Valencia2023: The beginning of the end of days...in Valencia

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 - Things are starting to wind down here. We leave for Firle on Saturday.

On Monday, I ran in the morning - back to my usual route, down to the Túria and back. In the afternoon, the sun came out. Karen, whose tender knee is not any better, suggested we head over to Central Park - an easy walk - to grab the late rays.

This time, I remembered to take my book. I’m reading, among other things, a book Karen gave me for Christmas, by Jason Webster. Webster wrote a series of detective stories set in Valencia, which we read the first couple of years we were here. He spent many years living in Spain, including in Valencia. This book, Duende: A Journey in Search of Flamenco, is a memoir of his early years in Spain, right after university, when he was trying to learn flamenco guitar. It’s very good. (Have I already mentioned this?)

We sat reading for 45 minutes, not unfortunately on one of the wooden benches with backs, but on a backless stone bench, which was not the most comfortable. Two prime benches in the sun were taken up with the coats and bags of a group of seniors involved in a fitness class, and the paraphernalia of an abuela out with her grandchild, who was playing nearby. How rude!

I dropped Karen at home and went back out around the neighbourhood on a fruitless search for birthday presents. I did go into a couple of shops I’d been wanting to explore, including an English book shop, Book Lovers Valencia, just off Gran Via on Calle de Sevilla.

A few things surprised me about it. First, it’s apparently run by a Spaniard, not an English expat, which I had assumed would be the case. His English was perfect, but you could hear the Spanish accent and he looked Spanish. It’s also more than half new books - I had thought it was all used. I was interested in the section devoted to “local authors.” It included a couple of translations of recent Spanish titles, but more books in English by English-sounding authors, presumably expats.

I also checked out a used record store a block or so from here, but found the selection disappointingly slim compared to London’s Grooves. And the prices, as in the UK, were quite a bit higher than we pay at home.

The other shop that tickled me was a very eccentric little place that appeared to be curated by the proprietor - who was just opening up after siesta when I arrived. The stock includes a wild mix of things, mostly art related, including artists’ supplies, artsy knick-knacks, stationery products, original paintings - I think, by the proprietor - and vintage clothes, mostly leather motorcycle jackets. Crazy.

Tuesday was International Caitlin Day, the day our darling was born. (Yes, yes, it’s also Valentine’s Day, but who cares about that?)

I ran in the morning, the usual route. We had a long-ish portal with the girl in the late morning, during which she showed us the very nice haul of prezzies she’d gotten from her family. And heard all the gossip and latest news about her podcast - she’s commissioned an artist to create an image of a haunted house that she’ll use at her site and on Facebook.

Tuesday was also restaurant day in Valencia. We decided in the end to wimp out and go back to one of the restaurants we tried early in our stay that we thought was phenomenally good value. It’s called Gepetto, in Rodrigo Botet square. The menu del dia is only €10 and includes starter, main and dessert or coffee. The first time we came, in the warm first week of our stay, we sat outside in the sun and thought the food was unbelievably good for the price.

The menu doesn’t change from week to week, so we ended up having the same stuff we had last time. The main was entrecote. The first time it was tender and tasty, perfectly cooked. This time, alas, it was so tough that even Karen - who likes “chewy” meat - gave up on it. Very disappointing. But the starters and dessert were good. We thought we remembered that first drinks were included, but they’re not. And they’re not cheap either. We had two each. So it ended up being a bit more expensive meal than we’d bargained for. Ah, well.

Shop selling fabric for Fallas costumes

Religious ornaments shop

Karen hobbled home on her own, while I struck off further into the centre, still on our gift-buying mission. (Karen was excused due to her ongoing mobility issues.) I immediately found myself in a very cool section of the city, between the Central Market and the main squares, some of which was new to me - either that or I’ve just forgotten it. Lots of cool little shops, where I did eventually find mission success.

Front of unidentified church (there are so many)

Back door of Renaissance-era Silk Exchange

"Your street art raises my rent" Huh?

It was an even more successful ramble from the point of view of photo subjects. I took a ridiculous number of the usual kinds of pictures, which I spent a good part of today processing.

High-end antique shop

A matched set

Tonight, I go to my second concert of the week in the University of Valencia free series - a clarinet trio accompanied by piano. I might head out a little early and explore some more of my new favourite part of the city. Meanwhile, here are a few more from yesterday's haul of photos.