Valencia – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on March 10, 2023March 10, 2023 by happyretiredblog

A bit of Black and White.

It’s no surprise to many but I do like to take a photo or two. Just ask Ian. He will tell you that all my photos of him are ones of him walking ahead. That’s usually because he continues to walk on as I stop and take a photograph. Then when catching him up I take another. Usually of his back. I even had a photo book printed of a number of those photos. The funny thing is that he can say where each one was taken.

Since retiring I have rekindled my love of the camera and latterly taking photos with my iPhone. I always have my phone with me. Not glued to my ear but ready in hand in case. Not for a call but an opportunity. Years ago I took a lot of black and white. On a camera. No. Before yo say. It wasn’t a box brownie although I remember one in the house growing up. Mine was an Olympus trip. I didn’t realise that the Trip bit was a marketing reference As the camera was aimed at people who wanted a compact, functional camera for holidays. During the 1970s, it was the popular British photographer David Bailey advertised the camera. So that’s why I now realise why my mother used to comment when I was taking a photo ~ ‘ who do you think you are David Bailey!!

But with that camera photos were taken with real film with the added excitement of not instantly knowing what the picture would tell. Then the disappointment that out of a reel of 24 you might have at least one good one. If I was lucky. Then having a load of photos that were put in a box and not looked at again. My mother kept the ‘best’ ones in an old milk tray chocolate box. Now I keep them on my phone. Don’t ask how many are on here. Too many. This one came out of the chocolate box when the house was cleared. Taken in the early 1930’s and no. Not by me. Taken on Barry Island beach ~ pre Gavin and Stacey. My mother and her twin sister and brother with cousins and Granny Morgan. My great grandmother.

Back to now. My friend in Cómpeta , Dave, who is a great photographer ~ loves analogue photography, has given me the encouragement to take black and white photos again. Some on a digital camera. Some on iPhone. Some on both. Dave shoots on proper film and develops the photographs in his darkroom. I wouldn’t be allowed to be near the chemicals but more to the point I neither have the skill or the patience. It’s digital all the way for me. I envy Dave. He has more control over the finished photograph in the development stage. He exhibits his photos as well.

So this is a different blog than usual. Not a Garden blog. Not a Travel blog. But a Bit of black and white.

We have driven this lane so many times over the last 30 years. I’ve always called it ‘Pig lane’ which it isn’t. But there is a large stone statue at the top end of the road of a Boar. I love the hedges when they have been freshly cut as the road draws your eye through what could be a maze. It’s a very different picture later in the year when the hedges are in full growth. And when you meet an artic heading up to the agricultural tractor place at the top. But to me it’s quintessentially English countryside.

Hello Waterloo station. I had been in Somerset for 3 weeks and because I’m an idiot who had forgotten an appointment for 6pm on a Friday I had to get the train from The Temple of Doom up to the city. Those that know know. For those that don’t The temple is Templecombe station. A pretty little station which is handy to get back to Clapham or Waterloo. Or Exeter. Or Salisbury. I thought I had time to kill so had a wander through the concourse. Well actually above it looking down. People coming and going. All with their own story to tell. Or not.

Somerset. We can see these trees from the bedroom window high up in the fields behind the cottages. I love the shapes especially as the sun goes down. Looking back at the photos there are many shots of these.

There were some benefits of lockdown. It made us walk a lot more. We found places that were on our doorstep but we had never been to. When I was working it was home to office to home and an escape to Somerset on a Friday night. Or a Thursday when I dropped my days. This is Burgess Park. Not in lockdown but a few weeks ago. We were walking back from London Bridge through the park. No filter. An opportunistic shot. One I am framing.

Another on our walk back through Burgess Park. Quite often there are people fishing at this spot ~ little tents erected. Fishing wire. Little camping seats. Today they were the other side of the man made lake.

Competa. Trees marching up or is it down one of the mountains It’s a great sight as we drive in and out of the Pueblo Blanco. I keep expecting them to tumble down in the wind and not be there the next time we pass by. Competa is 2,000ft above sea level.

The awesome structures of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias Valencia. The buildings are awesome. Futuristic and one episode of Dr Who was filmed here. We have visited Valencia twice and will be back.

Tickets please. The beautiful station in Valencia. A stunning entrance hall. A fabulous original row of ticket sales windows. Glorious in colour. Atmospheric in black and white. This is another that will be printed and framed. Thanks to Dave I use a place in Valencia for printing as these will be framed for Competa.

