¡ValenciaMan in Valencia!
MadridMan (ValenciaMan), I hope you have a great tour to Valencia this week. I went there many years ago for Las Fallas, which was a fantastic experience that I'll never forget. You won't be there to see any of the festivities, but I'm sure the city will be buzzing with excitement. I saw two interesting web sites about Las Fallas:
www.fallas.com and
www.fallasfromvalencia.com I remember how wonderful the weather was in March and how lovely the entire city smelled since it smelled of oranges! And, I had some delicious paella there.
¡Espero que te pases bien!
Posted by: admiral44
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/02/07 07:50 AM
Can anyone provide some more info about Las Fallas? I'm particularly interested in things like how far in advance accomodations should be reserved, are there any particular parades or displays that are must-sees, and anything to stay away from.
Thanks for those links, by the way, the pages are fantastic!
Admiral44
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/02/07 02:55 PM
The
Alicante WebCam is live for the next hour or so until I leave for dinner. The tower you see in the upper part is one of the two around the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
Weather's great here in Alicante (Alicante CITY is in the Community of Valencia. Confused?). Read all about it @
http://www.ValenciaMan.com .
Saludos, MadridMan/ValenciaMan
Posted by: pedmar
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/03/07 01:05 PM
great congratulations for the site Valencia is close. My mom's aunt (about 80 now) still lives at El Saler just south best paella in the world!!!
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/03/07 01:19 PM
Now back at the hostel to rest my feet and write in
the journal . Tomorrow morning, early, I leave for Benidorm! :jump:
Saludos, MadridMan/
ValenciaMan 
Posted by: pedmar
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/04/07 09:22 AM
oh you...devil!! great shot!!! thanks
and great reporting; I enjoy them all. Especially that dish with the brown rice; oh so many memories of the past....
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/07/07 05:13 AM
FINALLY got internet access after 3 days without. Ugh. Just updated
The Journal and with more photos.
Saludos, ValenciaMan/MadridMan
Hello MadridMan:
Don't miss the horchata (orxata in valenciano), a sweet drink made of tiger nuts juice (you have to go to a horchatería, beside the Tower of Santa Catalina you have a good one.
I red that you ate "clotxines"(mushels) at Casa Pilar, nice place, a classic.
Try the patatas bravas there (a bit different to Madrid ones).
The "sepía (cuttlefish) a la plancha" is also very tipical in Valencia, and the "tellinas" (a tipe of clams).
Try "esgarraet" (a salad made of dried codfish and roast red pepper). Also very tipical are the "albóndigas de bacalao".
In some places you can eat different fried vegetables as tapas, like artichokes, couliflower or aubergine.
Oh, don't miss the "blanc i negre" (sandwich of sausage and morcilla).
You can eat rice prepared in many different ways, not only paella (there are several types of them). I specially love "arṛs al forn" (roast rice).
Did you see the mascletà yet? Isn't it crazy? You simply love it or hate it. The mascletà are fireworks shot at 2 p.m. that only make noise, no colors. They last only 7 or 8 minutes. They are like a percussion concert, it has a rythm carefully studied.
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/07/07 05:54 PM
Hi Valenciano_en_Madrid!
Haven't seen the mascletà yet, no, but I saw them preparing them a couple days - and CERTAINLY HEARD THEM everyday at 2pm. Wow! They go on for 5 minutes!! Tell me quick. Tomorrow's/Thursday's my last full day (and the morning on Friday). Today I was about 6 blocks away and they were still very very loud!
Today I had fideua for lunch at Ca'n Bernell. I'll post that, today's entry sometime tomorrow night probably. I'm tired and going to bed now. Just came back from La Pepica on the Playa Les Arenas - Hemingway ate there!
He really did!
Saludos, ValenciaMan/MadridMan
Hi MadridMan:
To see the mascletà you have to be at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento at least 10 min. before 2 p.m. to catch a place. The atmosphere is great, people get very excited. It last 6 or 7 minutes, in Fallas a bit longer but less than 10 min.
Fideuà it's ok but I prefer real paella.
Well, La Pepica is very popular but not the best restaurant in Valencia. Sorry, I don't know if Hemmingway ate there.
I know some places to eat.
Some of the best restaurants in Valencia are "Riff", "Albacar" or "Ca Sento". The problem is that they are expensive.
