Winter Solstice/Concert/Great friends visit for Christmas/Chanukah - December 21-30

Wednesday, December 21 - Solstice - 1st day of Winter

We have hosted a Winter Solstice Party for over 20 years. We love the tradition. We love having people together enjoying the season of light.  We love taking time to contemplate the darkness on the shortest day of the year.  And we love to host parties!

We decided to keep our tradition going here in Valencia.
Spaniards do not usually host parties in their homes other than their family for celebrations.  So it was a bit unique for our friends to attend not only a ritual but also a party.

Many of them asked what the ritual was, if they needed to prepare anything.  Some even asked if they would have to get naked....I think it's because we are from San Francisco. Our friends who attended are from Spain, Ecuador, Venezuela and the States.  I prepared the ritual in both English and Spanish, two of the people attending help us speak Spanish.  So it was interesting reading the ritual in Spanish.  

Our apartment looked wonderful.  Beth purchased a few Christmas decorations and found a live wreath so we had just a little smell of Christmas.  (BTW - almost NO ONE has a live cut tree, they simply do not sell them, what everyone has are fake trees).  We made a menorah for Chanukah, and I found some chocolate euros to use as Chanukah gelt.

Of course we missed our dear friends and family, but this was a ritual with new friends. We had much different food, like Spanish tortilla, which our teacher Maria brought.  We had olives, Jamón, turkey, salami and some langostino's.  We also made Richard Shupack proud by making "Pigs in a Blanket" which were a big hit.

For sweets we had Spanish Turrón. Plus "Eddie" brought a Rosca de Reyes (King's Ring Cake - you have to eat carefully as there are small trinkets that could break your teeth if you crunched down on it). 

Rather than Champagne we served Spanish Cava , our favorite was Anna de Codorníu, along with fantastic red wines like Glorioso and others.

As in all parties everyone is hanging out around the food!

Here is a photo of our friends who participated in the ritual.

A great celebration with our wonderful new friends!

Thursday, December 22

Tonight we organized a group of many of the same friends who came to our Solstice Party last night to meet at La Fabríca de Hielo (The Ice Factory), which is in the Cabañal neighborhood at the beach. We figure that since this area is where all the fisherman used to bring their fresh fish this ice factory was needed to keep the fish fresh. We all went to see Erin Corine + Radio Souls.  Her music is a mixture of Soul, Funk, Gospel, Blues with a touch of Jazz!

Nice evening.....upon returning I opted to meet Daniel and his friends as they had finished their Christmas dinner and were going out to have a drink.

Friday, December 23
Our dear friends Dory and Jim arrived and we met them at the airport.  It is so easy that we take the Metro, 12 stops, and our apartment is about a minute from the Colón metro station.  After 15 hours of traveling they were ready to relax, then have a soup and salad dinner and a "walk around the block".  We use this term in Kenwood, but I've decided to use it for our normal circle walk we take our new guest on to get a short awareness of Valencia.  Up Colón, past the bull right and North train station towards City Hall Plaza and back to our home.

Saturday, December 24th
Christmas eve and 1st night of Chanukah's.  

We got up late, took Dory and Jim over to the Central Market, which was a ZOO of people.  We bought some fresh sea caught Dorado and returned home to hang out and rest.  

Tonight we made a Spanish Dorado fish recipe, which was absolutely delicious!  

Sunday, December 25th
Being away from home we decided that we were not going to give gifts, so we only bought a few things for each other.  We did buy a couple of small things for Dory and Jim that reminded us of them.

 A small dragonfly necklace for Dory

A chocolate wrench for Jim "MacGyver"

Santa also brought a 1,000 piece puzzle of the Valencia City of Arts and Science Center.  I'll post a photo of it....when we are finished.

The weather has been fantastic, today it got up to 20 degrees Celsius which is 68 degrees Fahrenheit....so we went to the beach.  We had a picnic lunch and then took a long walk along the beach.

My Christmas gift from the Flessel family....Warriors shirt with #30 Curry!

