museums – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on February 3, 2023February 9, 2023 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

Travels around Spain ~ Valencia.

It’s been just over three years since our last visit. How can that happen. I know time flys when you are having fun but three whole years? But then again this year will see me celebrate 8 years of retirement. I know. I must have retired early. Or I hide my age well. It was the former. Remember. People said I’d be bored. What on earth would I do. I still don’t know the answer. As usual I digress.

We have decided on Ian’s suggestion to travel via a different city on our way to La casa for a number of trips. A bit like bogof ~ buy one get one free. Except it’s not. The first trip for 2023 is back to Valencia for a few days before we head home to Cómpeta. We also decided on an airport stay overnight to beat travel difficulties with rail strikes.

So a hotel was booked. A room on the 12th floor with runway views. Yes. Runways views. Perfecto for the plane spotter which I’m not. But great to see the airport. The slight worry was the description of the room facilities on a major booking site. King size bed. ✔️ the standard facilities. But rather alarmingly it stated private bathroom and toilet paper. The first is a must for me. I may be an oversharer in many areas but bathrooms isn’t one of them. Toilet paper ~ I know during the pandemic there was panic buying but surely this is a given. I’m happy to report that the well known hotel chain had both.

We don’t usually fly from Heathrow. For us living south of the river it’s a pain to get to but the opening of the Elizabeth line has made it a bit easier. A tube line which is a pleasure to travel on as well. Light. Airy. And not too packed. I usually board the flight and shove in my ear pods and sleep ready for the walking I know that we will do when we arrive.

I was a little worried when listening to the flight attendant when she mentioned life jackets under the seats to see the man in the opposite aisle checking that his was there. I have never done that! Ever. Though it does remind me to check that the yellow vest and red triangle is in the car when we pick it up in Malaga next week.

I’m still wearing masks. It’s like a comfiest blanket for me and whilst many will say that it makes no difference, for me I’m happier wearing it in large gatherings or on public transport. I see a number of immune suppressant people and I feel more comfortable for them if I do.

In 2019 we stayed in a great apartment in the Ruzafa district in Valencia. Three years later we are back and it is just as we remembered it. Great hosts to meet us and a lovely clean bright and welcoming apartment. Ian is great at finding these and we have places lined up for Barcelona, Lisbon and Porto for the next few months.

Despite only arriving mid afternoon we don’t let the grass grow under our feet. Ian was happy after a chat with the hosts who complimented him on his Spanish ~ his is so much better than mine. He has conversations. I have sentences. He says I hear it and understand it and read it but putting my brain through to my voice is still a problem. Some will say it’s always been a problem. I disagree. Sometimes I speak and my mother comes out. It’s just a shame she wasn’t fluent in Spanish.

The side streets are narrow and the buildings colourful ~ though there are many fine buildings still ripe for development. When we were here in December 2019 it was wet. Biblical rain. Today we arrived in thermal vests and thick coats ~ not just those to be fair , but in the sun it was 20*. Cooler in the shade but still a tad warmer than London and warmer than our next destination.

Spain still has many things that we are losing in the Uk. Small shops. Independent artisan shops like this fabulous hand painted hat shop we passed on our walk into the centre.

Berets always remind me of two friends. People I have been friends with for decades. One Cate ~ who i first met back in 1980 when she was appearing at the Cardiff New theatre and who is the reason I have lived in the same street in London for the last 30 years | we became next door neighbours in London after she told me that a flat was for sale next door ~ who when we met was wearing a blue beret~ and my antique dealer friend Shirley who we met 30’years ago who is now in France. It’s funny how certain things remind you of people for ever.

The little shop www.elpintordesombreros.com and the hats are fabulous. We do have lots of artisan creators in the uk but many are on line only or at many of the wonderful fairs. Premises costs are too expensive.

It’s the same for restaurants ~ the city is full of small good quality eating places and not littered with chains. Yes there are the burger bars and the like but even their shop frontages look a bit more subdued. The weather is also better suited to outdoor seating which helps with smaller premises.

