High Tatras – the Valley of the Five Lakes and Szpiglasowy Wierch

I was determined to get the most of out my last day in the Tatras by finally doing a proper, energetic hike. The most popular entry point for the Polish side of the park was a short drive away from my chalet, so I set off early……to find the place already heaving with people. I had pre-booked my parking space but I still had to stop around 1km away and take a shuttle bus to get to the park entrance. There, a large queue waited to buy entry permits, but with my e-ticket I could just walk straight in.

The busy entrance to the High Tatras park

From the entrance a long asphalted road provided the only option for walking deeper into the park. It seemed like half the population of Poland had decided to go hiking that day. Occasionally a horse drawn carriage would pass me, an option for those unable or too lazy to walk. Often the road was very pretty, but I got sick of the presence of so many other people and of walking on asphalt.

After a couple of kilometres, I was relieved when I saw my intended trail leading off to the right, away from the crowded road. It was great to get on to a proper hiking path, with dirt under my boots rather than bitumen. The trail was also much less busy, and I began to enjoy the scenery as it led upwards.

The views got more and more impressive, until finally I reached a pretty waterfall.

The path then continued up to the Valley of the Five Lakes – a justifiably famous highlight of the High Tatras. Five beautiful, perfectly clear lakes lay at the bottom of a broad valley, their water reflecting the surrounding mountains. It was a great place to stop for a bit.

There was a chalet by one of the lakes selling snacks and drinks, so I ordered a well-known Polish energy drink – beer.

Suitably refreshed, I continued my walk enjoying the wide, open countryside.

At first, I was puzzled; I could see the path stretching out ahead and then zigzagging up the base of a very steep mountain. But then it seemed to disappear, and from a distance I could see no obvious way of climbing the imposing peak that was blocking my way.

When I got closer however, I saw that my route went straight up a steep rock face, where chains had been set into the stone to help people clamber up.

Climbing with chains to Szpiglasowy Wierch

Bears are good at climbing, and this made a pleasant change to the increasingly steep walking I had been doing. Soon I was on top of the utterly unpronounceable peak “Szpiglasowy Wierch” and was rewarded with some of the most amazing mountain scenery I had ever seen, with a 360-degree view of the peaks and lakes of the High Tatras.

More amazing views – Szpiglasowy Wierch, High Tatras

Having invested so much effort to get up, I spent thirty minutes at the top, finding myself a nice little nook away from the steady stream of climbers arriving and descending. Invigorated by the view, I started the descent to another of the High Tatras’ famous attractions – the large mountain lake, Morskie Oko, or “the eye of the sea”. This part of the hike was less impressive – a steady, slow descent along a well-paved trail. The famously skilled Polish builders also seemed to have been busy in the park; the trails were often made of carefully laid mountain rocks, offering a flat staircase to walk up or down.

I arrived at Morskie Oko to find a mountain lake that was slightly bigger than the ones I had seen before, and a chalet selling food and drink, which was besieged by hundreds of visitors.

After the tranquil beauty of the Valley of the Five Lakes and the spectacular views from Szpiglasowy Wierch, it was a disappointment. Morskie Oko suffers hugely from its popularity and its accessibility – to get there is a 5km hike from the park entrance along a gently sloping asphalted road.

It was along this road that I had to hike back, accompanied by hundreds of other people – some with backpacks looking fit and serious, others in T-shirts carrying pints of beer – and the inevitable horse-drawn carriages. It was an anticlimactic way to end what had been until then a truly memorable hike, and I hurried to finish it as quickly as I could. Arriving back at my car park, I had covered around 26km, and was glad to be able to sit down.

It has been a strange walk – most of it was memorable, amongst the best hiking I had ever done, but the very last part was extremely boring and initially spoiled my enjoyment. However, after a few days, the memory of the dull plod back from Morskie Oko faded, leaving the happy memories of the Valley of the Five Lakes and the views from the top of Szpiglasowy Wierch. So, to end on a high note, here are a few more photos of the best of the Polish Tatras.