The sun was setting so we chose to have a drink and watch it set, it was beautiful!

For dinner we chose another Spanish recipe Slow-Roasted Andalusian style Lamb and Potatoes.


Monday, December 26
We knew that also today everything would be shut down.  So I rented a car and we drove to town called Chulilla, that I have wanted to go to to see and take a hike. It is known as one of the best rock climbing areas in all of Spain.

We had another amazing day...I was hiking in a t-shirt. 

See if you can find the climbers in the photo below

The stairs down to the suspension bridge

Beginner climbers

Where we had a snack before returning!

Tuesday, December 27
Traveling and being with Dory and Jim is pretty easy, we just go with the flow.  Today was relaxed, we walked over to Ayuntamiento and went into see the Museum.  There was quite a long line as they have a Belén on display that many people wanted to see. We went by Plaza de la Virgen and then had a nice lunch.  When we traveled with Dory and Jim to Paris one day Dory and I had Pigs cheeks for lunch.  Well today Dory and I split an Iberian Pigs cheeks sandwich, it was delicious.

From here we walked over to the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia (Museu de Belles Arts de Valencia), very nice day!

Wednesday, December 28
Today, is the day of the Holy Innocents.  One of the most popular and entertaining Christmas traditions in Spain.  This is when everyone is allowed to play practical jokes on each other.  One of the most widespread jokes is to stick a figure cut out of white paper on some one's back without them knowing it.  The word in Spanish for this practical joke is "inocentada".  Supposedly in many Christmas markets you can find a whole range of joke items like, wigs, itching powder, false ink.....we will see what we see today.

This celebration seems to have come from the event narrated in the Bible concerning King Herod and the innocents and over time it has evolved to become a boisterous day.

Well no jokes to report today.

We did however spend the day experiencing and learning about the rich history of Valencia, starting as early as 138 BCE.  We visited the (Museu de História de Valéncia) - Valencia History Museum. The museum takes you through time through battles, dates and famous people.  We spent the entire afternoon here.

Thursday, December 29
Today, we walked around town.  Visiting the Almudin, a Gothic building designed to store, distribute and sell wheat.  We then walked a bit and had a Agua de Valencia.  From here we visited the Torres de Quart (Quart Towers)  and we climbed to the top.  It was a beautiful day and we had a marvelous view!

We then walked back home passing Europe's narrowest building, here in Valencia.   We visited La Petite Brioche as we all wanted a crepe.  Afterward we came home to relax, have a cocktail Jim and I smoked a cigar, then we all went to Lambrusqueria for a wonderful Italian dinner.

Friday, December 30
We finished the puzzle

We then went over the the Museo de La Almoina, the Archeology Museum of Valencia.  It was interesting to see archeology pieces from different pieces.

This is our last night together as Dory and Jim fly home tomorrow. We have loved them and feel sad that they are leaving.  At least we know that it won't be too long until we see them again.

Christmas in Valencia

Christmas in Valencia – Impressions on December 5 and 15

(Note..guest post from Beth with pictures thanks to Howard - my voice is different from Howard's so didn't want to confuse you all).

It’s December 5 and the Christmas bustle is palpable here in Valencia. It’s not as frenzied as in the US but the pace on the streets has quickened.   Howard and I live at the hub of the downtown commercial center with shops radiating on pedestrian streets out from the hub, El Corte Inglés, the primary Spanish Department Store.

Christmas here seems to be more about family and food than gifts.  We’ll see as we get closer to Three Kings Day.  In Spain, they celebrate Christmas Day without many gifts – saving that ritual for January 6 – celebrating the 3 Kings offering gifts for the birth of Jesus.