I remembered this wig shop from our last visit though I’m not tempted for either the fake moustache of the wig. I remember what I looked like with a moustache and it’s not coming back. I don’t want more hair on my lip than I have on my head. Oh. And I remembering because we walked past. Not because of a visit.

A walk into the centre to see familiar landmarks to visit this trip. The central market. The silk exchange. Just a mooch through the small colourful streets.

The joy of staying in an apartment is that you have a choice. Do you eat out. Or in. On the first night after arriving mid afternoon sometimes it’s just nice to grab something to eat indoors ~ we needed to soma bit of shopping anyway. We almost eaten all of the mandarins that the hosts has left us anyway! It also meant we could go for a good early evening wander ~ whilst it was dry and big too cold.

I love cities at night. Not for the night life these days ~ those days have long gone. But at night most European cities know how to showcase their architecture with good lighting. Take the train station close by timwheee we are staying. A beautiful but I’d valenciano Arg decor. Opened in 1916 and is simply like a step back in time. A fabulous entrance. Amazing ticket hall and booths. And trains that are running.

Indulge my current black and white obsession

It’s funny how some things are familiar even after only one visit. It was easy to find out bearings. There were one or two places we didn’t get to see last time. Which we will this. Some we saw during the day which we will visit at night. The list is endless

He’s still in the same position he was in back in 2019. Poor bloke must be freezing sitting in that water all the time. Talk about soggy bottom.

The colourful fountains on our walk. I thought they were lit just for the Christmas celebrations when we were last here. Obviously not!

The markets in Spanish towns are amazing. The variety of fresh produce is fantastic with locally grown vegetables freshly caught fish and a whole myriad of spices herbs and cheeses to tempt your culinary delights. The above is the central market. We visited a smaller local market when we went for a paella class which I preferred. Smaller yes but the chef who we walked around with knew all the stall holders ~ and it looked like he knows most of the shoppers in the market! explained that the fishmongers were closed on a Monday as there are no catches over the weekend. Obvious really , you want the freshest of fish. His mantra for a good paella. Good fresh seasonal produce to add to the rice.

Back to the restaurant as a group of six to jointly prepare and cook a fabulous lunch. A really interesting group. A guy from Korea. Another from Berlin a journalist who liked yoga and swing dancing. A girl from Manchester who was looking to get a digital nomad visa to teach English and a girl from the Ukraine who was working abroad pre the start of the war. And us. Old enough to be their grandfathers. It made for sn interesting chat over lunch.

We missed this last time and I remember why. The queue. It was massive and one thing we don’t do is queue. It eats into vital time when you have a timeframe on a short break. St Nicolas a Roman Catholic parish church. An absolutely stunning building in gothic style with more fabulous colours and more gilt than I have seen in a long time. Absolutely stunning. And guess what. No queue when we arrived. And a massive one when we left. Bonus.

It also has some stunning stained glass windows.

I hate steps. Not Steps as in 5.6.7.8 but climbing steps. To be fair it’s the coming down that kills me. So we climbed most of the way up the Torres but not all the way. But it is worth visiting unless you have an arthritic hip a fear of heights and a feeling of falling when descending steps. I’m really selling myself again.

We visited the Silk Exchange in 2019 and loved it. This time I loved it more. the architecture. The tiles. The light. It was magical. How I’d love a house with those tiles. I’d also love a room as big to take them. But not the door. Imagine the draught you’d get when opening the door for the Amazon deliveries.

The majesty of columns. Talk shapely curvy ~ and difficult to get a clear view. What you don’t see is that there are half a dozen people hiding behind the columns.

I stood for what seemed like ages to get a clear view and then……. But it does make a good photo even if I say it myself!

The La Lonja (The Silk Exchange) is a Unesco World Heritage site with the first stone laid in 1492. And is definitely worth a visit or two.

Ian is great at organising these trips and finding the Airbnb. But the next photo isn’t one of them. Thankfully. It’s one of the bedrooms in El Museo Nacional de Ceramica y de las Artes Suntuarias Gonzalez Marti~ long title. We called it the Ceramics museum. ‘ Housed in the Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas, it was founded on 7 February 1947, from the donation of Manuel González Martí’s ceramics collection. Seven years later, once the restoration of the palace was completed, the museum opened to the public on 18 June 1954.’

