Friday

Breakfast in the hotel first thing - first thing for me anyway, as Eunice, Lou and Tony had all had time for a stroll outside (and coffee for some) before I surfaced.

Afterwards a split in the group developed, with Eunice and Lou doing a bit of pottering around the local shops and me and Tony off back to to the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias for a last look around and even more photos.

This time we managed a look inside part of L'Hemisferic and get into L'Agora (which was hosting Valencia Fashion Week), which I haven't managed before. 

After a coffee in the Centro Comercial El Saler it was back to the hotel to collect Eunice and Lou and our bags and the brief (700yd) walk to the Metro for our our trip to the airport.


No triumphant melody from Ryanair on arrival in Manchester as the plane was 15 minutes late, but everything went well enough so we weren't for complaining.  We even managed to find the car keys (and the car) without any effort and the car park barrier lifted to allow us out of the car park without demanding any more money.  Touchdown to leaving the car park was about 20 minutes.


It may have been around a sunny 27degC when we left and an overcast 12degC back here, but it wasn't raining so we looked on that as a bonus.

Due to time and internet constraints the blog has been a bit short this time, but hopefully the photos will help fill in and give a better sense of the experience.  I'll be adding titles and comments to those in the webalbum over the next few days to try and tie everything together.

So that's it for now.  My thanks to Eunice for the idea and the organisation, to Lou for her company and looking after the kittie and of course to Tony for allowing us to celebrate his upcoming 65th birthday so enjoyably and for acting as expedition photographer.   Oh and to Sally too for making sure we had some milk in the fridge on our return
- the Spanish still don't understand what constitutes a good cup of tea and that first cup back here rounded the holiday off nicely.

Thursday

I messed up recording the walks today.  I'd put my Garmin Edge (which does all the work) on to charge this morning while we were out having breakfast, completely forgetting that once you take your room key card out of the wall holder it cuts of all electricity in the room.  Hence on returning from breakfast I found a gps with only enough battery for a couple of hours.  Not too much of a problem as I could just turn it off when we were stationary, or on the tram, and back on again when we started walking.  I should then just have enough to record the main events.

Well it went wrong right from the start when I forgot to turn it on on our walk to the Metro station and then forgot to turn it off when we got back on the tram this afternoon.  So only a part track was recorded.

However, the day went well.  We caught the tram down to the beach and walked a good length of it (it's very long), stopped for a coffee then headed back to catch one into the old town in time for lunch.

We visited the Lonja (an old commerce building with World Heritage Site ranking) and then the indoor market again to buy some fruit and a final look around before catching the tram back to the hotel.

We're going to try Le Mafia restaurant tonight (no prizes for guessing it's an Italian) after arriving too early (7:30) last night.  Hopefully we won't all drop off waiting for it to open tonight if we're a bit early again as it's been very hot today (around 30degC) and quite tiring.

I've uploaded some of my photos to the web album on Google+, but it'll be after we get back before I can get the better ones (Tony's) on there.

Wednesday

Breakfast out today at a little cafe a few hundred yards from the hotel.  Coffee and toast was just enough after our 3 courser last night.

Then it was back to the Jardines del Turia to finish off the bit we missed yesterday.  This included the spectacular Palau de les Arts, L'Hemisferic and the Museu de les Ciencies Principe Felipe.  Eunice and I have seen them many times before but they still continue to amaze.  It was Lou and Tony's first sighting so expect a lot of photos..

The afternoon was spent in L'Oceanografic, a second visit for Eunice and I, but a first for Lou and Tony.

Photos should be able to be viewed here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/115876148290792812709/albums/5925076673448653601?authkey=CLuW24nhpuz_5QE


Out again after a short rest to get some supper, then back to the hotel again after a nightcap at Pedro's.

Tuesday - day 1

Arrived safely at hotel last night at around 11pm, just in time to drop the bags off in our rooms and pop out to a nearby bar for a nightcap.  Having left Manchester cold and wet it seemed a little strange to be sat outside with a beer at midnight in short sleeves, but nothing we will struggle to get used to...

Today we walked into the town centre, collected our travel passes, climbed 207 steps up to the top of the Miguelete, took the underground to the top of the Jardines del Turia and walked back through the gardens to the hotel, around 8 miles walking in total!

The internet is proving a little difficult here, only the MacBook has managed any connection at all so far (none of the phones or iPods) and even that is very slow, so photos will be a little while coming through.  There will, however, be a lot as Tony is our official expedition photographer and he misses nothing!

Must go now and get a shower before heading out for our evening meal.

.............

OK back in the hotel after very nice (and filling) paella in one of the sea front restaurants just past the Admirals Cup Building and the Formula 1 track.  We walked there too (and back), so another 3 and a bit miles taking the daily total to more than 11miles in temperatures above 25degC.  We'll sleep well tonight.