High Tatras scenery – Valley of the Five Lakes

Back at my chalet I cooked burgers and steak on my barbecue and had the pleasant task of finishing off the stocks of food and alcohol I bought for my stay in the mountains (perhaps deliberately, I had bought a little too much of each). The next day I was due to leave the Tatras for a completely different type of travel experience.

Next Post – Auschwitz

Previous Post – Rafting and Hiking in Slovenia and Poland

21st September 2023 2

The Tatras Mountains – Zapokane and Hiking Mount Koscielec

The next day I picked up my hire car and drove south for about 2 hours to the Tatras mountains that lie on the border between Poland and Slovakia. I stopped on the way to buy supplies for a few days in the chalet I had booked… and wondered again at how cheap food and (especially) drink are in Poland. The area is hugely popular with local tourists, and the road was lined with lots of holiday homes, hotels and shops selling skiing and hiking gear. I was expecting a wild and rather poor part of Europe, but instead the region felt like Switzerland – green rolling hills and pretty, neat houses. I reached my own holiday home, which was in a small village – and spent the first afternoon settling in. It was a modern building fitted out to high standards – presumably by the famously skillful Polish builders.

The next day I set off to go hiking. The road to the town of Zapokane for start of my trail offered a brilliant view of the mountains.

The high Tatras mountains approaching Zapokane

As I approached the Zapokane, the road became busy. Every few metres there were places offering parking. At first the prices were reasonable – 10 zlotys (2 euros) – but as I approached the starting point of my walk they rose….20, 40, and finally, where the road ended, 50 zlotys. Despite the high prices demand was strong and I got the very last space.

From the car park in Zapokane I still had to walk about a kilometre to the park entry and pay my entrance fee. There were lots of other hikers, who nearly all seemed to be Polish. The first part of the trail went through a forest. It was pleasant but not exceptional and at first I wondered why the region has such a lofty reputation. But then the path emerged from the forest and a spectacular vista opened up of the High Tatras mountains rising steeply from the surrounding hills.

After a bit more walking my destination came into sight – Mount Koscielec, nicknamed the “Polish Matterhorn”. It is the second pointy peak in the middle of the next photo.

At the base of the mountain was a pretty lake, with perfectly clear water, in which I saw several trout swimming.

A pretty mountain lake with trout at the base of Mount Koscielec

From there it was a steep climb up to the first pointy peak located just below the Mount Koscielec. It was quite hard work involving scrambling up rocks, but the view at the top was worth it.

Hiking up Mount Koscielec – the view from the interim summit

I could see the main mountain ahead of me, but on my first day’s hiking I didn’t fancy another hour or so of scrambling over rocks, and I thought the view would be just as good were I was. So I enjoyed the spectacular scenery for half an hour and then headed back to Zapokane. Climbing Mount Koscielec will have to wait for when I return to the Tatras!

I was very happy with my walk, even if chickened out of the very last part of the climb up the mountain. I returned to my chalet to have a dinner of locally caught trout, with some Polish white wine. The trout was excellent, but although Poland does many things well, wine is not its strongest suite. For my next meal I will revert to their excellent beer and vodka!

Previous Post: Krakow

Next Post: Hiking in Slovenia and Rafting the Dunajec Gorge

19th September 2023 5

Krakow

The next day I set off to explore the city. Krakow has a compact but exceptionally pretty old city, as usual centred around a square. The latter was originally built in 1257 to house Krakow’s busy market, at a time when Krakow was an essential stop on many busy trade routes crossing Europe. Today the square is surrounded by cafés where you can sit and drink coffee, beer or cocktails.

One of the square’s most famous buildings is St Mary’s Basilica, dating from the 13th and 14th Century. Every hour a bugler plays a short tune from the top of tower. The tune breaks off part way through a bar – legend has it that in the 13th Century, a sentry spotted an approaching Mongol army and raised the alarm by sounding his bugle. As he played he was shot through the throat by a Mongol arrow – hence the abrupt ending to the tune. Unfortunately his alarm was in vain, the Mongols still destroyed the city.

