Valencia, Spain - Saturday Sagunto Market

 We have been to the market in Port de Sagunto on Thursdays but this was the first time on a Saturday.

The path between the two communities was busy

 

Not really a day for sailing, no wind

but a good day for kayaking 

and paddleboarding (the owner gestured that I was welcome to take it out and I thanked her but using body language indicated my balance wasn't good enough, laughter) and

surf fishing.

A screw came out of my prescription glasses a couple of weeks ago and I have been carrying them in my backpack ever since, hoping to find an optometrist. Rick spotted this one and the woman behind the counter repaired them at no cost, so kind.

Unlike Thursday, on Saturday the streets around the market are closed off. Not that anyone took any notice of the signs.

We weren't there until about 11:30 and could see by the empty boxes how much had been sold already.

So tempted to buy some herbs but carrying the pots back to the apartment would be a pain.

Rick commented that we really needed one of these bags on wheels.

 We picked up two kinds of olives from our usual vendor then went looking for a cucumber. At one very busy stall, we took a number, stood around while others bought and bought and bought until there were no cucumbers left. By then I had decided to get onions and an avocado and then was handed a slice of yellow kiwi (yes yellow) and we had to have some of them too.

 Yellow kiwifruit, or golden kiwi (typically Actinidia chinensis), is a nutrient-dense fruit featuring smooth, bronze-toned, hairless skin, bright yellow flesh, and a sweet, tropical flavor with notes of mango and pineapple. Sweeter and less acidic than green kiwi, they are rich in vitamin C and fiber.  from AI summary.

At the playground by the beach a guy was making huge bubbles

 

and the kids were enjoying popping them. I may have to try painting bubbles.

The beach side cafe had more tables out than before and was absolutely packed.

Luckily we found a table. I had a fruit and chocolate crepe and a glass of white wine.

Rick ordered a tuna sandwich and was surprised that he was expected to put it together himself.

The beer made up for it. He had noticed that a table near by had tankards of beer rather than glasses and googled how to say "A beer like that" when he ordered.

Walking home we watched a catermeran sail into the marina,

an Egret fishing and

admired how the flowers are really popping now.

12,000 steps so I stayed in and started painting the bluejay photo that Steve had sent and Rick went out to the beach.

Valencia, Spain - afternoon walk around Canet

Don't know what this means but I wonder if the two places are paired.

 

This morning I had started out with a jacket on but as it warmed, took it off. When we went out to read on the beach, the wind had picked up and we sat on the path, sheltered by the dunes.

We were buzzed by a drone and noticed a kite boarder. Busy day on the beach compared to most.

When the wind shifted further East, making our spot cooler we went for a walk.

Better day for kite foilers than for beach sitters.

The plants beside the path had been irrigated recently and the snails were out in force.

A Common Kestrel was hunting over the dunes.

Rick was not prepared to give up on sitting and reading in the sun, so found a spot, out of the wind, below the bedroom balcony. He ended up coming in as he was too hot there!

Valencia, Spain - morning walk around Canet

 The last couple of days we have stayed home. Rick goes for regular walks, the weather is so pleasant for walking.

The first day I just went for one brief walk and spent the rest of the time completing this, of the church spire in the village.

 

Today, we had planned to catch the bus into Valencia but after a lousy nights sleep I didn't want to deal with the city, so went for a gentle walk around the residential area just north of us.

Blossoms are really emerging now on trees and shrubs.

Even the cacti are getting in on the act.

It's an established neighbourhood with some ultra modern looking infill homes being built.

But most of them have the traditional stucco exterior and tile roofs

Many with terraces, established gardens and solar panels.

Kumquat tree growing over a wall.

There were a row of these trees along the road. I don't know if this is how the leaves start out or if they will be blossoms.

Roof tiles on a wave shaped wall.

A simple but effective roofing material.

Tiles

for

house identification.

There is a large piece of overgrown land with these gates onto the passieg

and a place for the old gates further in. I have been very curious about The Pines.

Through a gate at the side of the property, it looked occupied with a dog sleeping there. But it was all too overgrown for me to get a good shot of the house itself. 

A black cat, pretending to be a jaguar in the jungle.

Even feral cats want a roll and a stretch.

Valencia, Spain - Ceramic Museum (settle in, it's a long one)

 Into Valencia by bus this morning, but this time we didn't go all the way to the bus station, got off at the Torres de Serrano.

They were building scaffolding at the Gate and I asked the waiter (where we had a coffee and chocolate croissant) what was going on. He said that the Fallas Celebration would be starting on Sunday and fireworks would be held here at 7pm.

 

I took this for my niece, Heather, who fell in love with Vespas when visiting me in Mallorca. 

We made our way from the Serrano Gate

through the Plaza of the Virgin (which was really busy today)

The church was open so

we popped in to take a look.

Ceiling.

Came out on the other side and there was a cordoned off area, mass of people and equipment.

We think they were making a commercial for

Turia Beer.

Snack cart for the crew.

I think I have taken this shot every time I have come down this street.

Our destination

the Ceramic Museum.

The National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts González Martí pays tribute to a craft deeply rooted in Valencia. You will find not only colourful Valencian tiles, but also the largest national ceramics collection, ranging from 8th-century pieces to designs by artists such as Picasso.

As impressive as the collection is the building that houses it: the Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas. This former 18th-century ancestral home features opulent eclectic-style rooms, combining everything from Rococo elements to Chinoiserie motifs following successive renovations. Its stunning Baroque alabaster façade will leave you speechless.from visitvalencia.com

The large glass doors take you into a covered courtyard. The ticket booth was here (3 Euro) and lockers (1 Euro) as you can't take in backpacks.

 

The carriages would have come in here

and their passengers would then have come into this grand entrance way.

Two, impressive

carriages

were on display.

Upstairs

ceramics were displayed either chronologically or by area of origin.

Although I was interested in them, often I was more drawn to the rooms and furnishings of the palace itself.

Some were displayed in front of mirrors so the back was visible too.

Every piece had a number and description in Spanish but each room had laminated pages in other languages with (very brief) identification.

Painted walls and borders,

marble inlay or

tiled floors and 

elaborate 

ceilings kept pulling my eyes.

The Romans were into decorated ceramics but ceramics as an art form faded

until the Moors took over the area and 

ceramic art was revitalized

and Spanish ceramics came into their own.

Displayed so you can see the back in the mirror.

The top floor was an exhibition of work by a modern ceramic artist and I didn't care for it and took no pictures.

While I had been ogling ceramics and palace decor, Rick had wandered the old city and the market, saying it was much busier this week. We met up again and headed for the tapas bar we had found with Gord. It had good tapas and reasonable prices.

Unfortunately it was closed for renovations. Hope they hurry up as we would like to take Nic and Dave there. We found another place and shared a salad and drinks.

Then made our way, through

the streets and

Turia gardens

to the Serrano Gate to catch our bus home.