2012 05 22
Valencia soon to be no more
FInally the wind and hopefully the waves have subsided enough to permit us to cross comfortably from Valencia to Ibiza/Formentara, first stop in the Balearic chain of islands of which Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca are best known.
Mainly it has been the waves that kept us in Valencia a full five days longer than anticipated. Yesterday waves were predicted to be in the 4 metre range, on average, so we stayed ashore. Bored but comfy. Odd how often those two emotions cohabit.
The trick to this passage, not there really is one, is timing. Arriving at the gap between Ibiza and Formentara we must negotiate a 0.35 nm pass between two long largely subaqueous but very rocky points. Doing this in the dark on the first visit is doable of course but why add the stress. We will leave late morning from Valencia to arrive at the pass in good morning light tomorrow.
Here we sit, old and cautious. Odd how often those two traits cohabit.
For those of you who are wondering Valencia is a marvellous city.
It has the best urban park idea ever: suffering major damage from flooding one year they diverted the entire offending river and turned the floodplain, no longer needed for flood control, into a park. Planted and developed exclusively for the enjoyment of the residents this riverine wonderland is probably the single best thing about Valencia. Majorly impressed.
That said this is also the city where bigoted department store (Cortes Ingles) staff refused to sell me shoes because I was foreign. And had no trouble yelling that fact at me. Imagine their surprise when they found out they had just pissed off Bob. Two hours with management later Bob left with two pairs of shoes fitted by the store manager. The staff left differentlly configured. Even though the BC assures me this happens elsewhere I believe there is a deep seated problem with narrow minded bigotry in Spain.
All you have to do to really enjoy Valencia is to un notice the results of their not treating their sewage: a city in which you cannot walk if the wind is not blowing 10 knots or better. This force of wind is needed to clear the reeking miasma of human excretion, decaying rat carcasses and toxic bio sludge which oozes continously from their storm sewers (yes storm sewers!!). Just remember you only smell IT if a bit of IT is deposited on your olfactory sensors. Which means that what you are smelling you are breathing in and swallowing.
In the case of Valencia you are continually eating ... IT.
Enjoyed Valencia. Stayed too long.
Valencia soon to be no more
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| Farewell to the Brainbug Building We Head to the Best Nude Beach in the World |
Mainly it has been the waves that kept us in Valencia a full five days longer than anticipated. Yesterday waves were predicted to be in the 4 metre range, on average, so we stayed ashore. Bored but comfy. Odd how often those two emotions cohabit.
The trick to this passage, not there really is one, is timing. Arriving at the gap between Ibiza and Formentara we must negotiate a 0.35 nm pass between two long largely subaqueous but very rocky points. Doing this in the dark on the first visit is doable of course but why add the stress. We will leave late morning from Valencia to arrive at the pass in good morning light tomorrow.
Here we sit, old and cautious. Odd how often those two traits cohabit.
For those of you who are wondering Valencia is a marvellous city.
It has the best urban park idea ever: suffering major damage from flooding one year they diverted the entire offending river and turned the floodplain, no longer needed for flood control, into a park. Planted and developed exclusively for the enjoyment of the residents this riverine wonderland is probably the single best thing about Valencia. Majorly impressed.
That said this is also the city where bigoted department store (Cortes Ingles) staff refused to sell me shoes because I was foreign. And had no trouble yelling that fact at me. Imagine their surprise when they found out they had just pissed off Bob. Two hours with management later Bob left with two pairs of shoes fitted by the store manager. The staff left differentlly configured. Even though the BC assures me this happens elsewhere I believe there is a deep seated problem with narrow minded bigotry in Spain.
All you have to do to really enjoy Valencia is to un notice the results of their not treating their sewage: a city in which you cannot walk if the wind is not blowing 10 knots or better. This force of wind is needed to clear the reeking miasma of human excretion, decaying rat carcasses and toxic bio sludge which oozes continously from their storm sewers (yes storm sewers!!). Just remember you only smell IT if a bit of IT is deposited on your olfactory sensors. Which means that what you are smelling you are breathing in and swallowing.
In the case of Valencia you are continually eating ... IT.
Enjoyed Valencia. Stayed too long.
One might think Spain would appreciate the custom.
ReplyDeleteThat story is crazy, Bob. Sounds like they miss the Inquisition.