Valencia + the Holy Grail

 

 

On day three of our cruise, we arrived in Valencia, Spain. Once again we had almost no plans. Except that I really wanted some ice cream. So we wandered around for a while in a park and saw a few churches. 

One of these churches, the Valencia Cathedral (which, in fact, has a ridiculously much longer proper name), just happens to house the most sought-after Christian relic of all time. I know. I can't believe we saw the Holy Grail either but there you have it. I mean it's obviously the real thing or the church wouldn't have it set up in its own chapel, right? Right.

Who knows, is what I have to say about that. If it's real (I'm suuuch a skeptic) then awesome, we saw it. And if it's not then we saw a still really old gold chalice. I'm going to go with the bragging rights option just for fun. This also happens to be my attitude concerning the St. Peter-in-Chains church in Rome but more on that some other time.

The cathedral itself was impressive and beautiful, not to mention old and we got a free audio guide included in our ticket price which was a nice surprise considering that audio guides are almost always extra in Western Europe at least. I don't remember anything about the tour but I think there is something important about the six-panel painting in the photo above maybe?

We also climbed up the tower of the Valencia Cathedral and were rewarded with a lovely view of the whole city. 

 

 

 

We stopped by the huge indoor market to pick up a few things for lunch such as cherries, bread, and fresh juice. I looove buying fresh things for a cheap lunch. We ate on the steps of a building across from the old silk exchange. The entire neighborhood with the market and silk exchange is gorgeous. Also, I didn't realize that you aren't supposed to take pictures of the market inside until I was editing the photos and noticed the big no cameras sign. Whoops.

 

 

  

 

The main thing that Forrest really wanted to see in Valencia was the bullfighting arena because bullfighting = macho, obviously. I still can't get over how cheap Spain is as far as sightseeing goes because if I recall correctly, we spent 2 euro each to see the museum (although it was pretty tiny) and we got to go into the middle of the arena! Pretty good deal, I would say. And I do!

Goodbye Spain! Next up: Rome and the extremely high humidity!

Lackford Lakes

 

  

 

  

  

 This weekend we decided to spend some time at a local nature reserve. We spent a little bit strolling on the pathways and watching a couple of baby birds swim around and chirp. They weren't ducks but they were some type of waterbird (waterfowl?) and they were adorable.

Most of the people one encounters at Lackford Lakes seem to be extremely avid bird watchers. You can usually tell that sort of thing from the binoculars and gigantic telephoto lenses they carry around. If I were a bird watcher I probably would have known what type of baby birds we were watching. Or if I had taken the time to read the sign maybe. I can see it in my mind's eye " please be quiet, [insert bird name here] nesting."

We sat ourselves in a hide to watch these cute little guys and I'm sorry, I took pictures of them but they're pretty blurry and you can't really tell how cute the birdlings were nor can you hear the adorable chirping so what's the point is what I figure.

It started to get pretty cold toward the end of our excursion and that little cardigan/scarf combo were just not cutting it anymore. So I guess what I'm trying to say is I have finally accepted fall into my life but I'm none too pleased with it. The pumpkin things that have taken over the internet are still not welcome into this house. I think I'm just bitter because I packed up all my boots and sweaters three months ago anticipating them to be shipped in July and now I have to get them all out again. But I really love wearing boots so bitterness be gone!

One last note: Forrest and I both really get an unearthly sense of joy from stomping around in our rain boots (but probably more me than him). I walk in puddles on purpose. Sometimes I turn around and walk through them again. I was lagging behind on our walk (taking nature photos, you know) when I looked up to see that Forrest standing in a puddle. He then declared that he was using his rain boots more than I was and ha ha.
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Boy, did I show him.