Today is my sister Dayna's birthday. We mostly communicate via WhatsApp, including phone calls when we can called WiFi to WiFi, we have found Skype to be so helpful to speak with our family as they do not have to be in a WiFi zone for us to call them. When I spoke with my sister it almost feels like we are back home.
Sunday, November 6th
Today is my niece, Kimberley's birthday. Many members of our family have birthdays in November.
Today we went over the the celebration for the 100th year anniversary of the Mercat Central de Valencia (Central Market). They are celebrating by offering inexpensive paella 3 euros and 1 euro beers and of course the typical day time mascletá (fireworks).
This incredible Modernist building is celebrating doing what it has and still does selling fish, meat, pastries, fruit, nuts, cheese, vegetables and other food items within its amazing structure made of ceramic, wrought iron and glass. It has about 1,000 selling booths. It was designed in 1914 by Francisco Guardia and Alejandro Soler and was inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1928. It has a surface area of over 8,000 square meters. Architects consider it to be one of the best markets in Europe and America.
It is built in an area that has been home to local markets for over 1,000 years beginning with the Muslims. They used to set up their food stalls near the city walls, thus making it one of the longest running market area in Europe.
This link has a lot of photo's of the Mercat Central de Valencia along with a few other photo's of Valencia.
These are from the pre-fireworks event in Ayuntamiento (City Hall Plaza)
The little girl on her Dad's shoulders to our right was cheering on the fireworks!
Tuesday, November 8th - ELECTION DAY!
FINALLY after almost 18 months of an absolutely CRAZY Presidential race today it is over. For us we started to see some results around mid-night. I could not stay up to watch it, but Beth stayed up practically all night, until 5am. We were astonished.
Wednesday, November 9th
After learning of the results on Wednesday we were in shock and depressed all day. So many people in my gym were also in shock and expressed deep concern. One of our American friends told us that when she was on the bus an older Spanish man told her "the sun will come up tomorrow" and he was right. She reflected on his statement saying that if this man could live through a Civil War AND the Franco era, we too can make it through Trump!
(Beth: It's been surreal being here in Spain during this election. Spain - and everyplace else we've been - everyone is incredulous that Trump was a serious candidate and even more so that he won). Living in a country where a brutal civil war (mid 30's) pitted friend against friend and divisions within families led to a dictator (Franco) who brutally retaliated against his opponents. His rule from 1939 - 1973 nearly crippled Spain with isolationist policies eliminating nearly all international trade. In the late 50s, foreign investment was encouraged - leading to the Spanish Miracle which reestablished the middle class in Spain). To this day, people here are virtually unwilling to talk about the Franco years - the scars are too deep. As I hear racist, isolationist and liberty restricting talk, I imagine what it must have been like here in Spain during those hard years and worry for the America I love. End: Beth)
Beth had a little shopping therapy, she bought me these blue, with white polka dots and red Happy Socks.
I found it quite ironic that this night, of all nights, after what happened last night we are going to see the show Circo de los Horrores, a cabaret and and a little bit of Cirque du soleil. Last night made me drink! Johnny Walker Black, a double plus one at the show!
Beth was sick and did not attend our Thursday (11/10) evening Meet Up intercambio, so after wards I went to dinner with Daniel and David. We went to an oyster bar called Ostras Pedrin. My fist time eating sea urchins, and fried oysters they were delicious.
Sunday, November 13th
Another weekend, another festival, they do love to live life to the fullest and enjoy parties!
Today was the Feria Tastarros - Rice Festival. It was a beautiful day and it was crowded in Ayuntamiento (City Hall Plaza) the different rice dishes not just paella. Each dish cost only 4 euros and again beer and wine was 1 euro, we enjoyed with our friend Daniel and Chiara.
Monday, November 14th to Friday, November 18th
Same Spanish school/intercambio schedule this week. Friday, November 18th was my brother Dean's birthday....so far the third family birthday in November.
We went back to the History Museum in Ayuntamiento to check it out since we could not visit the past week due to the special event. It's pretty cool when you see a map from 1704 of the City, "El Libre del Furs" (The Book of the Fueros), printed in 1482 and a flag of Valencia from 1238.
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