’s the home of two Francisco de Goya paintings**

**The Renaissance frescoes on the ceiling of 10 angels were hidden behind marble plates for decades before they were discovered** **in 2004.**

**Home of the Holy Grail! Here’s the story of how that came to be!**

We walked by the former finca (apartment) where I lived with my Spanish family at 17 Reina Don Hermana. I so wish I could find my Spanish family. I believe my madre Española is/was in France.

**The street!**
**My former stomping ground.**

We drank and ate our share of Valencian favorites—Horchata de chufas, which are tiger nuts grown in nearby Alboraya, con Fartons; Paella Valenciana con pollo y conejo* (Valencia is the birth place of paella); chocolate con churros, patatas bravas, ensalada Valenciana, local wine. I had Fanta Naranja (very different from the Orange Fanta we have in the USA) and forgot to have an orange—which means I need to come back soon because the oranges are to die for. We also had drinks with a friend from my time here. Neither one of us has aged a bit!

*Paella Vaenciana also has snails, which were left out by my request due to an allergy. Here are other ingredients in Paella Valenciana: chicken, rabbit, green beans, rice, saffron, and butter beans. I know there are a few other spices and olive oil.

**One of the best Horchaterías in Valencia – Santa Catalina.**
**I remember drinking horchata on my first day in Valencia in September 1987 and falling in love.** 🥰

**(Hot) chocolate y churros + Horchata. Missing are Fartons, which you dunk in the horchata. I couldn’t find buñuelos this time, which are more popular during Las Fallas.**

**Eating tapas and drinking Fanta at a gluten free restaurant, Miracle. They even had 3 different kinds of gluten free croquetas!**

Paella Valenciana at Raco del Turia. One word—unbelievable.
This is the real stuff. Paella was born in Valencia.
**We also had a traditional Valencia Salad con olives!**

Hasta luego, Valencia. Ya echo de menos a ti.

**This is the bridge I crossed daily as I walked to La Universidad de Valencia (*Universitat de València*) for classes**

Update—got my orange and a mandarin this morning before leaving for Barcelona. Do NOT miss Mercat Central de Valencia (Central Market of Valencia). The most amazing indoor market…hams, fruit, vegetables, spices, paellas, seafood…you name it! I was blown away. I saw a red pepper that dwarfs all other red peppers! The Valencian tomatoes, the white strawberries, the regular strawberries 🍓, the cheeses, oh my…I would be a very happy person starting off my day here each morning.

Pictures below…

Tag: plaza de la virgen

Valencia, Spain 🇪🇸 🦇