It is stunning and even better it was free entry on the day we went. I have to say that there are some irritating people wanting the perfect photograph. Not me although I am irritating. Three people were on the grand staircase going up to the first floor. Wanting the perfect Instagramable ( is that a word) photo. One at the bottom of the stairs. Two at the top. Posing. One leg one way. Pouting. Then suddenly telling someone off for interrupting their photo shoot and wanting to go up the stairs. We were about to go up too. What they didn’t realise was they told off one of the officials. Did they care. Not a bit. I was hoping they would have been shown the door.

The red room is well. Very red with a gorgeous chandelier and red chairs. The white room very calm with a grand piano a harp and some what looked like vintage guitars but they would have had a more interesting name.

I’ll admit to a better photo of this room back in 2019. But it wasn’t a Sunday that day and wasn’t as busy. In Valencia they wrap rope around the chairs and sofas to stop you sitting down. In the UK we are less subtle. We place something prickly to make sure you don’t even try !

I can’t imagine this getting through the narrow streets of Valencia and the occupants must have needed padded pantaloons to protect you from bottom bumps.

I had a fascination for the painted metal shutters of the garages and shops. These are just a few showing that grey roller shutters don’t need to be boring. Ever.

Doesn’t everyone dress up for a stroll around the street market?

Valencia is a city of many styles. The historic area. The central area. The trendy neighbourhoods.- one where we were staying Ruzafa. Then there is the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. A sight that takes your breath away as you approach it and the second visit didn’t dilute the experience. An episode of Dr Who was filmed here and it’s like being in a sci fi movie. I suspect it’s a big like marmite. I hate marmite. I love this. It feels so light. Bright. Busy but not packed.

The Spanish love a fiesta. Or two. The year is littered with fiestas for everything. In Cómpeta we have one for the wine. One for the chestnuts. The annual Feria. Coming up in Valencia is The Fallas. Every year there are fireworks. Parades and hundreds of large paper mache figures made. And all but two are burnt on the last day of the festival. Two are saved by a public vote and the city has kept two from each Fallas since 1938. The 2023 exhibition is fabulous , spooky and bonkers. At times all three ~ we loved it.

These are just a few. There were hundreds. There is also a children’s section where the figures are smaller. With more clothes as well.

It was a full on four days but a fabulous trip and a great idea of Ian’s to travel to La Casa via another Spanish destination. Now we are heading to Malaga and that drive up the wiggly road. I’d like to say it will be relaxing after all that walking. I suspect not.

Next trip. Barcelona.

Posted on November 16, 2022November 18, 2022 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Travels around Spain ~ Bilbao

We have been planning our trips away , together with various events for the next 6 months. Well you have more time in retirement and after nearly 7 years I might just have it down to a fine art. Although these days there are more doctor, dental and hospital visits to work around.

But Ian has hatched a plan. Instead of travelling direct to Malaga as we normally do we will travel via somewhere else in Spain. He has planned a number of places all meticulously researched and each with a reason to visit. There is so much to see and do in Spain and it gives us a taster for places where we may want to spend a little longer. But. Not longer than 90 days obviously. Don’t get me started on that. Just as I retired freedom of movement gets restricted. For everyone. But as my father said don’t get bogged down in discussion of sex, politics and religion. It’s a bottomless pit.

Sex, politics and religion together you’ll never get back. Not even if you shout ~ I’m a celibate get me out of here.

November is the first new style trip and guess what. There are a few photos and a bit of a blog. Ian likes to get to the airport a week before the flight so early starts are nothing new. Everything looks quiet when you are getting the 5,30am train from Peckham Rye to Gatwick. I’d normally feel like everyone’s grandfather travelling at peak travel time.

The men all have trousers that just don’t quite touch their shoes _ ankle flappers ~ beards., Beanies and headphones. I can’t quite bring myself to wear trousers that short. My mother would say ‘ what’s wrong with those trousers. Best you put some jam on your shoes and invite them down for tea’. Normally the station is a great people watching place. Not today. I’d have to either look at Ian or in the mirror and I didn’t want to start a row with either. Not this early on.

