Valencia without Steve...

Steve wanted to stay on the ship today so I headed into Valencia on my own (hence the selfie photos).

Like all these towns, Valencia has some amazing history. The earliest mention is by the Roman historian Livy, who states that the consul Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus settled the soldier veterans of the Lusitanian leader Viriathus there in 138 BCE. It later became a prosperous Roman colony. Taken by the Visigoths in 413 CE and in 714 by the Moors, it became in 1021 the seat of the newly established independent Moorish kingdom of Valencia. From 1089 until the final capitulation of the city in 1094, the kingdom was fought for, and won, by the Spanish soldier/hero El Cid. It remained in the hands of El Cid, until his death in 1099. More history followed and 1479, the kingdom was under the monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, resulting in a long period of peace during which the city developed rapidly and the arts prospered. The first Spanish printing press is said to have been set up there in 1474, and during the next two centuries the city was the seat of the Valencian school of painting. You get the idea!

I paused briefly in Iglesia de Santo Tomas y San Felipe Neri (Church of Santo Tomás and San Felipe Neri), one of Valencia's newer Roman Catholic churches. It was first organized and constructed in the year 1725. It is fine piece of architecture, as this building was modeled after the “Il Gesu” church in Rome. In its day, the design of this structure was quite controversial, in that it broke with the conventional “cross shape” design for church buildings. Instead, it has a main nave with three parts. In addition, it also has several side chapels.

It was our warmest day yet, 80°, so it was fun to just get lost in the ancient streets. Around every corner was something to behold.

Ciutat Vella (Old Town) is the historical district, where I found many Gothic buildings, cobblestone streets, and picturesque squares. It was a great place to explore on foot as it houses most of the city’s impressive monuments, including an Art Nouveau-style train station, a bullfighting museum, a 15th-century silk exchange hall, and a Roman cathedral housing the mythical Holy Grail.

Constructed by Salvador Escrig Melchor in 1840, the Plaza Redonda is one of the town's most unique tourist attractions due to its peculiar design. Surrounded by traditional craft shops and tapas bars at street level, it was fun to browse the small stalls that sell lace, embroidery, fabrics and Valencian souvenirs, among other things.

So this was my one destination that I just had to see, La Lonja de la Seda (the Silk Exchange), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This building was constructed in the 15th century, when Valencia was one of Europe’s main trading ports. Today, it’s well-preserved monument of Gothic civil architecture with its pointed arched windows and doorways, vaulted ceilings, stone gargoyles on its rooftop, and 40 Renaissance medallions of Roman leaders.

Each day I seem to have one favorite photo. This was today's!

A snack of fresh blueberries was purchased at Mercat Central... what a magnificent tribute to the architectural use of steel and glass.

After a number of architectural competitions, the winning design was a stunning example of the modernist style known as Valencian Art Nouveau. From a distance, the structure looks more like a cathedral than a covered market: The roof’s domes, in particular the one with the large cupola at the center of the building, give the exterior an appearance very much like an Italian duomo. The domes and unique slopes of the roof admit pools of light inside that complement the ornate and varied interior decoration, adorned with iron columns, colorful ceramic tile, and stained glass.

Completed in 1928 after 14 years of construction, the market covers over 86,000 square feet in two floors. Inside it mainly sells food, which is highly diverse and produces a fantastic smell. There are also a number of stalls selling touristic wares plus restaurants and bars, including the “central” bar, which is very popular with tourists and locals alike. It was simply exquisite.

Lunch was off the busy streets in a delightful vegan-centric restaurant. It's quiet and coolness was a welcomed respite.

My sandwich consisted of "marinated tofu with fine herbs, with arugula, toasted dates, and faux lentils. Yum.

To catch the public bus back to the cruise port, I found myself on Plaza del Ayuntamiento, one of Valencia’s busiest squares. My favorite building on this square is Edificio de Correos y Telegrafos (the post office and telegraph building), constructed from 1915 to 1923. The invention of the radiotelegraph by Popov and Marconi in 1897 was perceived then as cellular communication and the Internet are now an epoch-making event radically changing civilization. Therefore, the building for this must be majestic.

It is here one can find plenty of Art Deco buildings, high-street and luxury boutiques, department stores, antique shops, and flower vendors. Other popular sights here include the neoclassical Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) and a spectacular fountain in the middle of the plaza.

Tomorrow we disembark in Barcelona thus commencing an epic land adventure like none we have had before. Let the merriment continue!