The inside of the Basilica is also pretty

I took the opportunity to climb up to the top of tower to get an overview of the city and plan my next steps, and was rewarded with a fine view of the city and the castle with its cathedral.

From the main square I strolled off through the old town towards the castle, finding lots of pretty buildings along the way.

I visited the cathedral, which had a large and apparently famous bell, and a crypt housing the coffins of many past Polish kings. Krakow was the capital of Poland from 1038 until 1596, but even after the court moved to Warsaw, it remained an important business and cultural centre. My guide book said that the inside of the castle was less interesting than the outside views, so I strolled around until I found the castle gardens to relax in.

It had been a busy day with lots of walking, so I headed back to my flat before going out for cocktails and dinner. I discovered that eating and drinking out in Krakow is really cheap, and slightly over-indulged myself with some very good cocktails.

I returned to my AirbnB flat and settled down for the night. My accommodation was also very good value – there are lots of very good hotels and flats available in Krakow for visitors. Mine was right in the centre of the old town, which was very convenient except for its proximity to St Mary’s Basilica. I discovered that the bugler performs their piece every hour all throughout the night….

Next Post: High Tatras, Zapokane and Mount Koscielec

Previous Post: From Prague to Brno to Krakow

18th September 2023 3

From Prague to Brno to Krakow

From Prague I headed by train to Brno, the Czech Republic’s second city. In contrast to my recent experience in Spain, the train was slooooowww.

Hmmm….bus is often faster than train in this part of the world

In many ways Brno is like a smaller version of Prague, with pretty architecture, a castle, lots of churches and a main square.

I found a market with beer stalls for some refreshment

Brno was a nice place, a bit like a mini version of Prague with fewer tourists. I spent one night there before heading on to my main destination, Krakow, by bus. At the bus station I got a reminder a just how close to the conflict in Ukraine this part of the world is.

The bus trip from Brno to Krakow took about four hours, passing through some pleasant, if unspectacular, countryside

Rolling fields near the Czech/Polish border

I arrived in Krakow and walked into the old town to find my flat. I was immediately impressed by the feel of the place and looked forward to exploring the next day.

Next Post: Krakow

Previous Post: Prague

18th September 2023 4

Prague – the Astronomical Clock, Carolus Bridge, Castle and a wonderful Alchemy Museum

The Bear is back!

After a pleasant if wet summer enjoying my home in London, I am back on the road again. My destination this time is Eastern Europe. My main holiday will be in Poland, but my journey actually starts in Prague, which will allow me to complete a little more of my project to go all the way around the world by land or by boat. So far, I have crossed all of the USA, Europe from the UK to Prague, and Eurasia from Kyiv to Vladivostok. I still have to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but my only remaining land section to complete is Prague to Kyiv. This trip will take me halfway, as far as Krakow in Poland.

Prague is one of Europe’s prettiest cities, which fortunately escaped destruction in WWI and WWII. It has been through many periods of prosperity and decline. Its most notable golden ages were in the 14^th century under Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV (who built the famous Charles bridge) and in the 16^th century under King Rudolf II. At times, it was the centre of the Holy Roman Empire or an important city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Like other old cities, it has a pretty main square, which I visited on my first evening.

Prague’s main square again, with Czech and Ukrainian flags

The old town hall in the square has a famous clock. It was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation. On the hour, tourist crowds gather to hear the clock chime and see “The Walk of the Apostles”, a parade of small statues of saints.

Prague – the oldest functioning astronomical clock in the world

Prague has an active nightlife, including many bars, clubs and restaurants. I decided to do something different – a classical music concert where the Kronos Quarter were celebrating 50 years since their formation.

The next day I set early off to avoid the crowds. I crossed the famous Carolus Bridge…..

