by cwells | 2013-02-01 | Culture, Expat, Spain, Spanish, Travel, Walking
The last time I was in Spain, I made a comment about having a “panhandle me” kind of faces and/or demeanor. This time in Valencia, I was the apparent source of directional goodwill for other visitors to the city. I was asked for directions six times, with...
by cwells | 2013-02-01 | Expat, Spain, Spanish
For those who don’t speak Spanish fluently, there is a process that can strike fear in the heart of many honest and strong adults: the mail. In Spain, the mail is called El Correo, and if I didn’t have friends to help me broker the transaction, I would not have been...
by cwells | 2013-02-01 | Culture, Pix, Spain, Spanish, Valencia, Walking
Also in the Plaza de la Virgen, there is something called the Tribunal de las Aguas, or “Water Court” that occurs every Thursday at noon. This is the oldest judicial body in Europe. There are some deep traditions associated with the Water Court, which was...
by cwells | 2013-02-01 | Culture, Pix, Spain, Spanish, Valencia
The relative ages of things here fascinates me. A building that was created a thousand years before our country was founded sits next to a building constructed in the last 20 years. A characteristic of most of Europe, the heterogeneity of constructions, time periods,...
by cwells | 2013-01-26 | Culture, Food, Spain, Spanish, Valencia
Humans have some funny customs when it comes to food and drinks. For me, the challenges are the food being served (e.g. “What the hell does that word mean?”) and how quickly transactions are accomplished in a busy café, cafeteria, or restaurant (e.g. “What the hell...
