On the move again today. With our train to Valencia not until 1.15pm we took our time having breakfast and re-packing our suitcases. Checkout was at 11.00am so we stretched that to the limit leaving the building at about 10.50am. When we checked in Irene told us that when we left, we would not need to book a taxi. Just go and stand out on the street around the corner and a cab will come in a couple of minutes. Sure enough, within minutes a taxi pulled up and we loaded our cases.
This was not a short fare today, so we didn’t have to feel guilty about engaging a taxi to take us to the station. It was a 30-minute ride and it cost us €30.00 to travel from the centre of the city to Estación Madrid-Chamartín. We arrived much too early again which was a nuisance today because the station was so much busier than others we have passed through. So many people, so little seating for people to use while waiting for their trains.
I went back outside to investigate the eating places outside the station. We had seen the Burger King (it will always be Hungry Jack’s to us) but when I looked more closely it was a larger restaurant/cafeteria with Hungry Jack’s only one vendor within it. I went back inside but just as we were about to haul our luggage out there a seat became available at a small café inside, so we dived onto that with me securing the table and Bernie going to order our sandwiches at the counter. Jamon y queso AGAIN today but, for a change, the cheese was Brie. The crusty bread rolls here are so delicious.
While we were eating, we were being stood over by a woman and her child anxious to secure a table at the café which was really annoying. When we finished, she moved in so quickly I could barely get away from the table. She sent her son to sit on the chair that would have been my preferred exit route so I couldn’t go that way I had to tip another chair forward and extricate myself between the legs of the chair and the tape around the perimeter of the café’s designated area. At least while we were eating the departures board had been updated to say that passengers catching our train could proceed to luggage screening. We were optimistic that there would be more seating available in the area reserved for passengers who had had their bags X-rayed.
Nope! Just as crowded in the holding area adjacent to the platforms. Now it was our turn to watch like hawks for people vacating seats that we could move into. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before a group of three headed off to their train and we plonked ourselves in those seats. It’s always a bore waiting for trains. Eventually our gate number was displayed on the board, and we could head onto the platform. With this train service commencing in Madrid, we had plenty of time to find Coach 2 and get ourselves and our luggage aboard.
This train was a double decker so that was a bit confusing. We stowed our suitcases downstairs and then realised our seats were upstairs. Too bad, Bernie didn’t feel like lugging our cases upstairs, so we left them where they were. At the top of the stairs, we headed left instead of right so when we arrived at our seats a man was sitting in one of them. But he wasn’t! We had inadvertently wandered into Coach 3. D’Oh! That was a bit embarrassing. We turned around and headed back to Coach 2 to find the correct seats.
We departed on time with the train crawling out of the station and then out of the city. Once we left the built-up area the driver cranked it up to have us hurtling through the countryside between Madrid and Valencia at 297kph. I tried to read but ended up sleeping for the first hour of the journey. The countryside was very dry again and seemed to consist mainly of pine forest/plantation where there was any greenery. The only interesting thing was passing alongside a very picturesque turquoise lake which Google is telling me was Embalse de Contreras a reservoir on the Cabriel River on the boundary between the provinces of Valencia and Cuenca. No photo because it’s impossible to take a clear photo at 297kph.
We arrived in Valencia just after 3.00pm and made our way to the Tourist Information Office at the station to collect our 72-hour Valencia Cards. Then for the first time on this holiday we had to pay to pee. It was pretty steep too. You had to put €1.00 into the machine so that the turn style would let you through. That’s pretty expensive even by European standards. But have to say that the toilets were very clean and modern with an attendant to keep them that way.
We headed out to the taxi rank. With the number of people who disembarked from our train we feared that all the taxis may have been taken but there were still plenty on the rank. We pushed our cases to the head of the queue and gave the driver the address of our accommodation. This was somewhat problematic as we had a separate address where we had to pick up the key. Grrr, the first time this holiday that the key has not been available AT the place where we were booked to stay.
We decided that we would have the taxi drop us at the apartment building and I would look after our luggage while Bernie went to the office to pick up the key. We spotted a café nearby, so Bernie left me and the suitcases at the café to order a drink while he set off on the eight-minute walk to collect the keys. Luckily this café wasn’t precious about letting me take up a seat when all I wanted was a drink. Bernie was back so quickly that I had only just started my San Francisco mocktail when he returned … so he ordered a beer to keep me company.
After our drinks we headed over to the apartment building to let ourselves in. Bernie had already tested the street level door on his way back so we knew we could get into the building. We took the lift up to the third floor and the key to the apartment worked too, we were in.
We unpacked a few of our items and plugged in our chargers before heading off to the supermarket for a few supplies. The Dio supermarket was conveniently located again so we bought some fruit and yoghurt, water and beer for the next couple of days.
Our apartment is conveniently located in the historic centre of Valencia very near the Plaza Mercado. The Central Market was closed for today but I’m sure we’ll be able to check it out tomorrow or Saturday. The main thing was that we found a heladaria on our way to the Lonja de Mercaderes (Silk Exchange). This amazing World Heritage Listed building is just minutes from our doorstep.
La Lonja is one of the most important monuments in Valencia. It was built in the late 15th century and is an example of the economic strength and cultural splendor that Valencia enjoyed during this period. It was built by the General Council of the city to house commerce. It is considered to be a magnificent example of Gothic architecture in a civic building. We entered through the beautiful courtyard garden filled with orange laden orange trees. Are these Valencia oranges we wondered as opposed to the sour oranges we saw further south? In the south the oranges on the trees were small and green, the oranges here were full-size and, well, orange like they were ready to eat.
From the garden we entered the Sala de Contratación (Contract Room) filled with columns and arches that would not have been out of place in a cathedral. Very attractive architecture for a working building as opposed to a place of worship. We walked through the small chapel, which is at the base of the building’s tower, to the Tribunal de comercio (Trade Court). Unfortunately, we missed the basement as there was a caretaker going around starting to lock up sections of the building for their 7.00pm close. Luckily, we did make it upstairs to view the outstanding Consulate of the Sea pavilion. The coffered ceiling in this room was simply astonishing. This building featured so much intricate stonework and an incredible collection of gargoyles all of which were very well preserved.
When we exited La Lonja, we noticed that the doors had been opened on the building opposite, the Iglesia de Santos Juanes. We hadn’t been inside a religious building today so ventured in for a quick look. Also known as San Juan Mercado there has been a church in this place since the 13th century. Following a blaze the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14th century and the nave featuring a cross-vault ceiling survives from that time despite another blaze in the 16th century resulting in much of the church being rebuilt in the Baroque style. Hmmn, tomorrow we need to go back and take a photo of the façade. We seem to have missed doing that!
We walked back to the apartment to fill in an hour or so until dinner time. We decided to go back to Le Favole for dinner. We were happy that they looked after us this afternoon when we just wanted a drink while we mucked around sorting out the keys to the apartment so thought that they deserved to get our dinner trade. The added attraction was that their fare is pizza and pasta, and we were in need of a change from Spanish food! We shared a bruschetta then Bernie had a seafood pasta, his favourite and I had some delicious ravioli filled with ricotta with a sage and butter sauce.
With our Move and Exercise goals not looking good due to being in transit today we took a walk after our dinner down to the Plaça de l’Ajuntament a beautiful plaza featuring buildings and a fountain lit up for the evening. To say nothing of a full moon rising between a couple of buildings opposite City Hall. After getting off to a slow start with Valencia – the whole having to go somewhere else to collect the keys annoyed us – we were starting to warm up to the city.
Steps: 9,643 (6.02kms)