It was nice to get back into our "home" routine. The gym, home studying Spanish, making meals at home, occasionally going to the beach, etc.
But after a week of being home Beth wanted to go to a place she found called Montanejos. We rented a car on Thursday, August 25th and drove about an hour to spend the day.
Montanejos has natural springs, streams, caves, canyons, ravines, gullies, mountain paths and stunning views. The area has earned a reputation as being the most important center of rock climbing in Spain. Sporting enthusiasts from around the world come to scale the rocky, almost vertical gorge valley walls.
We headed to Fuente de Los Baños, the hot spring with a consistent water temperature of 25 (about 77) all year round. This is a LOT cooler than the Mediterranean Sea. This year the sea seems to feel a lot like the high average of 27 or 80 degrees. I happen to love it as the warm water reminds me of my childhood days in Hollywood, Florida going to Dania Beach.
In Montanejos the crystalline waters of the Fuente de Los Baños lagoon bubble up from the earth. It is well known by locals but still undiscovered by most travellers. The story goes that the hot spring was the preferred bathing and relaxation site for a Moorish king's harem. The water was said to keep his women young and beautiful.
"Reportedly there are published studies (in the Fuente de Baños Medicinal Properties Montanejos thermal Water, a study by Maria Amparo Perez Benajas) to ensure that these hot springs prevent skin damage caused by free radicals. It is also believed that these waters are suitable for treatment of liver, cardiovascular disease related to hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, etc." Now you know why Beth wanted to spend the day here.
We brought our beach chairs our cooler, some drinks and snacks and spend the day in and out of the cool water....along with many other people with the same thought....get cool.
I didn't bring my camera but this link has a few images.
Once we left we drove a couple of kilometers to Arenoso Reservoir , quite beautiful.
On the drive back home we decide to take a detour to check our the town of Segorbe. It is a beautiful old town. The area of Segorbe was inhabited as early as the mid-Palaeolithic Age, as testified by archaeological remains. Secorbe was once identified as the ancient Segobriga, described by PLINY THE ELDER as the capital od Celtiberia.
They also have. coming up September 5th to the 11th a Bull and Hourse droving in Segorbe. Bulls and horses running through the streets! We love the town and had dinner before driving home.
Sunday, August 28th at 1:20 pm Our first visitors....my sister Claudia and Morry arrived from Barcelona by train. After getting settled we walked over to have lunch at Lambrusqueria, our favorite Italian restaurant. We had a lovely lunch then took a walk to Turia Garden River Park. It is 5 1/2 miles long so we only spent a short time in it before we caught a bus home.
Morry was feeling a bit under the weather so after a rest at home we took a walk around 8:30 pm around town.
We saw the Plaza del Toros (Bull ring) and right next to this is the Estació del Nord (North Railway Station). It is a modernist jewel of the city, with "Sezesión Vienesa" style. It was built between 1906 and 1917 by Valencian architect Demetrio Ribes. On the front facade you can see the most typical elements of Valencian culture: oranges, barracas (traditional Valencian house), La Albuefera (the lake), women dressed with traditional Valencian dress. Inside, the decoration of the vestibule is beautiful, and then there is the the iron nave over the rail roads, muy bonita (very beautiful).
From here we walked through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento de Valencia. This is Town Hall Square. We carried on to Plaza La Renia, which is quite nice. We then headed back to our apartment and our entire circle walk took about 50 minutes. There is a lot to see in just a short distance from our apartment.
Monday, August 29th we had booked, as a surprise, a 10:00 am tour of the Lladro factory, in the City of Porcelain. However, while Claudia was in France she sent us a message to ask about the Lladro factory, so the surprise was gone as we had to tell her that we had already booked a tour. In any case it was WAY cool to actually get to see the process of how they make Lladro. Would you believe that after the different parts of the molds are still wet in order to "build" the figure they use no glue, only a bit more liquid porcelain and water. There are artists to assemble the figure, then those who clean up all the imperfections, then the painters. What is also interesting is the molded piece is 15% bigger when it is wet than after it is fired in the kiln. The most intricate work is placing ll the tiny flowers on the pieces, now I know why those with flowers cost so much more.
BTW the "campus" has a large pool, basketball courts, a refreshment bar....so cool.
No pictures where allowed except this one: the 160,000 euro Queen of the Nile
I took this one at the Lladro store in Valencia
This link is their collection. And this link gives the history of the three brothers Juan, José and Vicente. Claudia even bought one, to add to her collection. However this one will be special as she will always have the memory of getting it directly from the factory after touring it in person!
When we returned to Valencia we walked past the Torres Serranos
We then walked through the Plaza de la Virgen. From here we walked to the Mercado Central (Central Market) for a little lunch at the Central Bar.
Then home to rest and relax for the afternoon.
In the evening we took the Metro to the beach. We had a cocktail at Marina Beach Club before dinner at La Pepica. Hemingway used to eat here with his friends after the bull fights.
Our finished appetizers - baby clams and fried and salted peppers:
We took the short walk down to the Mediterranean Sea to dip our feet in the warm water. It was Claudia and Morry's last night. While their visit was short, 40 hours, it was so very nice that they visited!
Wednesday, August 31 - we checked out another museum today, although it really is the family home of the famous painter José Benlliure Gil called Casa Museo - Bennlliure. It was quite nice to see what they homes where like, especially that of a painter. While the "back yard" could use a lot of TLC I could see how fantastic that space is with all the tile work on the walls.
Some of the rooms in the house
His art studio
The dining room followed by the living room
Finally just one of his art sketches that I liked
Well tomorrow is September but the weather does not appear to be cooling off. Sunday is scheduled to be 36 or 97, oy vey!
No comments:
Post a Comment