Valencia, Spain Sept 2012

photo left over from seville

as soon as we arrived we met up with Fran and Bill, they were in Valencia for the day with their cruise

pretty cathedral dome- valencia

more of the spanish manueline style

interesting gargoyle!

renaissance paintings in among the baroque and gothic style high altar in the cathedral

st Matthew  in one of the pendentives, cathedral

beautiful light and airy cupola, cathedral

cathedral backside

flowing town fountain

one of the local specialities which we were brave in trying but it wasn't a hit. Horchata and Fartons. Horchaya is a milky drink made from tiger nuts (an import from the Egyptian) grown in a few parts of Spain. Farton is an bun to dunk in the Farton, has an icing on it.

trying the local paella

st christopher

pretty gothic window in alabaster

another St Christopher, he was popular

I loved the angels in the cathedral dome and they are one of the only places where the Renaissance is shown in Valencia

angel detail

paella pans in any dimension

Mercado Central (market) in valencia

pretty parrot weather vane

The cathedral in Valencia, called the Assumption of Our Lady of Valencia, consecrated in 1238 was fun to tour in. It was built on a Visigoth cathedral which had been turned into a mosque when the Moors arrived.  Not much of that remains. They supposedly have The Holy Grail in one of their chapels. It is a gold cup (photos to follow) which dates to the 1st century. Was used by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. The cathedral has a very well- done head set tour which takes you through the various chapels, it is about an hour but worth it. More on Valencia to follow