The Charles (Carolus) Bridge in the early morning, before the crowds arrive

….and then climbed the hill to the castle with its beautiful cathedral.

I spent the afternoon wandering around admiring yet more elegant architecture, this time by the side of the river.

Finally, I visited a former alchemist’s laboratory with a wonderful history, which is now the Alchemy Museum. It operated in the 16^th century when the then King Rudolf II supported the science of alchemy. Since the activity was looked upon with distrust by most of the population, the laboratory was hidden underground and had two exit tunnels – one an escape route, leading outside of the city, and the other leading to the castle.

The alchemists supplied the king with an elixir of youth, love potions and wisdom potions. Some of these must have worked, since he had a string of lovers (of both sexes) and lived to the then respectable age of 60. After Rudolf’s death, his successors were less interested in alchemy and the laboratory was closed and forgotten behind a secret door. It was only rediscovered when bad floods hit Prague in 2002, causing the road above to collapse into the escape tunnel. Excavators followed the route of the tunnel to rediscover the laboratory. Today, the laboratory has become the Alchemy Museum and you can still buy its Elixirs of Youth and Love Potions…

After the visit, I had a traditional heavy Czech dinner – duck, dumpling, cabbage and beer. Even though bears have famously big appetites I have to confessed I struggled with the impressive size of the serving.

Next Post: From Prague to Brno to Krakow

18th September 2023 3

Toledo, a “bucket list” city

Today was my last full day in Spain, and I decided to use it to visit Toledo, a small town about 80km south of Madrid with a very long history. Just as Cuenca gets very few visitors, Toledo gets a lot, and my train there was packed. Toledo was a small settlement back in Roman times, but achieved prominence when it became the capital of the kingdom of the Visigoths, one of the barbarian tribes occupying Spain during and after the fall of the Roman Empire. Later Toledo was briefly the capital of Imperial Spain under the Emperor Charles V, before his successor moved it to Madrid. The city was famous for its tolerance, as a place where Christians, Muslims and Jews lived together in relative peace.

On arrival at the station, I took a bus to one of the gates marking the entry to the old town.

One of the gates leading into the old city of Toledo

The street then led steeply uphill – it is said that Toledo is built on three hills. The lanes were narrow and windy, but also shady, since long rolls of cloth were suspended above to protect from the sun. I enjoyed wandering around, before deciding to take a trip on the tourist train. This is not something I would normally consider, but it was the only way to get to a famous viewpoint of Toledo, which had been painted by countless artists.

THE view of Toledo, painted by El Greco and many others

The train dropped me back in the centre, and I continued my exploration, first visiting the castle, where interestingly a new building had been constructed entirely around the ruins of the old fort (sorry, forgot to take a photo!). Then I check out one of the very many museums in Toledo, housed in the Hospital de Santa Cruz, a place founded in the 15^th to provide help to poor and orphaned children.

The peaceful cloister of the Museum de Santa Cruz

It had an interesting collection of art, some by the local painter El Greco, and displays covering the history of Toledo and renaissance Spain. Next I headed all the way across the town to visit the beautiful Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, which dates from the 15^th Century. It had a peaceful cloister and much beautiful, intricate stone carving.

The outside of the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes (the building on the right)

Intricate carving inside the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo

Nearby was the Puente de san Martin, which offers another of the definitive views over Toledo.

Another of the definitive views of Toledo

Next I hauled myself back up the steep hill, on the way to the cathedral, popping in to a museum dedicated to Visigoth culture on the way. There, the explanation was all in Spanish, and the items on display were the usual pots and pans from less advanced ancient civilisations – maybe exciting to an archaeologist, but not to me. But at least the museum was housed in an interesting former church and was cool after the long climb up the hill in the sun.

