Birthday dinner with host fam.Of course family time was followed by the real celebration...a night out on the town in Toledo.
Is there any other way to celebrate turning 21?
Is there any other way to celebrate turning 21?After recovering on Friday morning, my art class went to Madrid to study the Greco and Velasquez paintings at the Prado. We have been studying El Greco in the last few weeks and are moving on to Velasquez soon so it was so cool to see up close the paintings we've only seen on a projector screen so far.
After the Prado, we hopped on a bus to Valencia. The four-ish-hour bus ride was a little rough, but we finally made it to the east coast around midnight and went straight to bed at the hostel. Good thing, though, because Saturday was jam-packed with a smorgasbord of activities! We walked from our hostel through the River Park to the Arts and Sciences Museum. Along the way we discovered what we thought was a lime tree. Turns out they were DIS.GUS.TING. Like, probably semi-poisonous disgusting.
Fresh fruit fail.
The museums were SO COOL. I felt like I was on another planet...definitely not in Kansas anymore. I couldn't decide which pictures to post, so decide for yourself which one is your favorite!
Another Valencian gem: the Gulliver park. We found this playground that was a GIANT Gulliver covered in slides and ropes and other playground-esque things. It was AWESOME. We were the oldest ones there, but whatever. Those kids can deal. We just wanted to slide down one time! Get over it.
After our educational/childlike morning, we went to the beach. It was very necessary. You can't go to a coastal town in Spain and NOT go to the beach. You just can't. We found a café along the beach where we ate Paella Valenciana and then hit the sand to tomar the sol and lounge around for the rest of the afternoon. I did get a little tostada, but....whatever. I'm in Spain. I'm allowed to get a little color. Just a tiny bit.
I absolutely love Valencia. It was a pretty big city, but it didn't have the hurried, bustling feel of Madrid. It was calmer, definitely más bonita, and more personable. If I had more weekends to travel I'd definitely go back!
After the Prado, we hopped on a bus to Valencia. The four-ish-hour bus ride was a little rough, but we finally made it to the east coast around midnight and went straight to bed at the hostel. Good thing, though, because Saturday was jam-packed with a smorgasbord of activities! We walked from our hostel through the River Park to the Arts and Sciences Museum. Along the way we discovered what we thought was a lime tree. Turns out they were DIS.GUS.TING. Like, probably semi-poisonous disgusting.
Fresh fruit fail.The museums were SO COOL. I felt like I was on another planet...definitely not in Kansas anymore. I couldn't decide which pictures to post, so decide for yourself which one is your favorite!
Another Valencian gem: the Gulliver park. We found this playground that was a GIANT Gulliver covered in slides and ropes and other playground-esque things. It was AWESOME. We were the oldest ones there, but whatever. Those kids can deal. We just wanted to slide down one time! Get over it.
After our educational/childlike morning, we went to the beach. It was very necessary. You can't go to a coastal town in Spain and NOT go to the beach. You just can't. We found a café along the beach where we ate Paella Valenciana and then hit the sand to tomar the sol and lounge around for the rest of the afternoon. I did get a little tostada, but....whatever. I'm in Spain. I'm allowed to get a little color. Just a tiny bit.
I absolutely love Valencia. It was a pretty big city, but it didn't have the hurried, bustling feel of Madrid. It was calmer, definitely más bonita, and more personable. If I had more weekends to travel I'd definitely go back!
1 comment:
i'm too tall for china, as well! what's UP (...apparently us). i'm naming my first child valencia. that play ground looks SO fun. yayaya! i love you!
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