Valencia - Our Home Away From Home

We've been here ~9 months. Valencia feels like our home (away from home). Bob, Andrew, and Lorenzo came to visit in the past few weeks - and we had a chance to show off. Through the eyes of our guests, we are re-appreciating all the GREAT things about Valencia.

Valencia is OLD

People have lived in this area for over 2 thousand years! I would not be surprised if they discovered that the Garden of Eden was here in Valencia. Many of the monuments that are just a walk away ... are hundreds of years old! That is us in the Serranos Towers - the gates of the city - built in 1394!

In the US, I love museums that show how people lived in the "olden days" (like when my dad was young). Here, many people work and live in buildings are that hundreds of years old. Our friend Julia works in the tower of the city hall (built ~300 years ago).

Valencia is NEW

They are always building and fixing things around town ... so there are many new things. My favorite is the City of the Arts and Sciences. The architechture is amazing to see from the outside. You don't even have to go inside.

The Queen Sofia Palace of Arts ("Helmet") has concerts, operas, and other performances. The L'Hemispheric ("Eyeball") has a planetarium, Laserium, and Imax cinema. The Prince Phillip Museum of Arts and Sciences ("T-Rex") provides interactive edu-tainment for all ages. The Umbracle is a beautiful walkway with trees and plants and its architecture complements that of the museum. You would never guess that it is the top of the parking garage. Then there is the Oceanarium - one of the biggest in Europe.

Valencia is WARM(er than Chicago)

We cannot wear our swimming suits in the winter-time (some people don't even wear their suits in the summer) ... but a light jacket or sweater is usually plenty during the winter months. Best of all, the sun shines almost every day. Right now (February), I am writing this while sitting on our terrace. The sun is so bright, I have to squint! I'll cherish the wrinkles that I get.

Valencia is COOL

Last year, Valencia hosted the 32nd America's Cup (world sailing championship). This August, there will be a Formula 1 race through the streets of Valencia. We probably won't see much except a blur ... but it is still really cool!

There are lots of PARKS

A river runs through Valencia and into the Mediterranean Sea. Numerous times throughout history, the Turia river has flooded and caused a lot of grief (and death and destruction).

About 50 years ago (shortly after a flood), the city of Valencia decided to re-route the river around the city. The riverbed was converted to a park ... the Turia is almost 10 kilometers long (over 6 miles). I love it! I love it! I love it! And that's not all. Look at a map of Valencia - there's LOTS and LOTS of green. Many of the parks are quite elaborate too. They are great places for a relaxing stroll or a game of hide and seek.

BEAUTIFUL Beach and Sea
The Mediterranean sea and adjoining beach are a 10 minute train ride (or 30 min walk) from our house. The sea and the beach are beautiful in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, and at night.

In a pinch, you can find people who speak ENGLISH

English has been taught in primary (and secondary) school in Spain for many years. So, many Spanish people understand a basic level of English. Besides that, there are quite a few foreigners in Valencia who speak English. (So, it is not a good idea to talk about how cute some boy is ... because he just might understand what you are saying! Right, Jolie?)

The people are NICE

Okay, people don't walk up to you on the street and hug you like Leo Buscaglia. And when you smile at people, sometimes they look at you funny. Once in a while, you will encounter someone who is impatient or acts rude. But when I wear my fannypack backwards underneath my jacket (and, therefore, appear pregnant), people on the train and bus offer me their seat. When I need assistance and vomit some phrase in Spanish, they strain to understand and help me. Sometimes, they politely ask me to speak English. They still don't understand what I am saying but it sounds a lot better.

Festivals and Fiestas and Fireworks
There are so many reasons to celebrate and I think Spain celebrates all of them with parades and parties. Valencianos seem to favor fireworks. As I'm writing this, not a minute passes without a BANG and a BOOM. Once in a while, we hear a little *pop.* I told the kids that those little ones are the type that we can cross the border to Wisconsin or Indiana to get. Most are bigger and louder.

It is Vibrant!
There are fruit and vegetable stores everywhere. People are out and about - sometimes, just to be out and about. There are several universities in Valencia ... so there is an atmosphere of vibrance and intellect (and many cheap restaurants and bars that cater to the students ... like 3 beers for 1 euro!).

Museums and Art Galleries

There are all kinds of museums and art galleries (many of them with free admission). Bronson and I spent hours in the military museum. I got lost with the lost travelers in the Beneficiary Museum. Matthew, Yana, and Maria actually looked at a few sculptures and paintings while Elena, Bronson, and I walked briskly through only the main hallways of the Belle Arts Museum ... it took us 45 minutes. It is huge!

There are Thieves

Okay, it is not perfect. Like most places these day, you need to be EXTRA careful. I had my wallet stolen last summer and the GPS was stolen from Bob's rental car. We've witnessed or near-witnessed other incidents on the street, in the train, and at the beach. Ouch! You can't be too careful.