The museum of Visigoth culture in Toledo

I then had the luxury of walking downhill to the cathedral, one of Toledo’s “must see” attractions. It was built in the 13^th Century in the High Gothic style on the site of an older church used by the Visigoths – possibly since the 7^th century. Although it is one of the most famous cathedrals in Spain, I found it rather dark. Being closely surrounded by other buildings, it was also hard to appreciate its size and architecture fully from the outside.

I returned to the train station in the late afternoon, tired after continuously climbing up and down Toledo’s three hills. I had visited almost all of the main sights – expect the El Greco museum (renaissance painting is not my thing). This is no small achievement for someone with little legs, so I rewarded myself with a beer and snoozed on the way back to Madrid.

For my last night in Spain, I treated myself to dinner on the rooftop of one of the grand buildings on the Gran Via. I had to enjoy the warmth of the sun whilst I still could!

Well, that’s it for the moment. Back to cold and rainy London. My next trip will be to Eastern Europe in September, stay tuned!

Previous Post: Madrid – Parque del Retiro

17th May 2023 1

On to Madrid – Parque del Retiro and the Casino de Madrid

The next day, I got up early to have one last look at the spectacular view from Cuenca’s bridge, in the morning light this time.

Cuenca’s famous view – in morning light this time

Then I set off to the station to continue my route to Madrid. My second Spanish train trip was not as smooth as the first. The modern-looking but empty station of Cuenca had a security check for baggage and the bored and zealous staff there detected my Swiss army knife in my bag. I had no idea this was not allowed on the train. They got very excited (this must have been the highlight of their day) and told me I had to leave it somewhere inside the station. I took this as a hint that if I concealed it discretely somewhere (just not in the bag which went through the scanner) they would turn a blind eye, so I ducked out of sight, hid the knife in my pocket and returned to the platform….to see one of the guards waiting for me, armed with a hand-held metal detector. I didn’t want the indignity of having my fur checked so took out my knife and left it on a table where he could see it, but the guard still checked me anyway, even making me take my hat off. He then recorded my ticket number – maybe as proof that they had been working, maybe to report me. It was the third Swiss army knife I had lost on my travels. At the ticket check, I had another surprise. The man there said that the free baggage allowance was only for a small bag (the size of carry-on luggage in a plane), and I would have to pay 30 euros to the staff on the train to transport my suitcase. My favourable impression of Spanish trains was beginning to wane, but once onboard, I stowed my case quickly in the luggage wrack and nobody asked me to pay extra for it. The train sped through the flat Spanish countryside, reaching Madrid in an hour.

I already knew the city from previous visits, so decided to spend a relaxed afternoon visiting some familiar places, and a few new ones. My flat was right in the centre, and I walked down the wide avenues to the Royal Palace….

….and then back across town to the Parque del Retiro, where Madrilenos go to cool off in hot weather (although it was only May, it was already quite hot). I spent a happy couple of hours there, enjoying a drink in the shade, visiting the crystal palace and the rose garden.

From the park I headed to the Reina Sofia Art Institute, which houses work by famous 20^th century Spanish artists like Picasso, Miro and Dali. It was a very large building and I found the layout confusing – the works by the best-known artists were spread out amongst dozens of different rooms, forcing you to visit the whole museum if you wanted to sure not to miss the more famous paintings. Maybe this was intentional, but I had already spent the whole afternoon walking and soon my little legs were tired. Still, it is hard to not like a museum that is the home for Picasso’s magnificent Guernica painting, which I saved to last to enjoy (smaller crowds near the museum’s closing time!). Sadly, no pictures allowed so here is a link to the famous picture…..

After the museum I just about had the energy to walk home, popping in to the Casino de Madrid for a well-earned aperitif. The casino is now a private members’ club, and my membership of my London club gave me access. It was a beautiful building, with many impressive rooms and a stunning staircase.

The Magnificent Staircase, Casino de Madrid

A well-earned aperitif in the Casino de Madrid

After my aperitif, I had dinner back in my flat, accompanied by a bottle of red wine given to me by the exceptionally friendly owner. It came from his own vineyard near Cuenca, and I had great pleasure in telling him how much I had liked the place.