Nativity scenes or Belén adorn every civic center, mall, shop and restaurant.  Last week, in Sevilla, we saw scores of nativity scene vendors surrounding the Cathedral selling a full range of nativity scene stuff ranging from basic plastic sets of Mary, Joseph and Jesus to everything needed to create a mechanized desert landscapes depicting village life: Baby Jesus reaching up from his crib to be held, Kings offering gifts, fishermen casting lines in the river, women spinning wool and so on.  They are incredible.  The Belén in the Central Market is about 10 feet in diameter filled with 6 inch figures.  It’s an entire village complete with a market day, village streets winding through the mountain landscape.  In one corner is baby Jesus in a cave.  This shows that life goes on even in the presence of a miracle.  It seems that creative efforts find outlet in building Nativity Scenes over other types of decorations.  Building spectacular nativity scenes appears to be a competitive sport here in Spain.

The Three Kings 

Everyday activities in the market

Baby Jesús

I’ve found the Christmas Trees and City Scape decorations thus far to be underwhelming -  In fact, in one of the main Plazas, a tree is highlighted with a corporate logo – so much for less commercialization.   

Near as we can figure, the City doesn’t sponsor Christmas lights.  They are few and far between and only on major shopping streets. That said, we are going to do a night time stroll to see them all once the rain stops.

The food – Grocery Stores rearrange their space to feature Turrón (nougat candy) and chocolate. Aisles and aisles of confection.  We’ve stayed away so far but we’re not so sure how much resistance we can muster.  

Crab and other crustaceans have replaced ice cream and pizzas in the frozen section.   

And, as you would expect, the omnipresent jamon has not been forgotten in this feeding frenzy.  Legs and legs of porcine splendor are colorfully wrapped to tempt all who gaze upon them.  

Look at the price on this one 539 euros, of course you get a free Henkels knife!

We’ve been to one Cava celebration in our nearby MercatColon.  Our friend – the bon vivant (a term where only French will do) gathered a group to toast the Christmas season with the favored drink, Cava – the Spanish version of Champagne – and tapas.  The Mercat Colon is a special place. It’s a refurbished turn of the 20^th century food market in the fancy part of town.  It’s been transformed into an open air gallery of cafes and restaurants and is celebrating it’s 100^th anniversary.  They have the biggest Green Christmas Tree we’ve seen in Valencia.

Thanks to our friends Roz and Steven, we were also fortunate to see a simulcast production of Peter Wrights’s Nutcracker  (Cascanueces in Spanish) live from the Royal Opera House in London.  It was a much different production from the many I’ve seen over the years in the States.  We wondered what was up when we saw an adult Clara onstage.  The nutcracker definitely signals that the Christmas season is in full swing. 

December 15 update.

Perhaps I was hasty in my Christmas opinions of Valencia.    As December has progressed, we’ve seen more lights and Christmas trees. Most are pretty simple but nice. One of our latest favorites is a Christmas tree made from empty craft beer bottles.   

Belen or nativity scenes still reign supreme as seasonal décor.   We miss the smell of Christmas fir so prevalent in the US.  Virtually all trees are artificial and it’s hard to find greens.  Singing “Oh Christmas Tree” to yards and yards of plastic doesn’t have the same appeal to me.   We’ve managed to find a small wreath that we hope will fill our apartment with the smell that I associate with Christmas.

Last Saturday night, we were out for a stroll checking out the Christmas lights. 

Plaza Ayuntamiento or, City Hall Plaza hosts a skating rink, merry-go-round and Christmas lights each year.  It’s fun to see watch family outings with kids and adults alike enjoying the skating rink. 

The main street from Plaza Ayuntamiento toward the Cathedral is festooned with sparkling Christmas lights.  

As we were walking,  Howard suggested that we go into one of the major churches that we hadn’t been into yet (it would be hard to go into all of them!). To our delight, they were holding a Christmas choral concert with original version songs from several countries.    There are a few other Christmas concerts around town culminating in the Christmas Eve service at the Cathedral. 

