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Published: April 28th 2010
We arrived in Valencia after a very plush train ride from Barcelona. Our hostel turned out to be a very nice hotel with apartments and double rooms with ensuites for only 20 Euro per person a night, we couldn´t believe our luck. Each room had been decorated by a different designer, we were in the African room with a cool zebra print bedspread, tusks all things safari.
We dropped off our bags and headed out to explore as by this time it was 2pm and we only had two nights to see all that Valencia had to offer. Which once we were there we discovered that it is a gem of a city and could have spent much more time chilling out and enjoying all its sites.
We are not certain but we think that they have diverted a river which once flooded and have used this land to create an amazing leisure focused green belt around the city. Our hotel was next to one of the main parts of it, a crazy new water city built for the Americas cup, it is amazing with huge futuristic buildings, with an art centre that looks like a UFO and a
bridge built in the shape of a harp.
J took his skateboard and we found the local and quite old park with a square shaped bowl with concrete coping which he had to session. The sun was shinning so we set about walking to the beach, we walked across the bridge, which had one huge pillar and suspension cables which made it look like the harp. J discovered that the main pillar was a skateable wall ride, check out the pics! We went off the beaten track slightly and ended up in some dodgy area before getting to the marina but we stumbled across yet another skate spot for J, an undercover unused open warehouse with metal capped ledges. We ended up at the seafront, it reminded us of Weston Super-mare as the beach was so wide but much much nicer. J went on the hunt for some refreshing beverages and came back with Tinto De Verano, one of my new favourites a sparkling and less potant version of Sangria and also easy on the wallet! We sat with all the oldies enjoying the afternoon sun, like Barcelona we had another funny encounter we have included the photo for your
amusement.
Our second day we set out early to check out the city, Valencia has a great contrast of old and modern buildings. We walked to the city along the green belt, they have made it a great place for the locals to enjoy the outdoors as most people in Spain live in apartments with no gardens or outdoor areas. They have really focused on water as a theme and have fountains and ponds which make it a very tranquil place to be. As we were walking J said he could smell something really nice and citrus like, then we noticed all the orange trees. I thought it would be a good idea to try one as we were in the heart of Orange country. I carefully chose one which I thought would be nice and sweet and juicy, I peeled it and we each bit in to our segment, one second later both segments where on the ground and we were pulling the worst faces ever spitting out the sour horrid taste. The city is full of beautiful old buildings with the most impressive Cathedral I have ever seen with a painted domed ceiling. We went to the
market and bought proper Valencia oranges which were delicious but we did buy a bagette and didnt understand when the lady told us that it was covered in salt so when we ate our lucnh we were pulling similar faces as the earlier orange encounter.
After wandering around the city we headed to the beach for the afternoon sun, we are certainly in the holiday mode.
On Tuesday we caught the train from Valencia to Malaga, we were expecting a train as new and spacious as our last but unfortunately we were stuffed into an old train with a carriage full of retired Spanish people heading to the sun of the South. Just our luck we were sat next to two very large ladies who spent most of the trip either coughing up their lungs or waddling up and down the carraige to the smoking compartment, oh yeah I am not lieing the Spanish love to smoke and can still do so pretty much anywhere they want. The train trip was 9.5 hours long through gorgeous olive and wine country, the best part was when we got to the mountains before the coast which were spectacular. J and I
were very prepared and had made a massive pasta salad with the food left over from our dinners and also took bread ham, cheese, fruit, fried corn etc so we pretty much spent the whole trip either sleeping our eating!!
We have been in Torreblanca, near Malaga nearly a week now and have really enjoyed hanging out with Donna, Perfecto and the kids. We have really been made to feel at home, Perfy is a chef and we have eaten some really good proper home made Spanish food. I have even eaten a chickens heart, liver and kidneys, squid their brains and all and fried boquerones little fish like white bait and I have loved it all. I was not prepared though for how Brit infested this place is and how every cafe along the coast caters for the unadventurous horrid English types who go to other countries and expect the same greasy crap they eat at home. Chip and egg butties, bacon sandwiches, lasagne etc etc, come on guys the Spanish eat like kings they should try it some time. Rant over!!
We have cycled to Fuengirola and the skate park, our butts were not prepared for
that and could not sit down properly for a few days. We went to Malaga for the day and climed the hill to the ruins of the castle for the view over the city. Malaga is much prettier than the high rise eighties buildings of Fuengirola, we bought some cool Spanish vintage prints that J plans to use them for his day of the dead art. For lunch we had the most amazing three course meal for only 7 euro. I had pealla then meatballs and creme brule and J had gaspattio soup, fish of the day and the best ever cheesecake I have tasted. We were so full and the food was so good, in england you would be lucky to get a sandwich and drink for that price.
On Saturday we cycled with Purfy to the local flea market, it was massive and ranged from people selling their crap to crazy antiques that if J and I had won the lottery could have decked a whole house out with the amazing furniture and bit and bobs. Considering the Spanish are massive on the religious thing and you can buy tons of statues at ridiculous prices new you
are lucky to find any that people are selling second hand. But we were lucky and found a cheap but cool Virgin Mary vase and J found and couldnt leave behind a 3ft lamp and statue of a girl which will be perfect for his art. Obviously we bought it in the spur of the moment after some strong bartering in Spanglish and are now trying to sort out sending the beast of an object back to England. Saturday evening Donna had arranged a massive street party for her Birthday. Perfecto cooked a huge bbq and Donna made loads of amazing puddings, the carrot cake was my favourite but I would say that after grating about 20 carrots for it! They can certainly throw a party with lots of Donnas dancer friends from around the world rocking out with the music blarring into the early hours of the morning. J spent half the night entertaining the kids skating at the seafront and then the next day they wanted to go to Fuengirola skate park which has two amazing bowls so J showed them some very hungover lines around the park.
Yesterday Perfy took us up into the mountains to
visit his friend, they have spectacular views over Malaga and an amazing house tucked away in the Spanish version of the bush. I am not sure I could live there and deal with the winding roads up the side of the hill which people seem to whizz around. We hung out at their house for a bit and then they took us to a cool restaurant with another cheap but amazing three course meal. Last night we went to watch a Flamenco show at the Casino. We were about the only two under the age of 30 and with our own teeth, but it was an awesome show. I would recommend to anyone coming this way to make sure they experience it too. You were asked not to take photos but I noticed a couple of silver tops had not listended to this and were snapping away throughout, so near they end J took a couple of sneaky shots but it really doesnt do it any justice.
Today is our last day in Spain as we fly back to London and then on to Prague at the early hours of the morning. I think I may have to enjoy
one last swim and an hour on the beach to top up the tan before we head back to the cold.
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Rick & Olga Hills
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Hannah needs to write a book
Hi guys, amazing story, ever thought of writing a book Hannah? Love the photo's, Ollie is drooling over the Spanish food, glad to see your having a good time. Did you manage to say Hi to all guys in Malaga for us? Cheers.