Valencia

In Valencia we stayed at this Hospederia which opened in 1886. Our room was comfortable, we had a bathroom and a great overlook to the street. 

Marble steps but no elevator - 45 steps up to our floor. My old legs dread that these days. And we went up and down, up and down.  Shouldn't the training effect kick in?

This was part of our view - the City Mercado done in Modernismo style, which of course was prevalent around 1890. 

Jamon everywhere. One wonders how they manage to eat them all. 

We found a marker for the Camino here too. Geordie was all set to start out, but it's a long way to Santiago. 

A travelling band wandered the streets. They were some part of the celebration for St. Vincent Ferrar whose saint day was imminent. 

This massive building is the Lonja, which was built beginning in 1483. It was a centre for commerce in the Silk trade. 

The main entrance is actually up this grand staircase. 

The ceiling is absolutely gorgeous with its fantastic decorations. 

The pillars inside and outside had great carvings too. 

A human for lunch. 

Another room had this gorgeous coffered ceiling. 

And here another decorative carving. 

The beautiful elegant spiralled columns meld so beautifully into the ceiling tracery. 

Oh, who can resist another crazy carving. 

And the delicate window treatment in stone. 

The flags are those of the Communidad de Valencia. Spain has some interesting government arrangements. The Communidad is somewhat independent of its state. 

The cathedral was a massive building. That tower on the left is La Migoleta. 

Richly decorated of course. 

With such elegant lines. 

Madre y Niño.

This fantastic chapel housed the great treasure of the cathedral - the Holy Grail, which travelled far and wide including a stay along the Camino for awhile until arriving in this cathedral. It is an alabaster cup held in a gold footing. 

One of thousands of images of San Sebastián in Spain. 

Geordie thought I should climb the tower La Migoleta, named for the bell in the belfry. 207 steps to get a 360 view. He went for coffee. 

And an opportunity for a selfie with the bell itself. 

A view of cathedral roofs. 

And the dizzying descent. 

A playful fountain. I sure hope their parents were around. 

A grandiose Modernismo house. 

And another. 

I headed off by myself to visit the "City of Arts and Sciences", which is a very modern architectural monument. All the buildings were designed by Santiago Calatrava, one of whose most recent works was the Peace Bridge across the Bow River in Calgary.  There's a hint of one building in the background. 

Along the way I crossed this bridge. 

Here is a view of the Concert hall. It's under reparations - not visible here is the rusty patches I could see all over the outside shell. It's the second largest concert hall in the world after the Sydney Opera House. 

Three of the great buildings and a bridge. All by Calatrava, who is a native Valenciano. The eye shaped building has an IMAX theatre. 

This is called The Umbracle - a pedestrian walkway of delicate fronds made of concrete. 

Here some of the arches of another of the buildings - a science museum. And a set of sculptural stairs to nowhere. 

Inside the Science museumI was taken by this huge version of Foucault's Pendulum. 

The structure iof the building is massive as you can see. I think I walked for miles inside. 

The very end of the park had an aviary and an aquarium, the L'Oceanografíc. I did take in the birds. It's not everyday a spoon billed stork sits on your shoulder. (We were warned about potential droppings from the sky.)

This one was wandering around on the ground. She ain't wearing a sign so I don't know what kind of bird she is. 

Loved the intense colour of the Scarlet Ibis. And those are more spoonbills in the trees. 

The aquarium was impressive. The biggest in Europe, I think. This seal was being teased by a child but it was fun to watch it swimming upside down.

And all around. 

The fish swim all around one too, as one walks through a great tunnel. 

Even the Sharks and Rays. 

And this big grouper. 

Wandering back I got another angle of the Science hall. 

There were trees in bloom along the dry riverbed. The river was diverted around the city after a disastrous flood last century. It's now a pedestrian parkway. I walked over 14 km. this day. 

In our neighbourhood there were a couple of large altars set up for the coming peregrinacion of St. 

Vincent Ferrar. He is honoured here because he was born in Valencia in 1350. He apparently performed miracles with his index finger. 

The procession for St. Vincent went below our window. People were dressed in traditional costume. 

And the Doñas walked in black wearing their black mantillas hung from a high comb. 

Leading the float carrying St. Vincent. 

The saint himself. Note the finger. 

And a gorgeous lace mantilla. 

Finally St. Vincent is in his altar. 

Leaving Valencia we took the train from the Modernismo station with its gorgeous tile work. 

Including tiled ceilings. 

And this beautiful window. 

Another Valencia post coming up soon with a very interesting theme. And then I have to fill you in on Teruel and Albarracín. So much we've seen.