I had great tapas last sunday at restaurant Las Cuevas Calle Samaniego 9, near Plaza de la Virgen.
This restaurant is very good and not expensive, they serve a special "menu de degustación". You have to make a reservation.
CLICK HERE .
I would like to post some pics here but I don't know how to do it, if I am allowed to do it, of course.
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/08/07 04:01 AM
Valenciano_en_Madrid, thanks for the input!!
To post photos you have to first have them hosted on a server. Then, you need the direct URL to those photos. Next, you have to use the "Full Reply Form" text editor and click the "IMAGE" button and include the URL there.
Sunny but VERY VERY VERY windy here in Valencia - and throughout Spain.
Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: billy the man
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/08/07 04:21 AM
valenciano hi
if you go to photobucket on google sign up (its free)and follow the simple instructions and away you go, im not great on the computer but even i can do it.
look forward to some great pictures good luck
Posted by: Bill from NYC
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/08/07 08:54 AM
MadridMan
Enjoy reading your journal of your visit last night.
You should really think about doing more writing of your time in Spain. Does not have to be daily, could be weekly or monthly journal. I would read it and I think others would be also interested.
It would create more interest for MM.
Bill
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/08/07 06:19 PM
The ValenciaMan Journal has just been updated - plus photos - for the last two days.
Tomorrow's my last day here in La Comunidad de Valencia!
Think I'll get up early and take a walk on the beach. My train leaves for Madrid at 2pm. I'll post one more entry sometime Saturday for my last day (Friday) in Valencia.
Bill from NYC, your idea of a regular-ish journal/blog. Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind.
Most of my writings usually come in the form of postings here on the message board. And, of course, there are all the other, older
MadridMan Journals from past trips to and around Spain.
Saludos, ValenciaMan/MadridMan
Posted by: laduque
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/08/07 06:21 PM
MM, I enjoyed reading your ValenciaMan entries..I really like Valencia and would like to explore it more. Last year we went to the L'Ocean...., you know, Europe's largest aquarium.
I thought it was amazing.
Your writing about climbing the "miguelito" brought back a memory. I too climbed the tower, but started to hyperventilate towards the top and had to descend for fear of passing out! I had my first panic attack in that tower.. Turns out, my hubby told me, I only had about 20 more stairs to reach the view. I can't believe I'd made it that far and just turned back. I wish I would have seen the views.Glad you enjoyed it!
Posted by: billy the man
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/09/07 02:47 AM
great photos valenciano keep them coming
Posted by: pedmar
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/09/07 05:32 AM
MM and Valenciano thanks for the photos.
MM glad you like El pilar, and beautiful photos of Valencia,and great write up.
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/10/07 07:56 AM
JUST updated
the ValenciaMan.com journal with the final entry.
Hope you enjoyed your/my stroll through La Comunidad de Valencia! Can't wait to return.
Saludos,
ValenciaMan /MadridMan
Posted by: billy the man
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/12/07 09:32 AM
(Valenciano looks like you sorted the problem with more than 8no pictures) Photos are great, especially the narrow alleyways and streets. Typical Spain to me. Keep them coming.
Fantastic journal of your travels MM. Makes you want/need to book your holidays now but i'll have to wait. Benidorm in May. Benalmadene in August. Miles away yet.
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/12/07 04:02 PM
I just ran the spell-checker through
the Valencia journal , and wow, there were DOZENS of silly typos, most of which lacked a letter or two. Just typing too fast on a smaller-than-usual laptop keyboard. I must have written
buidling about 5 times!
Thanks, everyone, for reading and going to La Comunidad de Valencia with me!!!!
Saludos, ValenciaMan/MadridMan/and-on-and-on...
Posted by: carlos11
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/12/07 05:02 PM
MM,
The reason why no one said anything about your typo's is we all know you're from Ohio State...
DUH!
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/12/07 07:49 PM
Spoken like a true disgruntled Miami Hurricane (ahem! 2002!), carlos11.
MY TEAM JUST won the Big10 in basketball, don'tcha know? And that came shortly after my FOOTBALL team won the Big10. Tat shood say more then all I's can put on this here paige.
:p
GO BUCKS!
Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: carlos11
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/12/07 10:38 PM
Posted by: admiral44
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/13/07 11:57 AM
Valenciano en Madrid,
Many thanks for those Valencia photos. The more the merrier, perhaps on another thread. Nice subjects, great quality. Please, more food pictures.
El Almirante de la Flota que Sundio
Posted by: Bill from NYC
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/13/07 01:18 PM
JUST updated the ValenciaMan.com journal with the final entry.
Hope you enjoyed your/my stroll through La Comunidad de Valencia! Can't wait to return.
I did enjoy your travel tales but it seem a short trip.
Looks like I going to have to go to Valencia myself.
Bill
Admiral,
Thank you very much for that nice compliment.
I took those pics last Sunday the fourth, it was a very sunny and warm day, and the light was perfect.
The pictures were taken by my pocket size digital camera, only 6 megapixels, not very high quality.
Tomorrow the 14th the hugh festival of Las Fallas will start. I will be in Valencia City again for the weekend and I will take some new photos of the fiesta.
Bye
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/14/07 09:45 AM
Valenciano_en_Madrid, DUDE! Why didn't you tell me you were going to be in Valencia on Sunday March 4th?! I arrived on Monday the 5th but maybe you'd already returned to Madrid by then.
We look forward to your Las Fallas photos with direct links. Those are great!
By the way, a few weeks ago I bought a new 7.2 megapixels camera before my Valencia trip but never shoot anything over 3mp because they're all for web-use. For web shots, 2mp is about the maximum necessary unless they're for a "glossy" online magazine maybe or professional photo layout.
Saludos, MadridMan
Thank you MadridMan,
On March 5th I was back in Madrid.
I'll try to take some pics of las Fallas, if the beers let me take them.
Saludos
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/14/07 10:02 PM
MadridMan,I greatly enjoyed reading about your trip to this wonderful region of Spain.The photos were absolutely wonderful and looking at the "Croquetas de Bacalao" and the "Paella with Rabbit and Chicken" dishes was mouthwatering to say the least.Thank you for continuing to be our eyes to this incredible country of Spain in which every region seems to be full of pleasant surprises.
Valenciano in Madrid,your photos were awesome too.Great job and thanks for sharing them with us
Posted by: breanne1884
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/18/07 02:55 PM
Everyone is making me "homesick"! I lived in Valencia for 5 months last year from January to May and I miss it so much! Checking out all of the pictures and the journal makes me feel like I'm back there again and how I wish I was (thank goodness I'm going back in May!). Fallas was one crazy party and although I preferred my relatively peaceful city on the sea it was a fun time and the artistic talent of the falleros is well... impresionante. I can't wait to get back and have some of that wonderful Valencian paella (in my opinion the valencianos are the only ones who know how to do it right). Also, I miss that Spanish sun... living in Cleveland is just not the same. Thanks for inspiring me to think of those wonderful memories.
p.s. Keep up the great updates!
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/21/07 06:13 AM
Valencian_en_Madrid: Please post the direct link to each photo. Sorry! We don't allow users to post links to their websites - only in their signature file. That's the policy here. I've just sent you a Private Message with more details/comments/explanation.
Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: billy the man
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/22/07 10:23 AM
great shots valenciano
have you got some of the festival to show us?
Posted by: billy the man
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/23/07 08:26 AM
excellant photos valenciano
never been to valencia but it gives you the feel of having been
Posted by: la historiadora
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/29/07 10:46 PM
Thought you might like to know that the April 2007 issue of Condé Nast Traveler has a short article about Valencia. The author described Valencia as "Think a mini-Barcelona with a jolt of wonderfully manic Madrid." Not sure what the Valencianos would think of that, but there it is.
Among the main sites listed as must-sees, the author recommends: the City of Arts and Sciences (of which you have a lovely photo in your travel log, MM), Valencia Institute of Modern Art, La Lonja de la Seda (a World Heritage site), the Mercado Central (another of MM's photos), and the Estación del Norte.
I'll put the restaurant suggestions in the Food, Drink and Entertainment Forum with the other ones I wrote about earlier.
Posted by: billy the man
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 03/30/07 04:16 AM
just looking at your firework photos valenciano very good quality
we have a world championship firework display on southport prom every october over the weekend, it is very well attended and the fireworks are fantastic, when i take photos of the fireworks they never come out as well as yours
well done
Posted by: la historiadora
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 04/03/07 11:29 PM
Great photos, Valenciano_en_Madrid! I was hoping that you would post them soon, and I thought perhaps you had forgotten about them. ¡Mil gracias!