Carnaval! (Fat Tuesday / Mardi Gras)

Carnaval, like Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras, is a time to feast before fasting. It is a big deal in traditionally Catholic countries. We're in Spain. We were going to celebrate Carnaval ... whatever it might be.

We met in front of the school at 4 or 4:30 pm (which translates to "~5 pm" in Spanish). Everyone had costumes on. Oops. We turned in our "tickets" and received a BIG bag of confetti and treats and trinkets.

Soon (which translates to "an hour or so" in Spanish), the parade started. Everyone started to walk down the street. In a couple of blocks, we were joined by a marching band. In a few more blocks, we joined another parade and another band. We walked and threw confetti. Bronson lost his tooth. Lost. We tried to find it - but with all the confetti on the ground, never!

People watched from their balconies and threw candy at the passing parade. I imagined that Robert Mowery was there with us - above us - throwing water balloons at us. We love you, Robert!

The parade was dissolving and it was getting dark. It was about almost 8. Maybe it was dinner time. We went in the general direction of where we thought dinner would be. Amy found it ... closed and dark. Eva was coming down for a crash landing from her sugar high so Eugene, Amy, and Matthew took her home.

I stayed with the other kids. We saw some other kids from their school. We asked about the dinner. They didn't know what time it started but guessed that it would be 9:30 or 10 pm. We had 90 minutes to kill.

We joined a party in front of some church. The kids played some games and received more candy as prizes. Kerline and I were entertaining Yana by forcing a fake belly laugh ... and then noticed that we were also entertaining a small group of fathers sitting on the steps drinking heartily and belly-laughing with us. By then, we were REALLY laughing and we could hardly control ourselves.

Then we were all ushered into a line. Maybe someone told us what it was but we didn't listen or didn't understand. We didn't want to miss anything. Suddenly, each one of us had a big cup full of Spanish hot chocolate (which tastes like and has the consistency of melted chocolate chips) and a churro (a long donut). Yummy. We were stuffed - candy, chocolate, churros coming out of our ears! Then it was dinner time!

We went into something like a social hall (think Lion's Club) and found our seats. There were tables designated for children and other tables designated for adults. The PA lady came over with the list (that one with the map drawn on the back) and checked us off. Amy, Eugene, Matthew, and Eva came back. Soon (~1 hour), dinner was served. Holy Cow! Wine, beer, soda pop, bread, chips, nuts, salad, and sandwiches about as long as my arm! What do we do? To eat would be gluttony - to not eat would be waste.

The kids had a few bites and then went out to the courtyard to play. We wrapped their sandwiches in napkins and inconspicuously tucked them away to bring home. The adults stayed in to visit, drink, smoke, and dance. I could hardly move - I was so stuffed.

The party lasted long past midnight ... we didn't last quite that long. It is now a week later. Eugene and Amy are still coughing (from the smoke). I'm still full. We are all still finding confetti in our pockets, our ears, our hair, our underwear.

Tickets for Confetti

A few days before Carnaval, we received a note from the parents' association (PA) at the kids' school. We had to go to the PA office at 9:15 am to sign up for confetti and dinner. Maybe we misunderstood the note. Maybe the dictionary was wrong. Why would we need to sign up for confetti? That is weird. I went to sign up for dinner.

I arrived a few minutes after 9 am. The PA representatives arrived at about 9:20 ... chit chatted with friends and then opened the office. It is a room that can comfortably fit 4 people. Suddenly, it was filled with 15+ people. I was the first in line. That was really dumb. I should have let others in front of me so I could watch and listen - not blaze the trail.

A nice lady said something to me. I said Sí (Yes) ... which I always say when I don't really understand what someone is saying. I hate that but I can't help it; it is an automatic response. She grabs a blank piece of copy paper from a shelf, borrows a pen from someone in line, and waits for me. Obviously, she asked me something. Another PA lady looks at me and said, "Name your child." (in English). Good. I understood that. I gave her the kids' names.

I asked her what time it starts. She doesn't know. She asked someone who asked someone who asked someone. People started throwing out times. They settle on 4 or 4:30. Stupid question. Where will it be? She doesn't know. There's another brief debate and they decide that it will be in front of the school. Good. What about dinner? Dinner, what dinner? She doesn't know anything about the dinner. She asks someone. The PA lady says it is after the parade. The parade? What parade? I didn't know anything about a parade.

The woman helping me grabs another blank piece of copy paper from the shelf and writes down all eleven of our names (kids and adults) for dinner. Eleven people. She shakes her hand - the Spanish sign for "Holy Cow! That's a lot." Then she asks what we want for dinner. I don't know. The little 1/4 page note that the kids brought home from school didn't mention any choices. I ask what the choices are. She didn't know. She asks someone who asked someone else. A lady by door starts yelling various meal choices. She is 3 feet away but behind 10 other people who are chit chatting. I can hardly hear myself think.