The airport was quiet too. Through security. With the usual body scan. I’m convinced they just don’t believe the body concealed under these baggy clothes is mine. That I’m hiding the cash bags from the great train robbery under my jumper. Less six pack washboard stomach. More washing machine and tumble dryer thrown in for good measure. But stopped I am as usual. Nothing to declare.

Oh. I haven’t mentioned. Bilbao if your interested. If not then best stop now because there will be pictures. A bit of a ramble. A mumble and the obligatory spelling mistake. Why Bilbao? Because Ian wants to and we can fly direct. Plus the added bounds of great food. Fabulous Guggenheim and plenty of walking. No hire cars but great public transport. Two tips. Comfortable shoes. Buy a Barik card for travel.

My first thoughts as we fly over the Baltic Sea into Bilbao? It’s green. Compared to flying into Malaga. It’s lush. I suspect because the rain is torrential. The flight into landing was wobbly. Just as well I woke up 30 mins before landing. I had only slept for most of the flight. Tip. Be prepared. Rain. Wind. Glorious sun. All within an hour.

The bus into the city was. Fast. Very fast. And all for €3. ( you can’t get a Barik until you are at a metro); And a spectacular view of the Guggenheim as the bus hurtled over the bridge Opened in 1997 ( the museum. Not the bridge) it is a stunning piece of work by the Canadian ~ American architect Frank Gehry. I didn’t realise that the building is featured in a James Bond film ~ The world is not enough. But to be fair it’s not a Bond film I remember. Or the theme tune. I’ve also read that Mariah Cary used various locations at the museum for her video Sweetheart. I’ve just had a look. Maybe I’ll just have to copy some of the poses in the video. And mime. I didn’t.

This is a view taken from the summit of Mount Artxanda. Reached by cable car which took longer to find the entrance that getting to Bilbao. I exaggerate. But once you know where it is it’s easy. But it’s worth it. Tip. Don’t walk up!

Back to The Guggenheim. Our first afternoon was spent getting our bearings. That and sheltering from hideous rain which came in from nowhere. We had walked down to the museum and as we arrived the heavens opened. Cats and dogs. But not before I got a photo of the outside and of the giant spider first seen in the turbine hall at Tate Modern. I remember it from back then but I think it’s positioning here is more spectacular. And just a little bit creepy. I don’t know if they were blowing dry ice or whether it was mist coming in. But it looked great. Well the couple ( not us) taking a wet selfie were enjoying themselves. Going back two,days later I can confirm it’s dry Ice. Also best to get a picture in the rain. It’s quieter.

We dragged ourselves back to our Airbnb to dry out ~ be very Spanish and have a siesta and then headed back out for yet another walk. The light of the day had gone and the Museum took on another appearance. I think it’s my favourite one and the photo was taken from the other side of the river. From this angle the building to me looks like a large ocean liner. Very beautiful. Elegant and majestic. And shiny.

I love the riverside walks when the lights are on and there are shadows. The walk there and back was great. And dry. The bridge we had crossed earlier in the day looked spectacular earlier but somehow the lights make it look beautiful. Maybe I’ll adorn myself with lights.

The day looks very different. But there again I suspect I look better in the dark. That’s not a request for people to agree.

The bridge I mentioned coming in from the airport runs along the side of the Guggenheim and again at night the lights make it look pretty spectacular. I hope they have energy saving lights!

The whole walk there and back at night was spectacular. Obviously the locals love the walk as well as every other person was out walking their dogs. Or maybe because the afternoon weather was so hideous.

We had been recommended to eat at the Plaza Nueva which is a short hop skip and a jump from the Airbnb. A beautiful plaza with some fabulous places to eat around it. The small bars and small places to eat are filled with locals. And a few tourists getting quizzical over the choice of pintxos. Not a commercial chain of coffee shops and pizzas to be seen. Thankfully.

I love how these city’s have the fabulous plaza. Madrid. Salamanca are two I like a lot. The Plaza; Neoclassical in style was built in 1821.

