Street markets during the holidays
Understanding the holiday season between December and January is a somewhat difficult-to-navigate exercise. The long religious influence of mainly Roman Catholic calendar events reaches into many corners. Enter your text here... Mercadillo stall Mercadillo stall with...
Learning a new language part 1: More than watching TV (Listening)
Learning language is an extremely interesting skill. As an educator, I know that language plays a crucial role in our brain and cognitive development. Each area of interest has its own vocabulary and syntax, and as a science teacher, the sheer number of new words and...
Surprise street procession
Processions are part of the Valencian culture. I've seen more processions here than I ever saw in the United States. These processions range from religious events to politically-motivated parades, and everything in between. We have seen bridal parties visiting...
Calling all potential expats
A relaxing cup of Madrid
According to Ana María Botella Serrano, former mayor of Madrid, "there is nothing quite like a relaxing cup of cafe con leche in Plaza Mayor." She was trying to entice the Olympic committee to choose Madrid as a site for the games. Instead, she created a hilarious...
First things predictable: Breakfast and the “regular place”
One of the joys of living in Europe, and more specifically in Spain, is the idea of a local place to get breakfast. In Valencia, there are many, many cafeterías that serve a variety of traditional Spanish breakfasty-brunchy foods. This part is not unusual, but...
Changes in direction
While I know it's been a while since I posted many things regularly (pretty much seven years!), I intend to resume a regular posting schedule. I have a long list of topics to cover, and I can't wait to share more about what it's like to live here in Valencia, Spain.I...
Church bells in Canet
Gentle readers, this post is long overdue.In November 2021, a friend invited us to see the installation of the church bells in Canet. In the cycle of church history, installing new bells (in Castellano, campanas) is an important event and can happen as rarely as...
After 6 years
An experience living in another country can be life-changing, and I know it was that way for me. I was lucky to have visited Spain in 2010, and moved to Valencia in 2013. Eight-ish years ago, I didn't know what to expect, how to plan for such a big move, or what...
2018: Green Spaces
In a recent conversation with a friend, she commented on the amount of non-grassy or non-tree areas in my photos. Looking through my pictures, I have to agree that the green space is not as prominent as I feel it should be. While I have emphasized green spaces in...
2018: Spring Day part 1
The days we were walking around Valencia provided a unique opportunity to enjoy springtime. Valencia is a pleasantly walk-able city, as I have mentioned before, and the abundance of sunlight and sheer number of different views of the city were a perfect vacation...
2018: I think I need a snack!
I guess I could be suffering from "vacation palate," where perhaps everything tastes better because of the locale. I could also be enjoying meals that others prepared, because NOT having to cook is a lovely seasoning to any meal. However, I very quickly fell back into...
2018: Overcast Beach Day
Sometimes the beach cooperates and you have a great tale of sun-filled adventures spent playing beach volleyball, pretending to be a dolphin in the water, and relaxing with a chilly glass of sangria at a beachside bar. This is not one of those tales, gentle reader. To...
2018: Surprise Falleros
It takes two things to make a great picture: something scenic and a camera. When those two things align, I have found that my picture-taking skill improves exponentially. However, sometimes you have to take what you can get. These few pictures are an example of having...
2018: A Whole Different View
Upon occasion, I think it's a good idea to look at some slightly different views of any city. I'm not talking about the super-scenic or the tourist-laden attractions that most people see, but about the real life that is lived in the everyday streets. For this...
2018: Fallas Museum… and only one of you will survive!
Yes, yes, I know I have written a lot about Las Fallas, the incredible festival that arrives with a bang every March and keeps on banging until it catches fire on March 19. But one thing is saved every year... a sculpture from the winning falla presentation. It's a...
2018: Day trip to Ribarroja del Turia
During our trip to Valencia, we took the train to Ribarroja del Túria (in Valenciano, Riba-Roja de Túria). It was the first time using the Valencia Metro on this trip, and I was quickly reminded of what a great transportation a subway system can be. It was a...
2018: Finally, a Post About Horchata
Gentle readers, I have been remiss in recounting an essential component of Valencia culture: Horchata and fartons. If you are in the United States or have had the pleasure of having the Latin American version of horchata, then you might think that this was a...
2018: Who brought the tourists?
Way back in 2013, I wrote a post about the Water Court, or the Tribunal de las Aguas. I said it before, and I'll say it again: some things are worth seeing in person, even if they are not big, flashy events. Typically, the Water Court is something of an antiquated...
2018: A Collection of Buildings is Not a City
It's true: a collection of buildings does not make a city. What it can make, however, is a quite amazing visual attraction that sets Valencia apart of from many other cities in the world. I've already mentioned the City of Arts and Sciences many times in my blog, and...