Friday 30 December 2011
Don returned from his half a month back in the States with family for the holidays, during which time he generously let us stay in his roomy apartment in the El Carmen district in the old part of Valencia. He walked through the door almost exactly at 10:30 AM as he had predicted; Charles was the only one awake at the time -- hey, we were in Valencia, where a 4 AM bedtime was more the norm than the exception, especially if you were under 30, but that was Charles' usual lifestyle back home too. Dian and Nicole eventually greeted Don, and we all tried to stay out of his way as he unpacked his new music/movies haul and dealt with jet lag and getting back on schedule.
Charles and Dian headed over to the optica shop where the owner had fixed Dian's broken glasses! They stopped for a cortado and pastry served by a Sandra Bullock look-alike then went back to our old favorite bakery, Horno Goya. Allysa was there and piled on the paella then gave us a New Years lemon muffin on the house. We walked over to Bill and Claire's and had tea and hot lemonade while deciding what to take to the BBQ the following Sunday. Leaving them at about 3 PM we walked to the post office to mail some items and check on the disappearance of a large box sent to the States over a month before. Hmmm.
Later we took naps while Don went out to do some shopping, and make a reservation for us at 9 at one of his favorite restaurants, Bodeguilla del Gato, just a five-minute stroll from his place. At 9 we were early diners, but by the time we left at around 10:30 the place was full, with more people coming in. What a find. Great atmosphere, music, staff, and the food was superb and the prices low. The bill for four people for salad + 4 different tapas (calamari, blood sausage, pimiento de padron, mussels, + 3 beers + 1 coke + 2 really incredible desserts (toasted camembert covered with boysenberry sauce and a sumptuous slice of chocolate cake) + 4 grappas came to $62. And that's why people move to Valencia, or happen upon it and stay forever.
Don returned from his half a month back in the States with family for the holidays, during which time he generously let us stay in his roomy apartment in the El Carmen district in the old part of Valencia. He walked through the door almost exactly at 10:30 AM as he had predicted; Charles was the only one awake at the time -- hey, we were in Valencia, where a 4 AM bedtime was more the norm than the exception, especially if you were under 30, but that was Charles' usual lifestyle back home too. Dian and Nicole eventually greeted Don, and we all tried to stay out of his way as he unpacked his new music/movies haul and dealt with jet lag and getting back on schedule.
Charles and Dian headed over to the optica shop where the owner had fixed Dian's broken glasses! They stopped for a cortado and pastry served by a Sandra Bullock look-alike then went back to our old favorite bakery, Horno Goya. Allysa was there and piled on the paella then gave us a New Years lemon muffin on the house. We walked over to Bill and Claire's and had tea and hot lemonade while deciding what to take to the BBQ the following Sunday. Leaving them at about 3 PM we walked to the post office to mail some items and check on the disappearance of a large box sent to the States over a month before. Hmmm.
Later we took naps while Don went out to do some shopping, and make a reservation for us at 9 at one of his favorite restaurants, Bodeguilla del Gato, just a five-minute stroll from his place. At 9 we were early diners, but by the time we left at around 10:30 the place was full, with more people coming in. What a find. Great atmosphere, music, staff, and the food was superb and the prices low. The bill for four people for salad + 4 different tapas (calamari, blood sausage, pimiento de padron, mussels, + 3 beers + 1 coke + 2 really incredible desserts (toasted camembert covered with boysenberry sauce and a sumptuous slice of chocolate cake) + 4 grappas came to $62. And that's why people move to Valencia, or happen upon it and stay forever.
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