10-15 Valencia with Niece

 The rest of our time here in El Campello is filled with visitors.  We spent last weekend in Valencia with Granddaughter Jojo.  Then on Monday we picked up our niece from the train station in Alicante.  Renee Michelle now lives in Madrid and took the train to Alicante to spend some time with us.   Then next week we will entertain two more granddaughters here.  I will abbreviate Renee Michelle to RM to save time.

RM arrived in Alicante on Monday around 4:30pm.  We had driven up from El Campello because it is faster than taking the tram which goes through El Campello and all the way up to Benidorm.  We stopped in Sant Joan at the Carrefour to pick up food for the week and make sure we had some things she liked.  We walked to the seaside to have pizza at a restaurant we had been to in 2023 - it was pretty good.

Our plans changed for Tuesday, as it turned out to be a local El Campello holiday celebrating some church in town.  All the grocery stores were closed so we decided to go to Alicante and stop once again at the Carrefour on the way back.

We parked near the port and walked a ways along the sea front.  We thought we would take the elevator up to the castle.  

We could have crossed the road by walking over this cool walking bridge - but it was a distance away.  So we used the crossing lane and when we arrived we could see the line was very long for the elevator.  RM was not keen on the castle and we have been twice.  Also the skies were very overcast - not good for photos.   So we decided to walk to the Old Town.

We past these beer barrels.

An eclectic store window.  A monkey, Madonna and child, fertility goddess, skull etc.

A church we have seen before, but did not go in as there was a wedding in 2023.  This time we decided to forego the visit as we have seen so many baroque churches and there was a 6E fee each.

This is the first time I have pulled out the fisheye lens on this trip.  Time to have some fun!

We stopped at a cafe nearby for a refreshing beverage.

Both Michael and I got this soda.  Guarana is a rain forest fruit popular in Brazil.  It is very high in Caffeine.  Of course I did not know this when I got it.  I like to think it gave me a lot of energy.

Street with cafe's.

We had to take RM to the famous walkway of Alicante.  When I first walked on it I kept thinking I needed to step up and down - it feels very realistic when you are on it.

Art work close to the port and where we parked.  Four different faces - one on each side.

We didn't stay in Alicante long as the plan was to still cook today.  We stopped at Carrefour for a few more ingredients.  Tuesday night the menu was fancy mac and cheese and salad.

10-11 Valencia - The City Experience

Michael and I drove to Valencia to visit our granddaughter who has just started her freshman year of college there.  She wouldn't get home from her last class until about 6pm - so we planned to arrive just a little after that to pick her up.  This is one of those experiences where you say to yourself - We should have known it would be like this!  Because there is no parking near Jojo's apartment building.  We double park at the beginning of the block and call her to tell her where we are.  No time for hugs - we need to get out of there.  So she jumps into the backseat and we drive on to our Airbnb.

Our Airbnb host had assured us that there was parking available near the apartment building.  Ah, but it is Friday night!  There is no parking anywhere.  Cars are parked at weird angles in the small parking lot provided - some are even double parked.  the house cleaner comes down to let us into the apartment, she speaks only Spanish.  She indicates that we can not leave the car there.  When asked where we should park (using google translate), she just shrugs her shoulders.  She insists the car must be moved immediately.  So Jojo and I grab all of the luggage and follow her into the apartment building while Michael sets upon his quest of finding a parking space.  

The housekeeper shows us up to our apartment - no 33 on the 9th floor and starts to leave.  I say - please give me the WIFI information.  She points to a paper taped to the kitchen wall, but then indicates that it doesn't work.  She points to the router in one of the bedrooms and we are able to see the name and password on the bottom.  She quickly leaves before I can ask anything else.  

Jojo settles on the couch, but I am concerned about where Michael and the car are.  He has been driving around for quite some time now.  I can see a fairly large parking lot out the living room window - This is in the back of the apartment building.  It is really busy, but every few minutes someone leaves and some lucky soul who has been driving around and around the parking lot gets to park his car.  We are right next to the City of Arts and Sciences.  I am not sure if this parking lot is part of that complex or just a neighborhood parking lot.  There are many apartment buildings around us.  I text Michael about the parking lot - but he is driving - and also using his phone as a GPS so can't answer me.  I finally call Michael - he decides that since he is in the City of Arts and Sciences complex, he will park in one of its underground parking lots and walk back.  We will worry about the car later.

After Michael relaxes for a bit, we head out for dinner. So much time has passed that the restaurants are now opening.  Jojo has found a Bolivian/Spanish restaurant nearby that sounds interesting.  We stop at a grocery store to buy bread and ham for breakfast and then walk to the restaurant.  

This was my dish - Bolivian I believe.  From the description it sounded like beef and sausage with chips.  I did not know that it would come out like this.  The fries are at the bottom soaked in sauce.  The beef strips and small cuts of hot dog are tasty.  The eggs are good and all the vegetables are fresh and uncooked.  There are several problems for me with this dish.  Tomatoes and raw onions do not agree with me and I hate soggy fries.  It makes no sense to me to fry food item up nice and crispy and then soak it in liquid!  

