Hemisfèric and Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain

Miracle of Life (& the pain of breaking out of your shell)

The City of the Arts and Sciences (CAC) is a futuristic installation on the eastern end of the Turia Gardens comprising of a few modern buildings dedicated - to the arts and the sciences. To reach there you could take a taxi or a bus, the nearest metro stop "Alameda" being a good 20-30 minutes' walk away. Or you could choose to stay at one of the hotels in the area like we did a few years ago. Since I chose to stay in the old city this time, we walked a good hour each way to visit the CAC. But it was a lovely walk through the Turia.

Bridges along the Turia

Palau de Musica

I bought our combined Oceanogràfic-Hemisfèric-Museo de las Ciencias tickets online and collected them from the CAC when we arrived. You have to choose the dates of your visits down to the time of your IMAX movie. We visited the 3 installations over 2 days and watched "Wild Oceans". The kids wanted to catch "Dinosaurs" too, but it was either that or the beach.

The new Agora (where they will hold the Valencia Open Tennis 500)

Science Museum and Arts Palace (on the right)

I love the way the modern buildings sat so serenely in the gardens. Somehow they were not a sore-eye nor too "loud". In this part of Spain they are good with modern architecture.

Hanging Gardens in the Umbracle

Arts palace and the Hemisfèric

IMAX Slide Projection

I especially love the Umbracle that houses a garden suspended in the air. It's just opposite the El Saler Shopping Mall and is next to the Hemisfèric.

Science Museum and Superheros Exhibition

The Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe is a small Science Museum that had, on our last visit, a few tennis courts with a view of the outside and an exhibition on Comic Superhero characters and their superpowers. There was also a small section for children modelled on the play area in the Cité des Sciences in Paris, but if you ask me it'll be better to do this in Paris itself.

Children's Play area

We arrived at 10:30 and were told to wait till 13:00 before the Babies could go in and play as before that it was reserved for school groups (not mentioned on their website). And at 13:00, they started telling us we couldn't go in till 15:00. I was ready to freak out and seek a refund at that point and finally they conceded and allowed the kids in to play for - 20 minutes! I was furious. Because I already knew from past visits that there was nothing much to see in this museum, but bought tickets anyway when I saw that they had this play area. The museum is otherwise below Singapore Science Centre standards. Just admire the building from the outside.

Umbracle and Hemisfèric at sunset

Spanish Albums

Hablame en la cama

I am listening now to a CD of Maria Jiménez (Hablame en la cama - Lo mejor de Maria Jimenez) that I bought at the El Corte Ingles in Valencia. I just have to write down that I love this Queen of the Flamenco. She is always pushing the limits of the flamenco, reinventing the style with her own interpretations of the music.

I was first introduced to her music by my Spanish teacher in Martos, Jaén. That was in 2001, when we were still using the peseta. Listening to music has always been one of the ways to learn a language. And feel the pulse of a culture.

Hub and I were newly married then and we rather fancied ourselves flamenco lovers, always trying to catch a performance wherever and whenever we could. Our most memorable was a professional performance in a theatre in Granada though the most comfortable were the ones we used to catch in some midnight bar in Sevilla nursing glasses of Sangria or Tinto de Verano in our palms as we watched some pretty girl dance to music strung on a guitar by some old man looking as if he was going to expire of some untold sorrow any moment soon.

Parte de mi

The other CD I bought was Rosario's Parte de Mi. I first saw Rosario Flores in Pedro Almodovar's Hablar con Ella. I couldn't forget her and when I walked past a music shop and saw a CD cover with a woman looking like her on it, I bought it immediately. It was her album Muchas Flores and it had won her a Latin Grammy for Best Female Pop Album. I loved almost every song in this album, her voice is a contrast to the tough character she played in the movie.

Flamenco fans may know that she is the youngest daughter of Lola Flores and comes from a family of musicians. This album Parte De Mi is a tribute to singers/songwriters that Rosario grew up listening to and who have given her good lifetime memories.

Hub would remind me that I didn't like living in Jaén. But I loved Spain. How could I explain that?

Water Paintings

A fish tank in the Oceanogràfic, Valencia

We couldn't use flash in the acquarium. And I don't either when I'm in a church or museum. Wish other people would respect that too. Would having a good picture be more important than disturbing the fishes or paintings or other visitors for that matter?

Jellyfish/Méduse

Japanese Spider Crab (can live up to 100 years)

Shark!

Anyway, thought some of the photos I took in the Oceanogràfic looked like water paintings. Eerie, blur, blue. The sharks looked like the sharks you see in cartoons, with their eerie smiles.

Another shark

Starfish

This is one of the nicer acquariums we've visited. The children enjoyed it very much.

Sunfish/Mola Mola (very eerie, looks like the Fiat Multipla)

Playa Las Arenas, Valencia

Playa Las Arenas

Those freezing away in Modena at this time of the year wouldn't be able to believe, of course, that we went to the beach one afternoon in Valencia. To my favourite Playa Las Arenas less than 30 minutes by bus (N°32) or metro from the hotel.