I’m stunned by the concentration of shopping bags from El Corte Inglés, the main department store.  Purchases are wrapped and bagged in easily recognized print - red with greed and white Christmas Trees - so that even a casual observation of purchase distribution yields a fairly strong conclusion.   They have taken over the plaza that is above the Colon Metro Station and a side street with a huge tent and several kiosks selling Christmas decorations and, of course, turrón.   I saw one man with 4 shopping bags brimming with boxes of chocolates.  I suspect that these are business Christmas gifts.  So much space is dedicated to selling candy that it’s hard to get to the metro station!  Howard did find perhaps the only nod to Hannukah – Euro Gelt - in a candy kiosk. 

Last night we participated in Navidad Shopping Night – another Valenciana excuse for a party.  Several downtown streets were closed to traffic, bands played on many corners, stores offered complementary tapas, cava or another cocktail – gin and tonics a welcome favorite, cotton candy stands, and hefty DISCOUNTS.   There were photo opportunities with red carpet like backdrops showcasing logos of the evening’s sponsors scattered throughout the district.   We participated in dancing, drinking and shopping!  I wonder if this has pulled any business away from El Corte Ingles.   Regardless, it was another great night in Valencia.   The only thing missing were the seemingly omnipresent fireworks.

 

Of course – (por supuesto), Christmas is a time for friends and families.  Restaurants and bars are full of large groups enjoying a celebration.   I’m wistful for our own friends and family.  No matter how well decorated our apartment, it won’t sparkle with the personalities of those we miss.  

Feliz Navidad

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Fourth Family Birthday in November, Sunday the 27th

Sunday, November 27th

Today would have been my Dad's 90th birthday.  He was born on May 23rd, 1927.  It's hard to imagine him as a 90 year old but I wish I had the chance.  He died 25 years ago.

I love him and miss him!

Sevilla, Granda and Córdoba (Part Three - 11.24 and 25) Saturday, November 19th to Friday, November 25th

Thursday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Day!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to all! 

Today we left Granada and via the bus made our way to Córdoba.   It was a beautiful scenic drive through rolling hills covered with old olive trees and dotted with white hill towns.  We went to our hotel Las Casas de la Juderia, in the historic old town.  

This is a photo of the outside of the Mezquita on our way to lunch.  It was a beautiful and bight sunny day!

For lunch we had middle eastern/Moroccan food at Bocaito Andalusi, it is a tiny place but good food. 

We enjoyed walking around the city to get our bearings.  On the way back we walked along the Guadalquivir River.  The Guadalquivir is among the longest rivers in Spain and it has several distinctive characteristics.  Its natural environment is one of the richest and most varied areas of plants, birds and animals.

The Roman bridge of Córdoba

The Albolafia Mill on the Guadalquivir!

This is is Plaza del Triunfo (Triumphal Arch).  It is dedicated to the Archangel Raphael, the guardian angel of the city.

It is an unfinished Renaissance arch, which was designed to give King Phillp II a royal welcome, but he arrived before its completion so the job was cancelled!

Triumph of San Rafael of the Gate of the Bridge.

The Bell Tower/Minaret just outside the Mezquita

We then entered the Mezquita (The Mosque-Cathedral).  What a unique and amazing place.

Inside the Mezquita you are blown away by the beauty. There are more then 800 red and blue columns are topped with double arches.  The archways appear to go on forever.

The Mihrab, is the mosque equivalent of a Jewish temple's Aron Kodesh (Torah Ark) or a church's high alter.

Imagine, the original mosque at prayer time, with dirt floors covered by many different large carpets with more than 20,000 people praying at once....saying "Allahu Akbar, la illa a il Allah, Muhammad razul Allah"  "Allah is great, there is no god but to Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet"

The dome inside the Mihrab is also quite amazing.

Now picture rising up in the middle of the forest of columns is the bright and newly restored cathedral.....what a statement the Christians made building this cathedral in the middle of the mosque.  Get this, while the mosque is about 30 feet high, the cathedral's space soars 130 feet up!  It's an amazing juxtaposition between the simple beauty of repeated architectural elements and highly decorated grandeur.  in prefer the former.

