Valencia

The next morning we got up with the intention of going to visit the City of Science and Technology by the famous architect Santiago Calatrava. We had a hearty breakfast and reached the Porta di Serranos, one of the 2 ancient gates of the city, beyond which we were supposed to take just one bus. Meanwhile, the very civilized demonstration of the previous evening had left a real disaster in the streets and the smell of urine was present especially in the many little alleys of the center. It is true that the street cleaners were already at work, but it took them 2 days to make even the smells disappear and who knows how many liters of water and detergents..in short, very civilized Spain left me puzzled.

The buses seemed to me another contradiction: on the one hand, at the stop it shows how many minutes you have to wait, on the other, when you get on, the same driver makes tickets for those who don't have them, obviously taking a lot of time. The metro tickets are not the same as the bus ones:!!!!We arrive and mistakenly get off a little before we needed to. But we take a nice walk and lots of photos: the complex is magnificent, a synthesis of water, transparency and spectacular aerodynamics. We got a single ticket that included the Science Museum, the Hemisferic and the Oceanographic, immediately booking the time for the 3D show. We didn't like the Science Museum much, because it seemed to us to be neither for children nor for adults, I don't know how to explain it...but that's not a reason to skip it. Others I've heard liked it very much.

maybe it's that I only have in mind the one in Paris, which is unsurpassable. The Oceanographic is beautiful and is more a water park than a simple aquarium, it holds up well in comparison with others we've seen. The Hemisferic, with its 3D show, I liked, my family a little less. Calatrava continues to build and shortly before our arrival a Sports Arena had just been inaugurated, perfectly "wedged" into the area and which in those days was hosting the international tennis tournament. Also pleasant is a walk under the Umbracle, an avenue of palms located under a kind of completely open greenhouse. We took a stroll through the large shopping center that is located opposite and then, dead tired, we took the bus back to the Porta di Serranos, and then we reached our hostel on foot. After freshening up we went out to dinner.

On Monday we wandered around the center, we visited the beautiful Central Market, in perfect Art Nouveau style and then, taking advantage of the heat and the beautiful day, we took a light rail that in about twenty minutes took us to the sea, to the Malvarrosa beach. Yes, because in fact Valencia is not a city on the sea, like Barcelona, even though it is not detached from it. In short, it's a different concept: from the old center, you have to make an effort to see it and to reach it. We also went to eat Paella, which we had at Pepica, good but not cheap. I mean, it's really the Paella that is expensive, actually more or less everywhere. Back at the hotel around 4, the kids went to the computer, which was always available, free, my husband rested and my mother and I stayed on the terrace until sunset, enjoying the view over the rooftops of the city. In the evening, out to dinner.

Tuesday is the last day. We have breakfast, leave our luggage in storage and go out and about. We visit shops, churches, climb the Santa Catalina tower and the Micalet or Miguelete tower, where we have a thrilling experience. It's almost noon and we're up there just when the bell ringers launch into a "ringing" that lasts more than 10 minutes and is extremely strenuous, in which they contort themselves, get tangled up with each other, and it's clear that the ropes hurt. They sweat, they themselves are excited, they seem honored to do what they do; there are 4 of them, including a woman, and one of them is clearly the master. The bells, which all have a person's name, are numerous and extremely heavy, and the ringers sometimes even lie down on the ground to give the right force, using everything they can as leverage. Then it ends.

We (there are 6 or 7 lucky ones) remain in stunned silence, my eyes are teary, they are drenched in sweat. We pull ourselves together and climb the last few steps, up to the roof, where the Micalet stands, the most majestic bell, which this time had not rung. I would have wanted to say thank you, but I couldn't. We go back to pick up our luggage and go to eat at Piazza della Reina, at the sandwich shop "Cervezeria y Montaditos," where all the tasty little sandwiches cost one euro. Slowly we head toward the metro and then the airport. The plane leaves on time after 3 p.m. In Rome a temperature at least 12 degrees lower awaits us, but we knew that! We call the parking lot managers, who arrive within 10 minutes to pick us up with the shuttle, we pay and off we go home.

In short, Valencia is nice, the center is full of churches and particular views, and the Calatrava structures are not to be missed. 2 full days and two half days, for us, represented the perfect duration to visit the city, a few museums and monuments, and to stroll around calmly, savoring an horchata or a cerveza.