A Rainy Day in Valencia

Wednesday, 18 March, 2015:

First and foremost . . .

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY JACOB!!!

Our last day in Valencia was not a Chamber of Commerce Day as the clouds rolled in overnight and rain was imminent.

We started walking into Valencia just as the rain started coming down lightly.

 More Firecrackers

As of all of last night's fireworks wasn't enough, this man was starting his morning setting up yet another round of firecrackers for a neighborhood explosion.

Curse You, Red Baron!

 Jacob's Birthday Cake?

 Torres de Quart

It is one of Valencia's old city gates.

Star Wars meets Torres de Quart

 George Lucas?

Baby Leia

 Hubba-Hubba

Cool Street Art

Chino Falla

The rain started to really come down hard now leaving us only two choices.

A. Duck into a church

or

B. Duck into the Mercado Central

Was there really any decision to make when one of the choices included all sorts of food possibilities?

 Snouts anyone

 Goat Heads . . . YUM!

 Seafood I can do

 Interesting tomatoes

Far more interesting apple tarts

 Valencia oranges

 Gambas, LOVE GAMBAS!

Mercado Central dome

 Sausages by the yard

REALLY big grapes

 Eggs of all sizes and colors

All lite I'm sure

The rain did let up and, yes, we did duck into a church, after all.

 St. Andrew

Private bridge to a church on the

Plaza de la Virgen

The BVM on the Plaza

If you recall from yesterday's Las Fallas post, the long evening parade was taking flowers to this plaza to decorate this massive falla of the Virgin Mary. Today's parade was due to bring the last set of flowers to finish the job.

Her back is almost finished

 Flowers were everywhere

on this Plaza

Laurie liked this bouquet

I liked the look of the ribbons

 Happy in Flowerland

 The iconic Valencia Bat

75 years of Las Fallas

for this group

Bacchus and the BVM?

 Nice lipstick

 Skateboards hate

dog poop apparently

 Great Balls of Fire

Laurie sensed an important falla

just down this street

Wizard of Oz falla worked for her

 Cervantes of Don Quixote fame

 Old Tiles

Nice wall addition

 Traditional Spanish Bagpipers

 Nun balancing act

The three branches of government

peeing together falla

A lovely kissing falla but . . .

. . . worrisome when you pull back

Great Face!

Gigantic Olives

 Inspirational Spaniard!

Paella Valenciana was a lunchtime

MUST!

 Catalan Rook

This falla looked much softer

today with the overcast skies

We had a great two days in Valencia, but it was finally time to head to the train station for the return trip to Murcia in time for our Senior practice.

Laurie enjoys the quiet time on

Spanish trains

So do I.

It was raining and cold in Murcia when we arrived. Despite the weather we had an excellent turnout at practice and really looked sharp on offense.

Game Day for the 2-2 Cobras is next Sunday at home vs. the 2-3 Santurtzi Coyotes who beat us 14-7 in our season opener at their home mud pit near Bilbao.

We're getting better.