Next Post: Toledo

Previous Post: Cuenca

16th May 2023 2

Cuenca, an unexpected highlight

The next stop of my short Spanish trip was Cuenca, a small town located halfway between Valencia and Madrid. I went by train, which covered the 200km distance in an hour, reaching speeds of nearly 300km/h in places.

I arrived at a very smart, new train station which bore a strong resemblance to an airline terminal – except that there were almost no people. Cuenca did not seem to be a very popular destination.

The station was a long way out of town, so I took a taxi which first went through an unremarkable modern part of the city, before climbing a steep hill to the old town, where my flat was. I settled in and then set off to explore. At first site, the old town was small, with the typical winding streets and old buildings you can find in many places in Spain.

I soon found the main square, where the cathedral was located. This huge building was originally constructed in the 12^th century but underwent many modifications and additions since that time. It was a big surprise, rivalling many of the more famous churches I have seen around Europe. The interior was pleasant and light, with many small chapels leading away from the central aisle.

The ceiling of one of the many chapels of Cuenca’s cathedral

A view from the triforium, Cuenca Cathedral

After the cathedral I headed down a steep slope for a view of Cuenca’s best-known attraction – its “hanging houses”, perched precariously on the edge of a sheer cliff. One of these houses is home to a museum of abstract art.

The Museum of Abstract Art lives up to its name

Further down the slope, a long wooden bridge ran across the deep ravine at the city’s edge, connecting it to another hill and the city’s “parador” hotel. The bridge and the hotel offered spectacular views back to Cuenca.

The amazing view from the bridge over the ravine

I returned to the old town, and this time headed up a steep hill, past a convent to the ruins of a castle. This was first built by the moors, who recognised Cuenca’s strategic location and founded the city in the 8^th century. The town changed hands regularly between moors and Christians in the centuries that followed. The area gave yet more amazing views back to the city.

I walked back down the hill, intending to go sit at a café for the rest of the afternoon, but instead I met a group of Spanish walkers who recommended a walking route that led away from the city through some interesting rock formations. I took their advice and was rewarded with more beautiful views. The path ran below a mountain ridge for a few kilometres, before descending to a river, which I followed to get back to Cuenca.

On arriving, I made the steep climb back to the main square and finally sat down for a well-earned and much needed drink, enjoying the views of the main square and cathedral – this time, empty of people. Cuenca seems to be visited mostly by day-trippers from Madrid (and not many of them), and is very quiet at night when they have gone.

Cuenca Cathedral in the evening sun, and an empty Plaza Mayor

I enjoyed a dinner of yet more ham and cheese in my flat, sitting on a sofa with a great view of Cuenca’s steep valley. The little-known city had greatly exceeded my expectations – with its beautiful views, magnificent cathedral and many walking routes.

Next Post: Madrid and the Parque del Retiro

Previous Post: Valencia

15th May 2023 2

Modern Valencia and its City of Arts and Sciences

The next morning, I set off to visit the ceramics museum. Mostly, I was interested in exploring the interior of the wonderful old palace it was housed in, but the museum itself was also interesting, with a sprawling collection ranging from Roman pottery to works by Picasso.

The ornate exterior of Valencia’s Ceramics Museum

I then made my way southeast, towards the port and the sea. The city changed character as old winding lanes gave way to wide avenues with tall, elegant buildings.

Wide streets and elegant buildings of modern Valencia

A highlight was the Mercado de Colon – a former market, which is now home to many small restaurants and cafes. Its art nouveau style reminded me of Gaudi in Barcelona, although it was the work of a different, local, architect.

Next, I found Valencia’s Turia Park, an 8km-long stretch of gardens and sports grounds, laid out along now dry bed of the Turia river and winding around the city’s north and east sections. The park led to Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences, which contains many spectacular modern buildings designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, including the city’s concert hall, a science museum, and a cinema.

