When the East meets the West!

24.10.2005

Hostel Room 3 was bustling with vibrant energies of its two excited inhabitants who couldn't wait to soak up the warm sunrays and to feel the cool soft white sands tickling their toes..that's right. Today is Beach Day, Hooray! Playa de la Mavarrosa, here we come!!

While waiting for "Miss" Andrea to get ready, Gill and I decided to check out the local Mercardo and get ourselves some cooked breakfast! Gill wanted to make her world famous omelette and I was in charge of hunting down chocolate croissants (oh woe is me!) It was fun walking around the wet market that also housed cafeterias, bakeries and Tabaccas (like a tobacco shop but with newspapers, sweets etc). After completing our shopping list, we headed home to cook up a storm. Andrea of course came out of his room well groomed just in time for breakfast. Gill and I exchanged looks of "Oh, he's soooo doing the dishes". The mushroom and capsicum omelette was delicious and everyone was pleased with my choice of choc croissants, scorring a resounding 9.9 from both the US and Italian judges.

As we were about to head off, a couple of "green turtles" (our nickname for newbies that just arrived to the hostel the night before, you can often tell by their disorientated and timid looks)walked in and asked if they could join us at the beach. Christina and Jenna were from the States but currently studying in England and were in Valencia for their semester break. So 5 of us set of to Mavarrosa beach in the highest of spirits and skimpiest of bikinis. Boys, if you're now scrolling straight to the pictures, you would already discovered to your disappointment that I wouldn't be dumb enough to put them here, would I?! I mean, they are going to be my drawcards in making all of you sit through hours and hours of travel slideshows :P (I am still working on the girls' ones!)

As you can see from the picture of the beach, it's incredibly beautiful. Calm fine day without a single cloud in the sky. As it was considered autumn and thus too cold to be on the beach for the locals, we pretty much had the entire mile stretch of the beach to ourselves. It was heaven with sand. The funny thing was initially, after all that early hype, I think everyone was kind of exhausted and so, everyone actually had a nice lil nap. The whole group was very in sync with one another. We all woke up around the same time, started talking, biting on munchies..Gill brought her guitar, so she was plucking some tunes while we all softly sang along, each displaying reserved enthusiasm, perhaps due to personal insecurities with singing in tunes. Still, we had a ball! As there was hardly anyone on the beach, the bold and daring Gill declared she would be damned if she was getting tan lines and proceed to go topless. Andrea's jaw dropped and stay hung open for a good 5 minutes I think. The rest of us girls kinda giggled with slight shy embarassment. Yes, I know you want to know whether I also threw caution (and bra) into the wind and went topless as well...Remembering my profession, all I am going to say is that this information is confidential and classified. I guess you will just have to wait and see for yourself whether I have a tan line or not when you see me..*smirk*

Can you spot that mysterious topless woman?

After a good period of the morning and early afternoon spent basking in the glory that is another beautiful Valencian day, we bid the Mediterranean sea adiòs and reluctantly returning to the city, but without Andrea who decided he was going to remain at the beach to collect his thoughts. We really could have spent all day at the beach ourselves but Gill wanted to catch a train to Barcelona that evening and I was to catch a bus to Almeria later that night myself. On our way back, Gill told us about this delicious Spanish afternoon tea except that you actually have cofee instead of tea and scones are replaced with what's called "chirios". I should have taken pictures. Hard to describe except to say it's donut dough made into small breadsticks and you dip them in this bowl of rich, thick dark chocolate sauce (like choc fondue). Second time that day, we were in heaven! Here's the pic of the 4 "cats that just finished their creams".

From left to right, Jenna, Gillian, Christina and Adelina, all tanned and happy! Oh yeah, you can see the chirio on Jenna's plate!

As I've described the gorgeous Gillian before, she's a lovely girl but way too laid back. What was her originally planned departure time of 4pm, then became 5pm, then it was 6 because she wanted to follow me to the top of the cathedral tower to take pictures of the city. (She's too proud I think to admit that perhaps she didn't really want to go because we were having such a blast and I certainly was in no hurry to see her go either!) Anyway, we made our way to the top of the tower and took lots of photos and as the sun was setting, we were able to even take great sunset photos.

The majestic baroque styled Catedral de la Valencia!

View of Plaza Reial (Royal Square that's just outside the Cathedral) from the tower.

The sun about to set on Valencia and Gill and my time together, but I can see the sun just rising over our newfound friendship!

I think Gill would have kept delaying her departure but as I really didn't want her to miss her LAST train, I determinedly pushed her along and finally we gave each other an enormous bearhug and said "hasta luego" (until we meet again), trying unsuccessfully to hold back tears. This is indeed another friendship formed in a day but will last for life.

AO Rating of Valencia: Without a doubt, my favourite place so far in all the European places I have been. For you in NZ, Valencia to me is like Christchurch, not a big city, but big enough for all the conveniences you need but it also has character and many different geographical and historical richness that really welcomes you and make you feel one of its own. A home away from home. Madrid, of course would be Wellington, cold, morbid and lacking in vibrancy. No points for guessing what NZ city Barcelona is likened to..you'll have to wait till I get there. For now, I dedicate this page and one of my best times had so far to the city which I had upon my departure, left a piece of my heart and soul and oh yeah, my drivers license! More later..