Valencia

Poor Modesto had to work during the week so we took off to the east coast to Valencia for a few days. Straight there on the highway it 350 km, but we managed to go on the secondary roads for 388 km on the way there and 462 km on the way back.

The small roads offered a few scenic detours.

This is a really nice walking city with lots of narrow streets to explore.

First we stopped for a traditional Spanish lunch of the menu del dia. This usually is massive. Today this included salad, paella with snails and chicken, squid and fries, beer, cake and coffee.

We also checked out the Cathedral, which is said to display THE cup from the last supper, the Holy Grail. You can climb up the 272 stairs for the 360-degree view of the city.

Valencia is famous for its oranges and Borjas of course, but also for the crazy Fallas festival. This is celebrated on Father’s day and involves a lot of fire works explosions and the burning of huge fantasy sculptures.

There is also the parade of the falleras in their costumes.

We visited several of the city gates and the popular municipal market.

On the way out of town we stopped by the beach to touch our toes in the Balearic Sea.

Riding home thru the mountains we past hundreds of acres of almond farms. Only in Europe would they have rock catchers like this. It was a chilly 5 degrees up at the top and there was still snow on the roadside.