Waiting for Ian near London Bridge. The shard ahead. The old and the new. After 40 years in London I still love its architecture which changes like the seasons. Buildings pop up all the time and the skyline views are amazing. The costs of getting to the skylines are amazing as well.

Valencia. I love Valencia. A walk through the narrow streets through the area with a lot of antique shops. Compra ~ Venta. We did neither. Everything I wanted wouldn’t fit in my small carry on case. But we are off to Barcelona soon and guess what. The Spanish Mr Glass has a shop there. Makes note. Take a large suitcase. Each.

This blog is like me gardening. A bit of a butterfly. Flitting from one bit to another. I do that gardening. A bit here. A bit there. A bit over there. This photo is back in Competa. Well it may be Competa. It may be Canillas. What I do know is that it’s the walk between the two.

Bilbao. It was cold outside. Cold and wet. That was us too. So we stopped for coffee. I loved the picture on the wall. We walked past the Guggenheim the night before ~ it’s such a stunning building. The people in the photo are a bonus. Currently being framed.

I liked this one so much I’ve had it framed and it’s ready for hanging. Another one in Bilbao. I just loved the street scene ~ we were staying just along the road but I never got another chance. Another opportunistic shot.

People said what would I do in retirement. Take photos. Travel. Sleep. Be bored. Never.

As a foot note. Black and white photos are timeless. Two from the chocolate box. One late 1950,s. One early 1960,s. Neither taken by me.

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 December 8, 2019February 3, 2023 by happyretiredblog

Hola Valencia.

It’s a well known fact that we like a holiday. Or two. It’s also a fact that Ian researches the trips well before we book. Fact threee is that we love Spain. A lot. Even more so,since we bought the house in Andalucia which many friends thought would stop us from having breaks elsewhere.

It hasn’t. We spend as much time as we can in Competa which largely is based on not becoming tax resident! Old habits die hard and tax is always just one step away. For me these days it’s a very large one.

But in the last two and a half years we have visited Córdoba, Seville, Toledo, Salamanca, Cacares, Granada, Ronda and of course Malaga with points in between. So we haven’t just spent time a la casa. On sun loungers or in the garden.

There is a list. This week we have visited Valencia. Which has been on our list for some time. Easier surprisingly to fly direct from London than to get here from Malaga. We decided to get a few days of sunshine in before the Christmas hullabaloo.

It rained for the first three days. When I say rain I mean biblical. The heavens opened.

Ian always finds great places to stay. For Valencia he had booked an Air B&B. Which always makes me a little apprehensive. Will it look like it does in the pictures?. Will it be clean? All the questions. Well. The answer to all that was yes. Yes. And yes again. So clean I think I’d like the hosts to come and clean our house. Ian had chosen a trendy area. Full of restaurants. Easy walk to the metro and into the centre. Spot on again.

So happy with the accommodation we decided to walk into the centre and explore. To be honest it feels like we haven’t stopped walking for four days. Literally. My poor fit bit has been working overtime and must think it’s been attached to the wrong persons wrist. I’ve done more steps in 4 days than I’ve done in weeks. Says my fit bit stats. Says my body. Good thing I listened to my mother. Sensible shoes.

The colours of Valencia

There is so much to see and life’s too short not to see it all. It’s also so varied here. The usual. Churches and Cathedrals. Museums. Markets. Squares. Oh. And the amazing CIudad des las Artes y las Ciencias.

The beautiful facade and entrance to the Palacio des Marques de dos Aguas. A stunning restored palace which houses the National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts. To get to the collection on the upper floors you meander through the various rooms which are furnished with period pieces and are stunning.

Ian has still to master the art of the red carpet leading to the rooms on the first floor.

1920’s ceramic planters and Darden furniture

After a major and devastating flood in 1957 the City made a plan to reroute the river Turia to the south of the city and the work took nearly 10 years to complete finishing in 1974.

The river bed was turned to gardens and is now the Jardines del Turia. A mix of playing fields, cycle tracks and gardens and is a lovely walk up to the City of Arts and Sciences.

Turning the corner out of the gardens is quite breathtaking. Suddenly you, well I did , feel you are in the midst of a sci fi film set. Or you have wandered into scenes of Doctor Who which I believe had some scenes filmed here in series 10.

It is quite spectacular and a little eerie. Think South bank without the crowds. Less brutalist but futuristic. The buildings are awesome. Not a word I use lightly. But they are. But the area is so quiet. The buildings were designed by architects Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candela.