Michael had gotten a dish which had very tender flavorful beef and fries on the side.  He offered to switch - but we ended up sharing and all was good.  Jojo ended up with porkchops and fries.  I don't think she liked the meat - it was cut very thin and overcooked.  

After filling our bellies we walked back to the Airbnb.  In all the confusion of no parking and getting into the apartment I thought I knew which building we were in.  There are three buildings in our little complex - and all of them look exactly alike.  After you go through the door - the steps are straight in front of you - there is a ramp on the right leading to the elevator.  Someone is just leaving the building and holds the front door open for us.  We go up to the 9th floor and head for apartment 33.  The key does not work.  I try several times with each of the two keys - nothing.  Suddenly the door opens and a young Spanish man steps out.  The three of us are so surprised.  He speaks in Spanish at first - until he realizes we don't understand it and switches to English.  We quickly figure out we are in the wrong building!  But he is so nice and asks us where we are from and we chat for a bit.  This could have gone so wrong!  For the most part I would say our experiences with the Spanish people have been very positive.

10-12 Valencia and Jojo

Saturday morning Michael and I eat our stale bread with ham.  Jojo doesn't eat until about 3pm and didn't want any.  After that we set off to the metro.  Michael bought a refillable card and put enough on it for a couple of rides for all three of us.

We got off at the Old Town stop and began to explore.

How many times can you paste on another notice on top of the others before this happens?

 We made it to the main square.

As there was in 2023, there are a lot of people dressed up as characters.  This guy took off his costume to talk to someone.  Letting me see the canister forcing air into the enclosed costume to make it very big.

Jojo was attracted to the gorilla.

Michael gave her some change to give to him.

The gorilla immediately wrapped her in a hug!

The central market is almost completely fresh fruits and vegetables and meats.  There are also some deli stands.  We are getting hungry. The one paella stand is still there - but when we had it in 2023 it was not very good - so we passed it by.

There was a photo exhibit in this building, but it looked closed.

On our way to the cathedral.

Still more characters here!

There is an ice cream flavor here called Kinder.  We had a running joke that it was German and was made of children.  Actually it is a brand name.

We wandered past another church.

Trees with interesting trunks.

We walked past the Colon Market.  There was a lot more prepared food here.  It looked like all the tables were full.  Next time we will come here.

We stopped at the HAK cafe for snacks.  They did not have Coke here - but did have something called fritz kola, also with zero sugar.  I ordered chocolate cake - and got a chocolate croissant!

Michael got avocado toast which he enjoyed with his vermouth.

Jojo got water - still too early to eat!  She liked the glass bottle and wanted to take it home for a vase.

We are walking back to our Airbnb - through a park and then onto the City of Arts and Science.

We rested a bit in our apartment and then walked on to Jojo's apartment.  Our apartment is located between metro stops - so not close to any one of them.  We walked again - we are so tired and our legs ache - next time we will plan better!  We gave the metro card to Jojo to use.

She has a bedroom and bathroom to herself.  She shares the kitchen and living room with four other roommates.  One of the roommates, Gabby, was cooking when we got there which inspired Michael to decide to teach Jojo how to make chicken fricassee.  This resulted in another walk - to get all the ingredients needed.  But it is yet another Spanish holiday and the usual grocery stores are closed.  Jojo decides to try the Indian grocery store - The Taj Mahal Raja SL - as a last resort before we abort the project.  Low and behold - it is open and has everything needed.  While Jojo and Michael are cooking I researched restaurants nearby.  Jojo really wants to find a restaurant close by that serves Spanish food.  She lives in a very International district - you can find any kind of restaurant you can possibly desire.  I find a Spanish restaurant - Flir de Valencia - that specializes in paella.  

Jojo and Michael are going to share a meat and mushroom paella.  I order fish with vegetable stew.  They tell us it will take 40 to 60 minutes or more to make the paella.  So we order multiple appetizers.  Jojo gets the classic toast with aioli and tomato topping.

Michael gets anchovies.  They are served in the tin.   It wasn't until we got the bill that we saw they cost more than everything else did.  Those eight anchovies cost 24E!

We also got this Valencia salad with tuna.  It was delicious!

I got cheese and ham croquettes.  

And here is the master piece!  It is a very thin layer - so there is lots of crispy rice on the bottom.

My grilled fish with vegetable stew.  It tastes like ratatouille.  Yum - more tomatoes.  I scaped it off and enjoyed the fish!  I also tasted the paella - so don't worry I had plenty to eat and am very full - we all are!  But all of it was delicious!  Jojo will be taking her father here when he comes end of October.

We walk back to Jojo's apartment and say goodbye to Jojo.  We grab an Uber back to the Airbnb.  

In the morning we discover that the elevator is not working.  Or maybe someone is holding it on the 11th floor as that is where it is stuck when we get to the bottom floor!  We end up having to walk down 9 flights of stairs!  Our drive home to El Campello is uneventful!