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13th July - Barcelona to Valencia
First up checked out the amazing markets in Barcelona which is a ype of activity selling fruit, meat, fish, cheese etc. It definatly catered for the tourists with precut fruit etc but also the locals were there doing their shopping. Such vibrant colours of fruit and vege. We grabbed some breakfast and sat in a square at the top of La Ramblas which had the potential to be really nice but with all the squares and what you beleive in park on a map, it turns out to be concrete! Checked out some shops and then caught a bus to Valencia which took 4 hours. The scenery was on and off, you would go close to the coast and see the seaside villages and then back into the country side that is dry. Close to Valencia you could see the mass of holiday towns squeezing in along the coast.
When we got into Valencia we got to our hotel and was blown away! We managed to book ourselves into this lovely hotel that had a balcony and a chandelier! I definately felt a bit bogan rocking up with my backpack with a crowd of businessmen sipping coffee in the lounge!
14th July - Valenica
I would hav described the weather today as "bloody hot" but in weatherman terms it was 38º. We probably picked the hottest day to wander the streets. We walked around, checked out some shops and some sights but with all the old buildings we had no idea what they were, nothing was written in English and they werent very interesting anyway. It was now that i figured that this town is a holiday town and not a sightseeing town - so to the beach it was!! We headed to the beach Las Arenas which is where the partys at in the summertime, all the fancy restaurants and beach as far as the eye can see. Walking towards the beach you look right and there is the industrial port with massive cranes and then looke left and it is beach packed with sunbakers and swimmers. We found a trendy bar that was out on the breakwater by itself , sipped a pina colada and lazed back in the deck chair looking out over the ocean and towards the restaurants and beach. You would think it couldnt get much better.. but it did! Dinner doesnt start until about 9 so we wandered down and sussed out th restaurants where we managed to score front room seat looking out over the ocean! Magnificent!! We had Sangria and Seafood Paella, sat back and enjoyed the night.
I actually tried the seafood.. but still not a. And I even enjoyed the Sangria so I might get onto red wine yet!! We planned to hit the clubs around the area but couldnt find any and the back street was dead. We were already very happy and had such a great time so it didnt matter heading home.
15th July - Valencia
Visited the markets which were not as touristy as Barcelona and more permanent and structured looking.. and they didnt speak much English!! We did some more wandering of the shops and streets and then headed for the beach to soak up the rays! It was a bit of a culture shock at first - no matter what age, shape, size, you sunbake topless! Grandmas with boobs hanging to their tummies were soaking it up and brown as brown. We hired some chairs and umbrella and settled in for an afternoon of relaxation! The water was beautiful and warm, and i had my first ºwow i cant beleive im in Valenciaº moment. We left the beach about 8 - yes the sun is still high in the sky and warm at 8pm!. We ventured into the city where the clubs, pubs and restaurants were. It was interesting cos we had previously walked this street during the day and it was absolutely dead! but come night time it is so busy, eateries with tables on the street and a really got atmosphere. None of the night clubs opened until 12, some even 1.30. We had dinner and then checked out some clubs that we had been given flyers to with free drinks and so on. It was pretty quiet when we first started out about 11.30 but some 12.30 the backpackers had arrived and a few loacls. The clubs were much the same as home, jjust that they still give away free drinks (woohoo) and you can smoke inside. One club , The Music Box, we had been recommened but it didnt open until 1.30 so we headed there after that and it was absolutey dead! the clubbing definately doesnt start until about 2-3 but i can imagine that when it does get going it goes off. We tried to find a club closer to the hotel on our way home but had no luck so called it quits and went to bed.
16th July - Valencia
SUN SUN SUN!
Got to the beach around 12 and set up camp on some chairs with umbrella and just lazed back for the next 6 hours. It was so relaxing! The water was warm enough to go straight into and no big breaking waves to dump you.. just the right size so that the ocean was boring! Peerrrrrfect! We had a picnic lunch of bread, camembert and pesto.mmm. Police were patrolling the beached on 4 wheelers and pulling up anyone that looked suss or were trying to sell things. There werent many nuisences, i thought it was really safe and didnt see any pickpocketers. We got home about 7 and that was when we realised that we had been in the sun waaaay too long! We were red raw! So we ventured out for a quiet dinner. As we were heading home we saw the lights were on in the bull ring so thought we would check it out and we ended up watching firstly - guys having to put as many rings on the bulls ears as they could. And then the main event was France v. Spain and they had to stand in line with the charging bull and could move until the last minute and were doing flips and jumping over the buulls! it was craaazy! Unfortunately they ended the night by pulling a bull out by rope, getting him wrapped around a pole and then sticking something on his horns and setting them on fire. then anyone from the crowd could be in the ring and he went maaaad! Still it was a great experience!
- comments
Tamlyn You and that Sangria......we will have to continue the tradition next time we catch up