Check out this organ

We then walked over to the Alcázar (Castle of the Christian Monarchs).  It was one of the primary residences of Isabella I and Ferdinand II of Aragon.  They donated the castle to the Inquisition of 1482, and it became central in the church's effort to discover "false converts to Christianity" - mostly Jews who had decided not to flee Spain in 1492.

The Alcázar has beautiful gardens with pools and a couple of towers

Christian Kings in the Alcázar  and ever present water features.  

As you enter and exit you see the statue of King Alfonso X of Castile, known as "The Wise"....his eyes seem to be staring!

Once we finished we went back to our hotel got into our room and relaxed before our Thanksgiving dinner!

We had a reservation at ReComiendo (Their mission state is "A Place where food will make you smile and Enjoy Equally" we were NOT disappointed.  We chose the 12 course meal to replicate what Thanksgiving feels like at home.....eat a lot of good food!

Check out some of our courses:

When each of our courses was brought out the Chef Periko Ortega, would explain what it was and how to eat it.

We started with snacks of plantains and tortilla chips with spiced mayonnaise.  Then we had "Medicine" tomato emulsion with Bloody Mary spices as seen blow

The the "Wedding Plate" chips and nuts wrapped in edible cellophane

Then olive oil on a spoon, which on their web site they say "The trap is not everything it seems"

Then some baby shrimps served with cheese and nuts in a hand held cone.

Then my favorite "The Clothes Line" interesting twist on a caesar salad 

Then "The Lollypops"  cherry covered foie gras lollypops

BTW they paired wine with most of the dishes, 5 different types and the total cost was just 49 euros!!!

Next we had a typical Córdoba dish with egg, mushroom, popped quinoa and DRY POWERED OLIVE OIL, red wine caviar with smoked salmon.....first time I ever had "dry olive oil" it's the white puffy stuff on the top right

Then a mushroom dish with a poached egg and smoked eel.  

Followed by a dish first served without the soup stock, which is poured in after it's served to you, it includes almonds, wine, prawns bacon and black garlic and traditional Córdoba soup.

Then Beth had cod on potato purée (I had calamari on creamed garlic) with FOAM....another first for us to eat FOAM!

This was followed by Iberian pork, under the shoulder, slow roasted for 18 hours......yummy!

Then desert started....deconstructed creme brülée with citrus caviar, brown sugar, lemon and rosemary ice cream.


Then this deconstructed cheesecake, raspberry sorbet and chocolate with crunches at the bottom 

We forgot what this aperitif drink is but it too was great

We are Thankful on this Thanksgiving dinner!

Friday, November 25th
The last day of our trip and it's raining again!

We started at out at one of only 3 Medieval Jewish Synagogue's still existing in Spain today.  This one in Córdoba and I heard the other 2 are in Toledo.

 

The Synagogue, situated in the heart of the Jewish Quarter of Córdoba, is unique in Andalusia and one of the best preserved Medieval Spanish synagogues.  According to the inscriptions found in the building, it was built in 1314 and 1315, and was in constant use right up until the Jews were expelled from Spain. A small courtyard leads to a narrow entrance hall.  On the right is a staircase leading up to the women's area and in front lies the main hall.  The Jews were expelled in 1492, and afterward, the building was used first as a hospital, then as the Hermitage of San Crispin and finally, an infants school.  It was declared a National Monument at the end of the 19th century.

This statue is of Moses Maimonides. He was born in Córdoba and raised on both Jewish scripture and the philosophy of Aristotle. He left his biggest mark as the author of "The Guide for the Perplexed", in which he asserted that secular knowledge and religious faith could go hand-in-hand.

Next we checked out the Museo Taurino Córdoba, about the history and traditions of bullfighting, actually quite interesting.

We then checked out the Julio Romero de Torres Museo.  We loved his paintings. 

Lastly we visited the Baños califales of Córdoba.

Then to the train station for our AVE train ride back to Valencia.

It is hard to describe in words or images what these three cities are like.  We enjoyed our visit in spite of the rain.  We would prefer to deal with rain verses the tremendous heat and tons of tourists these cities have in the summer.