Mostly Spain 2023 - Valencia And The Rebirth Of Modernism

 Although this trip has been a lot more about taking it slower as we did in Sicily last fall, we are still doing some touring. Valencia, the major city of the area in Spain we are staying is a little less than two hours away by car. We decided to run up yesterday, Saturday. It has an old town that has many interesting buildings, while the center city is know for its architecture. 

In classic de-I, Wife style, there were a number of things associated with journey that either did not pan out exactly as hoped or were not accounted for correctly. For example

• The Non-Talking GPS Bug Again Strikes - I've had continuing issues with Google Maps refusing to give audio instructions despite numerous attempts to debug and review of settings over and over. I switched to Waze a couple of days ago and it worked fine for the trip to Alcoi. But we started on this trip and 5 minutes in it stopped giving audio instructions. I stopped on the side of highway and futzed around for 15 minutes trying to get it to work without success. We went on without it. This led to the next snafu.

• Maybe Going to a Major City Central Market Parking on the Biggest Shopping Day of the Week Is Not Such A Good Idea - First there is getting to the place which involves many turns in the old town...not easy when you have audio instructions, but next to impossible when you are peering into you tiny phone screen, WHILE DRIVING, and making wrong turns. Then getting instructions (and this is only a slight exaggeration) like, 'Make a right turn in 100 meters'. You miss it. 'Make a left turn in 50 meters'. You are on the right from the last instruction and there are four lanes to cross. 'Make a right turn in 38 Centimeters'. Thank God we are on a one lane road. 'Stop for the pedestrian you just hit'. Hell No! I'm finally on the right road and can see the parking garage ahead with the huge line of cars and the sign 'COMPLETO' which I am pretty sure is the Spanish word for. "HA YOU THINK WE HAVE ANY PARKING PLACES HERE FOR YOUR SORRY ASS!"

• Driving the Wrong Way Down a Parking Lot Can Pay Dividends - It can if you are de-I, Master of European Parking Garage Navigation. The garage is virtually full. They are letting cars in one-by-one as others are leaving. We go down many levels. I see a woman putting her shopping bags in her car...VERY SLOWLY. I drive to be in a position to get her place when she leaves (if and whenever she leaves, she is going so slow). It is then that Wife notices we are going the wrong way. This might upset most people, but we have done this so many times, it is sort of Standard Operating Procedure. Turning around in the narrow garage is a piece of cake...if you know how to make a 33 point turn as Wife and I have become experts at. And while this takes a crap load of time, it is just enough to allow slow packing lady to finish, her husband to arrive and them to vacate their parking spot for us which we successfully get into with only about 10 back and forth movements to try to be in the lines. LOVE Euro garage parking.

I will leave out the detail of the stressful drive on the highway that looks like it was from New Zealand (nothing but S-curves) except with the usual European combination of drivers going like crazy fast in the left lane, coming on your ass, expecting you to pull over immediately behind the old couple in the tiny car going 30 kilometers per hour under the speed limit causing you to brake sharply. Fun, fun, fun.

Be that as it may be, we got into old town Valencia, grabbed something to eat,, took the cameras out and hit the touring trail.

We arrive at the Mercado Central

A side view of the Modernist Market along with Modernist style Architectural Scaffolding

Obligatory photos of Modernist food displays in the Modernist Market

Another view of the Market with a decidedly NOT modernist church

I have to say that the 'modernist' style of Valencia was way more attractive than that of Alcoi. I will further note that this city has more 'things' on top of their buildings than any place I've yet visited.

I think the Modernist Panda Butt is a nice touch here

You all know de-I has an eye for architectural detail (Right? You do don't you?)

Valencia Cathedral

You will notice in this shot of the Cathedral from behind, the big Star of David on the right. Makes one wonder.

Our On-going Series on Street Lamps

City Gate

City Gates exist to protect the city from Cruise Ship  Assaults 

The People of Valencia are Fiercely Proud of their City

I am Proud!

We are Proud

 

No. I am Proud!

But we are More Proud

I am only and animal but I AM PROUD!

But not as PROUD AS US

But I am PROUDEST

Eh? Meh.

On the Street Walls

One Obligatory Naked Statue with Fountain

Lunch was a quick few tapas. I am on a kick to try as many versions of Ensalada Ruas as I can. This was pretty good though not sure why it needed the phallic symbols.

The meatballs above were pretty good. We were not crazy about the patatas bravas as the red sauce was too sweet and not spicy.. The garlic mayonnaise was good.

SIGNS OF THE WORLD

Women Only Crossing Sign

Extinct Bike Zone

A Shop Devoted to 18th Century Medical Learning Techniques