Is this what they mean by green energy! Bilbao tram runs over the greenest grass I’ve seen and it’s real. I went back and checked. The trams run around the side Guggenheim through trees and over grass and it’s a pretty cool sight. Although without my glasses on and no sign of a tram I would have walked across the grass not knowing that there were tracks.

We took the metro to get to the funicular railway and this is the carriage. Modern. Clean. Bright and looking great. This line was quiet Norman Foster was commissioned in 1997 to design stations for a new extension and they are awesome. The entrances ~ glass tunnels take you down to the stations. The curved structures are known locally as Fosteritos. The stations are airy. Light and spacious. They are a joy to,use. And whilst I know many people don’t think wearing a face mask makes the slightest bit of difference, in Spain you are obliged to wear a mask whilst on public transport. And people travelling on public transport here are all compliant. Me. I find it comforting.

I am surprised at how many Unesco World Heritage sites there are and how varied they are too. Spain has 49 sites and one is here in the Basque country ~ The Vizcaya bridge. It’s a transporter bridge and the worlds oldest, having been built in 1893. It transports both vehicles and foot passengers across the river. Bilbao was a major exporter of iron and the structure was the first of its kind to use a combination of iron and new steel,cables. The carriage is called a gondola ~ no idea why. ~ no serenading from me in a stripey top and a funny hat _ and carries six cars and a load of pedestrians. There is also a lift to the upper platform where you can walk across. Sadly [not] today was too windy. I think I would have had issues. Major issues.

I don’t remember this one being opened but I do remember the opening of the Severn bridge. The first one. I was still in short trousers and it was a major event. The bridge. Not the trousers. Growing up I remember having to get the ferry across or drive the long way round to get to Bristol or down to the coast. In high season the queues were bonkers. Although years later the naive new driver that was me would panic at breaking down on the bridge. There were signs that said if you broke down there would be charges of £25 min. I thought that it was a charge per minute. Not the minimum charge. I held my breath every time I crossed the bridge. But I did wear my commemorative badge for the opening. I’m not sure if it came from TWW. ~ Television Wales and West where a neighbour worked. Probably along with my Tufty club badge.

It was pretty windy down by the unesco heritage site but we managed a bit of a wander but to be honest after yesterdays marathon all I wanted was to get back toto base and have a cuppa tea & cake. Marathon? 25,000 steps.

There were some interesting buildings. The Town Hall. An old multi coloured train station. All shut up but we didn’t venture up into the side streets.

They like painted houses here. Talk of multi coloured swap shop and it’s not all Farrow and Ball or Little Greene either. Other options are availabl. Well I don’t recognise the colours if they are. I could probably repaint them all,with the sample pots we have in our cellar.

There was the odd bit of black and white along the river which is a stark but welcome contrast to the colourful houses.

Thursday was supposed to be a wet day but it wasn’t we had planned to go to the Guggenheim so we did. It amazes me just how cheap the entry to the museums and places of interest are in Spain. But Ian said it was a bit much for me to have time enter an upstairs window if I got the reduced price for a senior. What bugged me more is that they didn’t seemed surprised,

The structure is fabulous and the inside spaces amazing. Lots of steel; glass and shiny surfaces. But it’s incredibly light and airy and never feels too busy. Like a lot of museums I don’t get all of the art or sculptures but I’m sure I am not alone in that.

I liked these ~ an exhibition called masking identities. An interesting collection. Big. Bright and interesting. Not so the next painting which I just don’t get. No doubt someone will. But it’s not me.

Yep. That’s it. I stood and looked for a while. And looked. And looked. But still I don’t get it. I’m sure one of my artist friends will enlighten me. But I still won’t get it.

Have I said I like tulips? This was a great creation ~ a bouquet of multicolour balloon flowers. 2 metres tall and 5 metres across. These were part of the Jeff Koons celebration series from 1994. I loved them. I think I will put a blog with just photos o many to put here.

I suspect you’ve had enough by now. I have so the rest will be in part 2. Till then it’s an exit from the Guggenheim and a snack.