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Valencia

Valencia is a really beautiful, fun, vibrant city.

We didn't actually spend too much time in the city itself. This was a beach bum holiday and we did a lot of bumming on the beach.

A few mates rented a house right by the sea about 30Km south of the city, not far from the town of Faro Cullera.

On our first night there was a big storm but after that it was beautiful sunshine all the way.

We spent the first couple of days not doing very much at all. The beach was only about 50 feet away out the back garden and over a sand dune -- very convenient.

Faro means lighthouse and that's where the town of Faro Cullera gets its name. The beach outside the house was pretty unspoiled and not at all busy. Even though we were there off season, I got the feeling that this stretch of beach never got too busy.

After a few of days of doing very little apart from reading, and leisurely strolls along the beach it was time for some action. So we all piled into the car and headed into Valencia City for the day.

Fatma, the friend who we'd gone to visit did a grand job of showing us around. We headed for the beautiful central Market then sat and had lunch and a few drinks in a pretty little square opposite the main entrance to the market.

Later, when we were tired of walking, most of us decided to hop on a tourist bus for a quick overview of the city.

There are lots of beautiful buildings in the old city and the Banco de Valencia particularly caught my eye.

A short bus ride (and fairly long walk as we discovered when we missed the bus back) away is the City of Arts and Science (or Cuidad de las Artes y la Ciencias as it's known in the local lingo).

We hung out in Valencia city well into the night and met up with Fatma again in the main square, Pl. de la Virgen. From there we headed for a great little women's bar called the Tasketa near Plaza San Luis Beltran. The service was very friendly, the food excellent and the vibe all that we could wish for. Probably the best tapas I've had in Spain or anywhere else.

We wandered around a bit more then a few of us needed to find an Internet Café. We headed for the one near the city's bullring. We'd seen the bullring by day from the tourist bus but it looked even more impressive by night.

Six by now very weary women then had to get themselves back to our beach house. Thankfully the journey passed relatively quickly as we were a bit scrunched up in the car and one or two of us were feeling a little worse for wear after one too many beers.

Despite the lateness of the hour, I decided I was going to get up the next morning and watch the sunrise since some of my fellow holiday makers had raved on about how great it was (being that by now they'd gone for at least a couple of dawn swims in the sea). I got up early, armed with my cameras and headed out to Faro Cullera.

Later I met up with Sue and we went of into the old town of Cullera (a short taxi ride away from Faro Cullera) to rent a couple of bicycles so we could ride out to Lake Albufera (which forms part of Parc Natural de l'Albufera).

On our last full day we returned the bikes, met up with a couple of the others and had a delicious late breakfast of Churros and coffee. Spent the rest of the day just chillin' and wishing the time hadn't gone so quickly.

My lasting memory or this trip will be of long, sandy beaches, unbelievably beautiful sunrises and sunsets, great food, and the company of wonderful women.


Click on a picture to enlarge it and get a short description of the place

Faro Cullera beach and lighthouse, Valencia Province, Spain
Faro Cullera

 

Cheese stall, central market, Valencia, Spain
Market

 

Banco de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
Old City

 

City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, Spain
City of Arts and Sciences

 

Fountain, Pl. de Virgen, Valencia, Spain
Pl de Virgen

 

Bullring, Valencia, Spain
Bullring

 

Sunrise, Faro Cullera, Valencia Province, Spain
Sunrise

 

Lake Albufera, Valencia Province, Spain
Albufera

 

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