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Uncovering messages
Not being ok is also ok No estar bien tambien está bien I had a hunch these signs conveyed positive messages when I spotted them in Spain. I did not understand every word. I got the gist. I took photos so I could translate them later. Inspirational, encouraging and reassuring quotes can be found most everywhere I suppose: coffee shops, waiting rooms, painted rocks, wall art. The extra step of studying the Spanish words to uncover their meaning makes these all the more special. Whether you read them in Spanish or English, the messages are clear. And ones I want to remember. Life is not waiting for the storm to pass,…
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Firecrackers and Flowers
“El jueves es el noche de San Juan,” my Spanish teacher informed me a few weeks ago. She explained that she would be going to the beach Thursday evening for bonfires and a dip in the sea to cleanse her soul. Every year Spaniards flock to the beaches to celebrate the festival of San Juan on the night of June 23rd. I love learning about holidays and festivals in Spain. I am in awe of how many there are. During my trip in October I came across two statutory holidays (Spain’s National Day and All Saints Day), a “mini-Semana Santa” in Málaga, and an autumn festival in a small mountain…
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Summer snow
It’s snowing in my backyard. The white fluffy petals tickle my nose. It smells nice. Nothing like those pesky squirrels. I don’t like how they smell…or how they look at me from their perch on top of the fence. It’s my turf. It’s Caramel territory. About this snow. I was a bit startled. Not bad startled like when a raccoon walks along the fence. More curiously startled like when small birds rustle in the bushes. I needed to sniff around. Investigate quietly. Sniff, Sniff. No barking or growling. It turns out the “snowflakes” are blossoms. Tiny white blossoms falling from the big tree. Phew. I am not ready for winter.…
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The beautiful rice of Valencia
I have been daydreaming about rice. Not any rice. The rice of Valencia: Arroces. Each grain infused with a most flavourful broth. It’s texture deliciously chewy. Every chance I had to choose a rice dish on a menu del día in Valencia, I did. Still, this did not satiate my appetite. It only made me want to eat more rice. Rice is a huge part of Valencian culture. The tradition starts in the rice fields on the outskirts of the city. I took a short bus ride, 10 km south of the city, to visit the Albufera Natural Park. The large park is home to wetlands, bird sanctuaries, beaches, sand…
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La Lonja and other sights in Valencia
I don’t write about politics. This blog is a happy place. Little did I know I would get a lesson on politics when I visited La Lonja de la Seda in the old quarter of Valencia. A lesson in the sense of a caution more than a teaching. I didn’t know what to expect when I stepped in the building my tour guide Valentin described as the “stock exchange of the silk trade”. That didn’t exactly stir my heart but he suggested the gothic landmark was worth a visit. In I went. La Lonja was striking, in a stark and medieval way. The high vaulted stone ceiling and the delicate…
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Las murallas de Mascarell
There are many towns and villages that make an easy day trip from Valencia. One that peaked my interest was Mascarell. A town entirely enclosed by walls (or murallas) and surrounded by: A moat. Well not exactly. There is no longer a moat. The moat was repurposed as irrigation ditches. So now this unique walled town is surrounded by: Orange groves. Even better. Mascarell is one of two completely walled towns in Spain. I am guessing it’s the only one completely surrounded by walls AND orange groves. To get to Mascarell, I travelled to Nules, which is about 45 minutes north by commuter train from Valencia. Mascarell is a hamlet…
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Go with love
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A Saturday in Valencia
During my week in Valencia I have seen many sights, old and new, toured markets and museums, visited nearby towns and nature parks. On this last day however, with no real plans, I spend the day in my neighborhood El Cabanyal. What does a relaxing Saturday in Valencia look like? I start with desayuno (breakfast) at the cafe close to my hotel. For the last time I watch the bright oranges, lined up on top of the juicer like a pinball machine, drop into the mechanism to be squeezed one by one. Orange juice is always made in the moment. Alongside my fresh juice, I have a cafe con leche…
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Valencia oranges and Dénia by the sea
During the winter at home I was eating Valencia oranges. Every time I got a new batch, I would proclaim with excitement, “Oranges from Valencia!” No doubt my family was tired of my repetitive announcements. I can’t help it. This juicy citrus is a delight in the midst of winter. And now, in Spain, I have seen where they originate. Fields and fields of orange trees! On my bus ride from Dénia to Valencia, for 2.5 hours, all I saw were orange groves. The flat expanse of land between the coast and the mountains was covered with rows and rows of orange trees. I did not spot many fruits hanging…