Posted by: billy the man
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 04/04/07 03:32 PM
well valenciano you are certainly not boring me with the pictures keep em coming
its great to share your photos with others especialy on something loads of people may never get to see in their lives.
its fantastic to see the pictures of other peoples/nationalities festivals, they always seem to fall when it is not our holidays. but in sayiny that i ve seen the three kings festival in barcelona and madrid and they were spectacular. thank you
Posted by: Rob in Madrid
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 05/05/07 09:42 AM
We're off to Valencia this weekend for 3-4 days driving down. Leaving Thursday around lunch, hoping to beat the Friday long weekend rush. We're bringing our dog so we were a bit limited on where to stay but we did manage to find a cheap place outside the main city that accepts dogs (Ibis if your wondering). We'll drive to the closest metro renfe stop and go in that way.
Main reason for taking car over the train is we’d really like to explore the surrounding area, checking out the tourism website seems Valencia has mountains, any suggestions of what/where to see?
Thanks Rob
My advice if you are going to stay only 3 or 4 for days is to visit the city of Valencia, it has a lot to see.
Visit the port of Valencia at night, it's great to have a drink and at midnight the play a light show.
port By this time of the year the paddy fields are green, don't miss them. Go to eat rice to El Palmar. From El Palmar drive to Sollana, and then to Sueca and Cullera, to enjoy the rice plantations landscapes.
You can eat at restaurant Racó de l'Olla in El Palmar.
www.racodelolla.com Take a boat at la Gola del Pujol (El Saler) to see the Albufera sunset, don't forget your camera.
Albufera It is also time for the beach. Go to the south, Cullera, Gandia, Denia.
You can eat a delicious paella in restaurant Casa Salvador and after that have a wonderful bath in the beach, 100 mt. from the restaurant. Call for a reservation, ask for a table at the terrace.
http://www.casasalvador.com/ Valencian mountains are not high but if you want to see beautyful landscapes go to Játiva (Xàtiva in valencian language), Mogente (Moixent), Onteniente (Ontinyent), Bocairente (Bocairent) and Alcoy.
Have fun
Posted by: pedmar
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 05/05/07 01:08 PM
Take a boat at la Gola del Pujol (El Saler) to see the Albufera sunset, don't forget your camera.
Albufera
the above is marvelous, i will try to stop by in september and visit my old aunt in El Saler(la pobre ya con 85)
The
America\'s Cup is ready to start in a few days time. But what will happen with the Marina after the event finishes?
The Valencia City Council has signed a contract with Bernie Ecclestone to host the
European Grand Prix of Formula One on an urban circuit in 2008. The
America\'s Cup Marina and
the City of Arts and Sciences will be part of the new urban circuit.
Apart from sports events others are worth to mention here like the new branch of the
Berklee College of Music of Boston opening in 2010. This will be the first
Berklee branch openning out of the USA. It will be housed in a new building called "Torre de la Musica" or "Berklee Tower" designed by the architect
Anton Garcia Abril Everywhere in Valencia you can see new restaurants, bars, shops opening. Here you have for example the new
Mercado de Fuencarral , a branch of the famous market in Chueca in Madrid, opening in spring of 2008.
Another interesting place is
Heineken Greenspace . A place for music concerts and arts.
Posted by: pingado
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 06/11/07 09:13 AM
Glad you liked Valencia, its fantastic, I came here and I stayed.
A couple of posters wante more info on Las Fallas
This page is very comprehensive:
WebSite link removed by MadridMan as a matter of the no-advertising policy
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 06/11/07 03:13 PM
pingado, Welcome to our ALL SPAIN Message Board!
Your signature file link is fine. But you may not post a link to your own website in the body of your postings. This violates the "NO ADVERTISING" policy stated on the message board's front page.
STRICT POLICY: We allow NO ADVERTISEMENTS or self-promotions of products, websites, or services. You may, however, place a link & description in the signature file of your "my profile" and then participate in normal, non-promotional discussions.
Thank you for your understanding. Please continue to post information about Valencia, Spain, or anything on our message board. We truly welcome informed sources!!!
