A Taste of Valencia

For almost three months, I waited for this moment. And, if I was going to hold out for that long, I was determined that it would be worth the wait. It's not anything extravagant. In fact, it's rather simple. But, sometimes, under the right conditions, simple is perfection. And, in this case, that perfection was paella.

Because Valencia is the gastronomy capital of the delectable rice dish, I knew it had to be here. The romanticized legend says that paella was first conceived when a young man made the dish for his fiancée and love of his life. The resulting word, paella was simply a mashed version of "para ella" which means "for her." Maybe there's a "grain" of truth to the legend? In reality, paella means frying pan in the Valenciano dialect due to the enormous shallow pan it's cooked in over a open wood fire.

1200 years ago the Moors introduced rice or "arroz" to Spain. In fact, the word "arroz" comes from the Arabic word "arz." After that introduction, Spain has never looked back. There are over 200 forms of paella in the Valencia region alone - so many that it can be difficult to define what paella actually is though we know it comes from humble beginnings. Considered farm labor food, men in the paddy fields cooked the rice and threw in an assortment of other ingredients that was available to them on that particular day from rabbit, snails, beans, tomatoes, or onions. It was served as their midday meal, and eaten directly from the pan.

On our way from Altea, my research led us to Restaurante Casa Salvador, about 10km outside of the Valencia city center for an “early“ lunch (We got there at 1pm but most people didn't start showing up for at least another hour). The patriarch of the restaurant, Salvador Gascón, is considered the father of Valencian cuisine, and spent years touring the world demonstrating Valencian cooking techniques before his death in 2018. There we were, smack on top of the Albufera lagoon, the largest in Spain and one of the most important wetlands in all of Europe where marshy rice paddies reflect the sky on the flat landscape. This lagoon and its surrounding area is where the famed paella dish was invented. We ordered the most traditional of the paella dishes, the Paella Valenciana, as we sat and looked out at the view.

If I didn't know any better, and was dropped here blindfolded, I'd say I was in Vietnam. Fishermen, with traditional rice harvesting sedge hats patiently sat in small row boats at the edge of tall grasses and a view of the mountains in the far background. Yet when an enormous steaming pan of rice, chicken, rabbit and vegetables was brought to our table, we were very much in Spain. I can barely write about with without salivating. All I can say is that it was well worth the wait.

Bellies full and sleepy, we drove the last 30 minutes to the car rental return to drop off our trusty Alhambra minivan. Respectfully, we bowed to our esteemed driver who carried us safely across Spain and over 1500 miles. He sure does wear that Superman t-shirt a lot, doesn't he?

Like four “Hector the Collectors,“ the kids unpacked their sticks, rocks, shells, sea glass and anything else they collected along the way, said farewell to the car, and made our way with our luggage via taxi to the center of Valencia.

And just like that, we traded one form of transportation for another (much more fun) one. Bikes! Valencia is an incredibly bike friendly city and there's a good reason for it. In 1957, Valencia's centrally located Turia River, flooded three-quarters of the city, killed 60 people, and created catastrophic damage in its wake. Instead of holding their breath waiting on the next big flood, Valencia took on a project of huge proportions and re-routed the river, creating a 9km dry river bed and forever changing the landscape of the land. In its stead, the riverbed is now filled with gardens, parks, playgrounds, and cafes that allow residents and tourists to bike the length of the city without worrying about traffic.

The air seemed unusually festive for a regular ol' Sunday. Granted, it was Father's Day in America but we were pretty sure the fuss wasn't all about Kip. Spectators fanned themselves in chairs that lined the streets. We passed by women dressed in ball gowns with large hooped skirts, turban-clad men, and military regiments standing in formation. A shop-owner informed us that it was the annual parade and reenactment of the battle between the “Moros y Cristianos.” As we cycled past, I thought of Winston Churchill's famous quote, "History is written by the victors."

In a snaking line of four bikes, we traveled through the dry riverbed to the futuristic Arts and Sciences complex. And, if we weren't hot enough, the kids felt a stop at a rope climbing park was necessary. Kip and I sat very…very….still, only touching for this photo, in hopes the sweat dried quickly before having to finish the ride.

In our afternoon down-time, the kids made cards for Father's Day and we left the apartment for “dinner“ at a crepe place to celebrate. Dinner? Who needs dinner when you can have dessert?

Bioparc Valencia was the next stop for our animal loving kids. An open air concept zoo where there seem to be no barriers between you and the animals. You could almost reach out and touch them - and in the case of the lemurs, you actually could. Staring into the eyes of the gorilla was an experience I won't forget. His thoughtful expressions seemed to register an understanding of his predicament. As other zoo-goers waved frantically at him and made faces, I wanted to sincerely apologize for our species’ insensitive behavior. Clearly he's above all of our nonsense but doesn't happen to speak the same language. I think he actually rolled his eyes.

But, we weren't done yet. We swapped mammals for marine life and it didn't disappoint. Valencia's Oceanografíc is a sprawling complex made up of separate buildings connected by outdoor paths that wind among the palms and marshes. The favorites: Octopi, Sharks, Jellies and the jaw-dropping, foot stomping, dolphin show that alone was worth the price of admission.

The beat of the pop music added an extra oomph to the synchronized movements of the dolphins and their handlers. With big jumps and a show of remarkable strength and agility, it was really quite spectacular. I'm not an expert on dolphins but you can't help but think they really enjoy this performance too. I hope they do.

On Wednesday, I took my final walk in beautiful Spain. I have walked almost every morning in so many cities I've lost count. With my earbuds in, sometimes listening to messages from friends back home and sometimes just the sounds of each city, I've marveled at its architecture, smelled its bread shops, stood transfixed by the sea, found its small alleyways, and enjoyed its graffiti. All on my own precious, private time. I will miss this country for all of of its charm, passion, and simplicity of life that show in the small details. I hope to be back one day. In the meantime, I will leave part of myself here when I go.

Finally, we were prepared for our final destination: ROME. Liam, with the heart of a classical Roman historian and mythologist, prepared us for what was to come and is eager to share his new-found knowledge he has acquired and passionately honed in his Latin classes. We were excited too despite the rude 5:00 a.m. alarm that sent us shuffling down to the empty Valencia streets and into our cab. We drove in silence and watched the street lamps in the dark. Adiós, España! Rome, here we come. Buongiorno!