The buildings house an IMAX cinema. Planetarium and laserium in L’Hemisferic which was designed to look like a large eye. From certain angles to me it looks like a fish!

There is an interactive museum of Science ~ El Museo de las Ciencies which also has a basketball court. Another building L’Aora holds the Valencian Open ATP tournament.

L’Umbracle was closed which was disappointing as it is an open structure with a landscaped walk and outdoor art gallery.

We didn’t go in and it’s on the list for the next visit is El Palau de les Arts Reine Sofia ~ the Opera House and performing arts centre

It is a complete contrast from the architecture surrounding the park. Certainly a huge contrast from the building we have just left and it deserved more time to explore.

Back to the past and not the future we headed to the Silk exchange. – La Lonja de la Seda.

Another building of historical importance and described as one of the most famous gothic monuments in Europe. It was declared a World heritage site by UNESCO in 1966. Being a Spanish Bank holiday entrance was free and it was busy. It’s a stunning building with exceptional floors and ceilings. Beautifully restored.

Gorgeous floors in the Silk Exchange

Sightseeing is a strenuous thing and you need plenty of coffee and cake stops. If in Spain those stops need to include churros. It would be rude not to wouldn’t it. We had a choice. Churros or Fartons. Churros won.

You also need to stop and try on hats. There are two fabulous hat shops that we found. But this hat was in a trendy shop. I tried the hat, but not the mask, but thought whilst Peckham may be ready I was not.

We stumbled upon the Museo Convento de Carmen , a lovely old convent which hasn’t been restored. It houses art exhibitions in the first floor. The building is of Gothic Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

Everywhere you look in and around the city there is street art. Lots of it. These were two of my favourites of which there were many pictures to choose from.

Just down the toad there is the cat house. A little house in the wall. With a small entrance for cats. It is said that the previous owner of the house had it to shelter the many stray and feral cats. Who knows.?

Cat house

Everywhere you look in and around the city there is street art. Lots of it. These were two of my favourites of which there were many pictures to choose from. The art is everywhere with shop shutters covered in art advertising their products. Some is highly sophisticated. Some not.

You can’t visit a city without a visit to the Botanical gardens. I had read a review from someone who had visited recently who had complained that there weren’t many flowers. Um. It is December. But I did agree with the second comment in that you could walk straight past the entrance. Luckily we didn’t. It’s an interesting space and has some great trees and plants. Yes. Not a lot flowering but as you’d expect.

The cactus area is great and it’s also good to see a few that we are growing in our garden in Andalucia. The ever faithful foxtail agave doing well and as I post pictures of that constantly I have spared you here. Their prickly pears show no sign of the cochineal fly we have in abundance in Andalucia.

Whilst we were there a group of young lads were looking at the cactus. They decided to take a short cut across the borders when one of them screamed. One of the others said ‘ Did it bite you? ‘ – they weren’t impressed at the man laughing. Bite? No you just got too close to the thorns and you got jabbed.

The city at night looks so very different. First off it’s Christmas. So you get the Xmas lights. In the fountains. On the buildings. The carousel and the ice rink.

The City at night is fabulous. The street lights aren’t that glaring white but a subdued yellow. The streets look like they are paved with gold. But that’s the light and the fact that they were still wet from the torrential rain of the night before. It was difficult walking on the shiny pavements. Both narrowly missing a fall as we meander around the sights.

Night streets

Estacion Nord.

You are never far away from a Cathedral or a Church in Spain. It never ceases to amaze me the variety and the architecture that you find in each and every one. The Cathedral was as you’d expect stunning. Whilst it had the pomp of all the cathedrals we have visited it had a kind of calm about it. Light. Bright and peaceful.

Cathedral

We decided to go to the beach as it was out last full day and the sun was finally shining. No coats. No macs. No umbrellas. We took the metro which was easier back than it was going. Largely because we are rubbish at directions. But we got there. A big and sandy beach with the usual long Spanish promenade. But decent sand.

It was a tale of two seasons for some. One man clearly not giving in to the changing season whilst one embracing the hoodie and beach culture. These were taken on the same day on the same beach at the same time of day. 500 yards apart yet worlds apart.

Long avenues of palms along the front.

I could go on and on and I usually do. But that’s it for Valencia. For now. We will be back. There is more to see. More time to explore the ones we have seen and want to revisit. The City of Arts and Culture could fill a weekend alone.

Next stop. Christmas and New Year in Competa.

Valencia December 2019.