Valencia, Spain - walk into the village

 Yesterday I basically went for a short walk and then stayed at home and read. So, no photos, no blog post. My walk was to the bank closest to me which turned out just to be an ATM that had to be accessed via taping your debit card. Of course it didn't recognize my card. Therefore the only thing on my agenda today was to get some money out of a bank.

I have paid for the first month in this apartment on Airbnb, on my credit card. I am paying for the other 6 weeks directly to the landlord, Alex. Therefore I have to get quite a bit of cash for that purpose. I googled "bank nearest me", ignored the ATM one that I went to yesterday and got directions to the next one, in the village of Canet den Berenguer. I am staying in the beach part of the community. The village itself is further inland.

 Canet comes from Latin canetum ("reed bed"), referring to the surrounding swampy area with extensive reed beds which stretched from Puzol to Almenara. The Berenguer part is named after the lord Francisco Berenguer who owned the territory during feudalism in the 16th century from Wikipedia.

The GPS indicated it was 1.5km to the bank and it was open until 2pm then open again at 4pm (siesta). So I had my phone direct me and started out.

The first part took me past the Mercadona (grocery shop), round a couple of roundabouts and then said turn right.

 

Wasn't too sure about this but then I saw someone else walking a dog along the track so followed instructions.

There's a bit of an agricultural buffer between the beach/tourist part and the older/permanent community.

It wasn't far and I turned back onto a proper road and into the village.

Where I am staying most of the homes have their metal shutters closed over the windows and doors and nothing on the balconies but here everything looked "lived in". The were lots of cars, shrubs in gardens, flowers on window sills and steps.

It was such a contrast. Had a very different feel. There are certainly a few people living in my building and those around me but most places are empty, waiting for their summer visitors.

The street names were on tiles at each corner.

Small shops. If there are small shops in my area they are certainly not open in the winter. I have a couple of supermarkets, a "buck store" and a pharmacy. In the summer there must be a huge population and it probably supports more retail, but not right now.

Still following the instructions from the GPS on my phone, I spotted the church. Luckily it was in the direction I was going but I would have checked it out anyway.

And on the church square, there was the bank.

An employee showed me how to use the ATM (it was not obvious where to put your card in) and I took out some cash, I wandered around the village a bit. Found the school, indoor pool and city hall. I will have to find the museum as there is no indication on the internet as to the hours it is open. Another walk for another day.

The old section with its narrow streets is not very big. It must have been quite a small village before tourism invaded the beach area.

The back of the church.

I started back the way I had come but realized that it was 12:30 and I needed something to eat.

I had passed this little bar on the way and noticed locals there. As I approached one gentleman started clearing his dishes away and I asked if I could sit at the table (mostly with gestures) as the other tables were occupied. He moved his coat and went in to the bar, came out with a beer and joined me. We communicated with my halting Spanish and his halting English. He was from Germany, had a house there and one here. He knew everyone who walked past having coached kids football here. He found the waiter who spoke "the best" English (not that great) and I ordered a salad, "we have not", so I ordered Calamare as I had seen some at one of the other tables, and an agua con gas. I squeezed on the lemon but it needed something so I ordered aoli,, then it was delicious. Then another couple asked if they could move the spare chairs and we invited them to sit with us. A Dutch couple traveling by camper van. She is a tour guide and said January is slow so this is when she takes her vacation. She speaks Dutch, English, French and Italian. Wow. She said that things had changed since Corona Virus - people can work from wherever they are so winter rentals are now much more expensive (something I have found) and even finding free places to park the camper has become very difficult. I couldn't finish all that calamare so left it with them (they also ordered drinks and cuttlefish).

I walked back the way I had come.

 

They will inherit the earth - dandelions, thistles, cormorants, pigeons - I have seen them everywhere that I have traveled.

Nursery cat. I stopped in at a garden centre I had noticed on the way. Looking for Basil to grow on the balcony but the woman there said it was too cold. They had mint and thyme.

Christine had asked me about fresh squeezed orange juice when we were texting about her visit so I checked out the machine in the Mercadona. You choose the size of bottle you want, place it under the machine and pull the lever, viola, fresh squeezed orange juice. Sun in a bottle.

In stark contrast Rick sent me this from home.