Valencia

Last night after dinner in Torrevieja we went for a walk along the broad walk. I should say us and thousands of others were out walking and by saying thousands that is no exaggeration as we have never seen so many of all ages strolling along like this - it was almost shoulder to shoulder for as far as the eye could see and the terraces of every restaurant along the way were full. It was a very holiday environment and one very much enjoyed being in.

On route to Valencia, which was a drive of 212kms at Villena, there was a castle or similar very close to the motorway, a castle that looked as we flashed by (Sherry was driving so it wasn't slow🙏) in very good order

Google tells me that it is the Atalaya Castle and while it's age is unknown it was built before 1172 as there was mention of it at that time by Arab sources (hope that doesn't mean Trump's fake media)

Arrived in Valencia around 1pm and had no difficulty finding our apartment which is right in the heart of the Old Town - there was a little difficulty getting the car into the underground basement car park however. I wish it wasn't assumed every one would be driving a Fiat Bambina!

The apartment wasn't ready so we started our orientation around the area in what by now was a very hot time of the day.

There are some large plazas, the typical fruit and vegetable mercardo, plenty of cafes and restaurants, and some very attractive buildings within a 800m radius of where we are staying.

The building in the second photo is particularly attractive in real life with all the different colouring and the intricacies of the work on it (if possible enlarge the photo to see what I mean).

Around 2 hours after setting out we returned to the apartment via the supermarket to finally settle in and by now we had had it! On arrival the receptionist asked a favour "we have made a mistake and allocated you someone else's carpark. Would your mind moving your car to carpark 9". 

Jeez as if that is going to be easy! 

Down we went and we manoeuvred the car from 7 to 9 without inflicting any damage to it. I do feel our luck might run out if we are not extra careful as while Sherry assures me there is plenty of room on her side of the vehicle the distance sensors screaming at you and flashing red are trying to tell you the opposite and there becomes a conflict between believing the human or going with the mechanical.

We have also found out that the beach is a metro ride away - fcuk it!