The Promenade

This is a stretch of fine sandy city beach that stretches. With hotels, restaurants, events and free showers lining it. It is not the main beach in Valencia, but it is the closest and the most accessible. And it is next to the port where they hold the America Cup. The promenade runs alongside Las Arenas and is known as the Paseo Marítimo. Here you can walk, jog or ride a bike on specially provided lanes. In the past we used to take a taxi to the Paseo Neptuno and eat at Restaurante La Pepica. Good seafood and paella dishes though if I remember correctly you wouldn't go there for ambiance as it was quite like a canteen in both decor and service.

Brave Kids

There was almost nobody the day we were there. We chose our spot and laid out the towels then the kids stripped down to their bathing suits and disappeared to the water's edge. The water was quite cold though the sun was shining (25°C), but after just a moment's hesitation the kids jumped into the sea and spent an hour or so building (tiny) sand castles with the miserable rake and 3 moulds I brought along.

I dig, you dig, we dug

For our late lunch we had sandwiches and fried chicken wings from Pan's. Would have preferred some gambas a la plancha, but none of the restaurants were open at 3pm. I really think it a pity that so many of Italy's beaches are private. I would rather fly to Valencia for the beach than drive to one of mainland Italy's. Surely it is a right for all to have access to a free beach.

Today's Lunch

Coriander and Citrus Chicken

I revisited the Coriander and Citrus Chicken today. Ingredients remained the same, but I used chicken breasts instead and only marinated them for an hour. Those fresh coriander leaves I bought in London are still crisp and fresh 2 weeks down the road...

But like I've said before, the result may still differ from the last time since for some reason I may not do things the same way. The sauce was darker and thicker today. No, I didn't use dark soy sauce. I simply let the chicken pieces caramelise before adding in the stock and the sauce turned out naturally darker. And I used less stock and a tsp more corn starch.

Thai Pineapple Rice

Served it with Thai Pineapple Rice with the last of my Lim Chee Guan Chinese sausages.

Hub finally finished assembling the Ikea wardrobe. Hopefully this would mean the end of hearing him grumble about backaches, my lack of sense of mechanics and no better ways of spending his weekends.

Meanwhile I'm a zombie as I went to bed after midnight yesterday. Brought the kids to Opla for a Halloween party with the Koturs and the Boyetts. We were the last to leave - as usual.

A Few Monuments in Valencia, Spain

Mercado Central, Valencia

Moving around with 3 children is never easy and many wondered why I was mad enough to do so in another country. But if I don't travel with them I will never get to travel - unless I wait till I'm 60 and maybe too arthritic to move around. Besides, it is a pleasure to share with my children a few of the things that make me enjoy travelling e.g. different sights, smells, sounds...And funny enough, it was easier to make them take their bath and do homework when we were stuck in a hotel room with no other distractions.

S. Catalina

And Valencia is an easy city to move around without husband or car. If you can't walk, take a bus or ride in the metro to reach your destination, take a taxi. I've done so in the past and they were reasonably-priced for Europe. If you're very fit, you could try cycling in Valencia as the Turia riverbed goes from west to east covering almost all of the city.

Mercado Central and surroundings

We walked to the Mercado Central - a modernist masterpiece designed in 1914 and open Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 14:30. Inside it is bright and airy and has stalls selling fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cured meats and chorizos etc etc. Beautiful. The other 2 markets I love in Valencia are the Plaza Redonda selling mainly textiles and ceramics and the Mercado de Colon - another piece of beautiful modernist architecture that was recently restored.

Lonja de la Seda

Opposite the Mercado Central you have a Unesco World Heritage monument known as Lonja de la Seda or The Silk Market. A civil Gothic masterpiece whose construction started in 1483, it contains four main parts, each one for a different use: the main Tower, the Consulado del Mar room, the Patio de los Naranjos (Orange tree courtyard), and the Contracts Room (with many spiral columns).

Iglesia de los Santos Juanes

Next to the Mercado Central, you have the Iglesia de los Santos Juanes, one of the oldest in Valencia. From there we walked to the Plaza de la Virgen - once the forum of Roman Valencia. There you have a few impressive buildings one of which is La Catedral. Each of the three gates of the Cathedral has a diferent style: Iron Gate (Baroque), the Apostles Gate (Gothic) and the Palace Gate (Romanesque). From the bell tower El Miguelete you can enjoy some amazing views.

La Catedral

I marched the children further and we arrived at the Torres de Serranos : the largest Gothic city gateway in Europe, constructed at the end of the 14th century as part of the city's fortifications. They provisionally housed prison cells and served as a triumphal arch on many festive and solemn occasions. There we settled on one of the banks of the Turia river and ate our lunch, admiring the buildings on the opposite bank.

Torres de Serranos

Then we walked to one of my favourite "monuments" El Corte Ingles, the ubiquitous Spanish department store where I would go everyday when I was there : Jamon de Bellota at 100 euros a kg, English Cheddar cheese, pastries and cakes, perfumes, shoes, bags, clothes etc etc.

Plaza de Toros

Near the RENFE station (itself quite a beauty) there is the Plaza de Toros - always one in every city in Spain. If you're not a fan of the corrida (bull fight), you can still catch concerts, circuses and exhibitions in the ring. They will be having their first Feria Gastronomica in 2 weeks - pity I couldn't be there.

Convento Santo Domingo

Puerta del Mar

Those kids, they complained but they walked. Of course I had to dangle a few carrots before them now and then, threaten them with a few horrors or remind them that they may never see me again if they simply didn't catch up with their mother. One day we will walk the Turia Garden from West to East. One day.