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Published: November 10th 2017
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Geo: 39.4716, -0.375017
Today I was determined to get onto that walking tour and now I knew exactly where to go. So at 10.30 I was standing in Plaza de la Virgen, ticket in hand, ready to walk. The tour was good, although many of the places we went I had already seen before....only now I know what they are. The first place we saw was the Basilica, located at the back of the cathedral. I had noticed it yesterday, it's a very nice building, but apart from the bridge between the cathedral and the basilica, I had not thought it was a religious building. Well I might have if I had bothered to read the plaques. Strangely enough the basilica is not as big as the Cathedral. We went inside for a quick look, but they were holding a service so I didn't want to wander around and take photos while people were worshiping.
We also visited the cathedral, but did not go inside, there is a tower next to the cathedral door, which is called miquelet. I thought this was part of the building, but originally it was a free standing tower and various expansions of the cathedral have seen
it grow out to the tower. We stopped by the apostles door, the oldest door in the cathedral. It is here that the Tribunal de las Aquas every week. The tribunal is a water board elected by local farmers to manage the canals which feed into Valencia. They have done this for almost one thousand years. (before there was a cathedral) the meetings are completely verbal, no minutes or notes are taken. Their authority is enshrined in law and protected by the Spanish constitution.
We walked for two hours and I am so glad the guide knew where he was going, I was well and truly lost. We did walk past my hotel as it is right next to the ceramic museum. On my first day I saw this building, I noticed it because it has a marvellous alabaster sculpture surrounding rhe door. We also went by the market, which I had found yesterday. Our guide treated us to the traditional spanish drink of horchata. Which is this sweet creamy drink made from these little potatoe looking tubers. And when I say little I mean little. I think they are called tiger nuts, but thats based on google because I forgot
what the guide told me.
We walked into a little courtyard with what looked like a apartment block on one side and a church on the other. The apartment block was originally a hospital and the whole complex dates back tot the 13th century. The complex is called the Iglesia de San Juan del Hospital. The guide explained that there was a graveyard on the opposite side of the church. So if someone died in the hospital, it was a quick trip to the church and out the other side. Walking in the church it looked quite plain. But there was a small chapel to one side, which held a huge golden alter dedicated to the Virgin Mother. It stunned me to see such wealth in this little non de script church. I'm sure a wealthy patron paid for it somewhere along the way.
We also visited La Llotja de Mercaders. I had noticed this building on my wanderings and I had thought it was an old castle as it has high walls with turrets and a tower in one corner. However it is actually the old merchant traders hall. It was built in the 15th century and the merchant traders
intentionally wanted it to look like a castle so as to intimidate any traders coming into Valencia.
After my walking tour I had some lunch and then walked down to the train station to organise a ticket to Barcelona. I had intended to walk across to the river park and pay a visit to the aquarium. However I made it about half way when I needed to find a loo. The only toilets available where at some local cafes and bars. So then of course I had to have a glass of wine. I started reading my book again while drinking my wine....I didn't quite make it all the way to the aquarium. Oppa!
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