On the same day as my walk through the city, I found myself happily unoccupied after an evening appointment. I didn’t think twice… I headed straight back into the city to see the lights that were not on during the day.
The following pictures are the evening version of the day, and exactly what I needed to finish an excellent day of walking and sightseeing. Many of the lights mimic what is up during the Fallas festival, especially those that cross the street from building to building. The nice thing is that these lights stay up through January 6, as the Christmas celebration ends on Three Kings’ Day.
I think the Belén is improved with the controlled lighting in the evening, and the decor on the City Hall, or Ayuntamiento, was stunning. That would be the building below that has columns and other sections draped in white lights. The other building, with “Bones Festes” decorating its beautiful structure, is another official building, and the words are basically “Happy Holidays” in Valenciana, the original language of this region.
I’ll admit that at the end of this walk, I was a little chilled and kind of lonely… not in a bad way, just sad I didn’t have anyone there with me to “oooo” and “ahhhh” over the decorations. A Starbucks appeared in my vision, and, although they didn’t have the same compliments of drinks that are available in the US, a hot cup of decaffeinated something-or-other was a welcome taste of home. Perfect for my first visit into an American franchise here in Valencia!
Wow! Gorgeous pix, Christopher! I love reading your blog and keeping up with your journey. I wish we were less “in your face” with Christmas in America. 🙂
Thanks, Wendy. Yes, it is a very different experience here! I am enjoying the change, though.
Lovely, lovely…