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#52 A city of modernity and antiquity

Imechapishwa: 19.01.2022

January 15-16, 2022: Valencia


F. Valencia used to have a river flowing through it, but it has been nonexistent for many years. However, the riverbed is not built over, but instead houses an endlessly long park that is over 9 km long. The park is usually about 150 meters wide and features numerous meadows, skate parks, playgrounds, soccer fields, running tracks, and bike paths. On Saturday afternoon, we walked through the park and passed by various children's birthday parties with colorful balloons as decorations.

Part of the 9km long park
Part of the 9km long park

Furthermore, in the park since 1998, there is a city of arts and sciences. It is the work of architect Santiago Calatrava and consists of several buildings that have become symbols of the city. There is an opera house, a science museum, the largest aquarium in Europe, a large partially covered garden, and a huge event venue. The abundant water around the buildings makes the night views particularly beautiful.

Foreground: Planetarium, background: Science Museum, far back: Event venue
Foreground: Planetarium, background: Science Museum, far back: Event venue
The opera
The opera
The opera
Science Museum
Science Museum
Some say the various buildings resemble a fish
Some say the various buildings resemble a fish
Science Museum
Science Museum
The opera with bridge
The opera with bridge
The opera
The opera

But the old town of Valencia is also very beautiful. Here, there are numerous narrow streets and churches. The old silk exchange is the old emblem of Valencia and offers a lot of history to experience. I cannot recommend the audio guide, as it does not focus on the history of the building or the city, but rather on the architecture.

Silk exchange
Silk exchange
Inside the silk exchange
Inside the silk exchange
Most photographed sculpture in the silk exchange: Witch with a cat and Devil with a pump bellows (poor cat!)
Most photographed sculpture in the silk exchange: Witch with a cat and Devil with a pump bellows (poor cat!)

The huge market was recommended to us by several people, but it was closed when we were in Valencia. So we walked to the Torres de Serranos instead. A beautiful and well-restored city gate from the Middle Ages. It is one of the 12 former city gates of the city and offers a wonderful view over the entire city.

Market hall
Market hall
Torres de Serranos from outside the former city wall
Torres de Serranos from outside the former city wall
Torres de Serranos from inside the former city wall
Torres de Serranos from inside the former city wall
On the Torres de Serranos
On the Torres de Serranos
View from the former guards to incoming passersby
View from the former guards to incoming passersby
Guard Florian
Guard Florian
Old wooden door on top of the city gate
Old wooden door on top of the city gate
The coat of arms of the city of Valencia
The coat of arms of the city of Valencia

Of course, the beach of Valencia should not be missed. Fine sandy beach as far as the eye can see. A paradise for vacationers...

Lastly, something curious: In Valencia, there are a lot of traffic lights, and many drivers here behave like some cyclists in Germany. If there is no apparent reason for the traffic light to be red, it can be ignored. Thus, pedestrian lights with no pedestrians around are crossed, or if you see that the pedestrian signal is about to turn red, you might start driving if there are no pedestrians in sight. As a result, it often happens that on a three-lane road, the first two rows of cars will all run through a red light because the pedestrian signal was already blinking and would soon turn red.

Oh, and parking in Valencia is also quite wild. It is not uncommon to be parked in by cars parked in the second row or to find large transporters parked on every corner, in every marked area, and even at the roadside in roundabouts.


Day 93 - Total tour 5,488 km


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