As you participate in non-self-promotional discussions, people can then see and choose to click your signature file's link.
If you'd like to post information about Las Fallas, feel free to copy/paste it here.
Thanks for your understanding and participation.
Saludos, MadridMan/
ValenciaMan
Theese are the recently renovated Torres de Quart (Towers of Quart). They were one of the gates of the medieval wall that sorrounded and protected the city. They were built betwen 1441 and 1470 in gothic style imitating the Castell Nuovo in Naples (Italy) by that time an Aragonese colony.
The holes that you can see in the pictures were made by the French troops of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1808 during the Independence Spanish War.
Front of Torres de Quart back side Holes
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 06/11/07 06:23 PM
So the renovations of Torres de Quart are complete? When I was there in March they were already partially covered by scaffolding for the renovations. Very scenic.
Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: pingado
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 06/19/07 11:37 PM
Thanks for the welcome, MadridMan
apologies, if my post appeared promotional. i can assure you it wasnt (i simply dont have anything to advertise, im not in any commercial activity) and there was no agenda there apart from providing admiral44 with a resource he asked for. It just so happend that my info on Las Fallas is the best :-) otherwise id post a link to another site. Its just sometimes the inquiry is very general (like above) and it is unrealistic to transfer 30 pages of content onto a forum, neither would it be welcome.
Anyway, thanks for the welcome again, I will keep looking if i can help anyone, and if i can be of assistance on valencia to you, dont hesitate to get in touch
Posted by: MadridMan
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 06/20/07 04:33 AM
Welcome back, pingado! I'm sure you didn't mean to promote or advertise intentially. Next time you have information which is included on your site, please simply copy/paste it here in the forum or, in cases of too-much-information, just copy/paste the relative parts. You cannot "re-direct" members to your website for any reason. You can give URLs to OTHER people's/company's websites which are not yours or affiliated with yours though but I usually am quite careful about following up and looking for affiliations. Trust me. I've seen it ALLLL before.
I'm sure if anyone has further questions about Valencia they'll be quick to post their questions here so that you can reply here. We want more interactions and information posted about Valencia, Barcelona, Seville, and all the other cities in Spain.
Saludos,
ValenciaMan /MadridMan
Next October the 14th is the 50th aniversary of the most terrible floods ever happened in Spain, that inundated the entire city of Valencia and its sorroundings.
In October the 13th of 1957 it rained the whole day. The 300mm precipation was about two thirds of the average rain in the area for the whole year.
The following night the very very small river Turia (average 14m3/second) was 3800m3/second (130,610ft3/second), wich is 6,5 times bigger than River Hudson in New York Bay or 50% more flow than River Danube in Budapest.
The waters reached the second floor in some parts of the city, destroying some bridges and many buildings, causing a great disaster. After the floods went the mud covered completely the city.
This is a common phenomenon every year in the Spanish Mediterranean coasts. It is called the "gota fría" and it happens when the Mediterranean waters reaches its highest temperatures of the year. Then huge storms enter the land and it rains very heavily.
47 big floods were registered in Valencia City betwen 1321 and 1957. When Romans founded the city the 138 b.c. had already reported floods.
Photo gallery from Levante newspaper Interesting article written by a historian
Posted by: Puna
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 10/10/07 09:32 AM
Damian - Great historical photos - hard to believe Valencia was ever that much under water/mud - and also that rural!
Thanks for unearthing the photos -
Thanks Puna.
You are right, looking at the pics you realize how rural the city was. In fact all Spain was that rural. In 1957 Valencia was the third biggest city in Spain (according to officials) and also one of the most industrialized areas in the whole country.
So you can imagine the rest of the nation.
In that time many country small villages didn't have sewer systems, electricity, telephones, etc, specially in the north or in the mountains.
TV emissions started in 1957 only in the big cities.
My father, who is from a small village in central Spain was a farmer. In that region all the farming work was made by hand, any machines. My father himself was a harvester man since he was a teenager. People used a sickle to cut the cereals from sunrise to sunset under the summer burning sun of "La Mancha".
Well I could tell dozens of examples but I don't want to bore you.
Saludos
Posted by: Puna
Re: ¡ValenciaMan in Valencia! - 10/11/07 01:03 PM
You (your posts) are never boring!