An ultra-modern venue for concerts, City of Arts and Sciences

Valencia’s Science Museum and pool for kayaking or paddleboarding

Valencia’s Science Museum, City of Arts and Sciences

It was some of the most successful modern architecture I had ever seen. The walk ended in a garden, which offered some shade against the hot afternoon sun.

A beautiful garden in the City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia

A short distance away, I could see the huge cranes of Valencia’s harbour, a reminder that the city remains an active container and ferry port.

My final day in Valencia was devoted to my first Spanish wedding. It started early, at 1pm, with the marriage service in a pretty church in the old city. Emerging outside, the newly-weds were greeted by the traditional showers of confetti, plus (a Spanish custom) a salvo of military-grade firecrackers – which were so powerful that the road had to be cordoned off to protect passers-by. From the church we took a bus to an estate (“hacienda”) outside the city for a drinks reception and a large, late lunch. This was followed by sketches presented by the newly-weds’ friends and animated dancing. At 11pm, huge plates of paella were prepared and served, whislt the dancing continued. The buses finally returned to the city at 1am. It was one big, 12-hour celebration of life – the Spanish certainly now how to party!

Next Post: Cuenca

Previous Post: Valencia’s Old Town

13th May 2023 3

Valencia’s old city – Lonja, Valencia Cathedral and Torres de Serranos

Brrrrrr. It has been a long, cold, wet………spring in London. I was beginning to wonder why I bothered to emerge from hibernation to endure such miserable weather. It was definitely time to feel the warmth of the sun again, so I seized on the chance to attend a marriage in Valencia, Spain. This is Spain’s third largest city, but is much less visited than more popular Spanish destinations. It is located on the country’s Mediterranean coast, about 350km southeast of Madrid. I arrived and found my flat – right in the centre, opposite the huge central market building.

View of the Valencia’s market at night from my flat

The next morning I visited the market to get some ham and cheese for later….

Inside Valencia Market on the next morning

…… and then set off to discover the city. Today, I explored the “old city” with its winding lanes and shady squares. Valencia’s golden age was in the 14th and 15th centuries, when it was a centre for trade with other Mediterranean cities. One of my first stops was a building dating from this period – the UNESCO-listed Lonja. It has two wings – a trading hall, where contracts were settled, and a maritime tribunal, for settling disputes.

The ornate ceiling inside the hall of the maritime tribunal…

….and the ceiling of the trading hall, Valencia

I spent a pleasant morning wandering around, occasionally popping into some of the many ancient churches or stopping for a drink in one of the countless cafes. Sitting outside in the sun was a blissfully experience after the past few months in London’s rain. It was a pleasantly warm 25C; May is a good time to visit, before the summer heat becomes oppressive.

One the many squares in Valencia’s old city, viewed from my café

The old city used to be surrounded by a wall, but all that remains of it now are two gates, of which the 14^th century Torres de Serranos is the more impressive. There, I thought I had met a fellow bear, only to discover that in reality it was a human dressed in a costume. For a reason I cannot understand, some other humans would occasionally give him money. I felt sorry for him; it must have been very hot inside his outfit and not worth the small change he was collecting from passers-by.

Not the fellow bear I had thought he was….

Next, I found Valencia’s cathedral, which has a famous relic – supposedly the cup Christ drank from at the last supper.

The chapel housing Christ’s cup from the Last Supper (in the middle)

On my way back to my flat, I bumped into what was possibility the prettiest building I had seen so far – the Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas. It was originally a gothic building but was converted to its current Baroque appearance in the 18^th century. It now houses a ceramics museum, which I decided to visit first thing next day.

One of the most elegant palaces of Valencia’s old city

Back in my flat, I enjoyed bread, cheese, ham and some good Spanish red wine………with my window wide open to enjoy the evening air. Not something I could do back home in London in May!

Next Post: Valencia – City of Arts and Sciences

12th May 2023 1