Maybe I heard the woman by the door say potato. That is safe. I say potato to the lady helping me ... casually pretending that I've considered all the choices and selected my preference. She writes patata next to Bronson's name and then waits for me to tell her what each one of us wants. HAAAAA HA HA! After all this - did she honestly think I was going to give her 11 different choices? She was being exceptionally patient with me. I say that all 11 of us want potato. She looks at me funny.

Then I ask, "When do I pay for the dinner?" She doesn't know. She asks someone who asks someone. The PA lady says "Now." Another PA lady starts yelling about not having money for change - blah blah blah. Then the PA lady says that I need to pay before dinner. Did she mean before dinner like "some day" between now and the day of the dinner or did she mean before dinner "on" the day of the dinner? Whatever.

Where is dinner? She didn't know. Another PA lady butts in before the question makes its way around the room and she points in a general direction. Hmm. I guess it is somewhere in that direction. Another lady makes me a map on the back of the paper with the names on it. She said something about a church and a bank - blah blah blah. We're in Spain. There are churches everywhere. I try to memorize the location.

I didn't know what time dinner would be but I could not bring myself to ask. I had to get out of there. The nice lady who didn't know anything gave me a few scraps of paper and told me not to lose them. I thought maybe they were the confetti. No, those were our tickets for the confetti and dinner.

The kids didn't really want to go. The adults weren't exactly gung-ho either. It would be an adventure. We're in Spain. We are GOING to Carnaval! Woo hoo! Can't lose our little scraps of paper. They are our tickets.

My Cooking Class

If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

If you give me a fish, I'll eat it. If you teach me to fish, I'll starve to death.

First, I would feel sorry for the worm. Then, I would struggle trying to get the hook out without hurting the little fishy. Finally, I would throw the fish back just to give the poor thing another chance. If by some miracle, I did bring a fish home ... I would not know how to cook it.

Cooking does not come naturally to me at all. I took a Chinese cooking class with Matthew's mom. It might as well have been taught in Chinese. I didn't understand anything.

One of my problems is I become mentally paralyzed if a dish involves more than 3 steps or requires more than 3 ingredients. I don't know why. I have a pretty good memory for some things, I am good at following directions, and I am handy with tools. But, I cannot follow recipes. The food never looks, feels, or tastes like it should.

Another one of my problems is that I am systematic and organized. That is usually a good trait. But, in the kitchen, it means that ... if I'm peeling potatoes and something is burning on the stove, I have to finish peeling the potato in my hands before I can tend to the stove. I can multi-task though I rely on logical transition points.

My biggest problem is meat. When I was pregnant with Yana, I had a strong, physical repulsion to meat (with the exception of bacon, which I craved). That repulsion did not go away when Yana, Maria, Elena, or Bronson were born. I have tried my best to come up with a logical explanation rather than admit that it is a psychological hang-up.

The only kind of meat I could cook was holy chicken. I would buy frozen chicken fillets, drop them directly into boiling water, and then boil the h*ll out of them. It would be so much easier if I were a vegetarian. Is there a class of vegetarians that can eat bacon?

I am 42 and I have never really had to cook. Somehow for 40 years, God provided manna to the Israelites in the dessert. Somehow for 40 years, God provided food for me.

My mom lived next to us in Evanston for the past 8+ years. Before then, we had people staying with us who enjoyed cooking. Before then, I was a faculty associate at Northwestern University and one of my "responsibilities" was to eat with the students in the dining hall. Before then, I lived at home, at college, or at boarding school.

When we first planned to come to Spain, friends joked that I would HAVE TO learn to cook. Then Eugene and Amy decided to move with us and ... guess what? Amy loves to cook!! Woo hoo!Amy does enjoy cooking but it becomes a chore when cooking for eleven people every day. So, Matthew, Eugene, and I each cook one day a week and we let the children cook on Saturdays.

I was sharing my cooking dilemma with Elvira and she offered an exchange. I would teach her English and she would teach me how to cook. That is not really how it goes. I'm simply reminding Elvira of the English that she already knows but hasn't used regularly. She is trying to teach me how to cook (like teaching a fish how to ride a bicycle).

I was REALLY nervous before we started. Elvira is a forensic doctor ... the kind of doctor that performs autopsies. Before our first class, I imagined Elvira chop-chop-chopping all day at work and then coming over and chop-chop-chopping up dinner. I had nightmares that we would study the meat that we were preparing for dinner and figure out precisely how the animal died. I nearly psyched myself into a catatonic coma before our first class.

Then, Elvira came. She brought all the ingredients, pots, pans, and some kitchen gadgets that I had never seen before in my life. And ... she brought a box of latex gloves. Hallelujah! Latex gloves! Absolutely brilliant!!

Now there are two things that I must have in the kitchen ... 1. latex gloves so I don't have to touch the meat and 2. a pair of swimming goggles (that my niece, Kelly, taught me to use when cutting onions).

I thoroughly enjoy our classes. Mostly, I enjoy Elvira's company. She brings the ingredients ... sometimes partially (or completely) prepared. Then she shows me what to do (over and over and over again).

The classes are not always smooth. I am all thumbs and often have difficult negotiating seemingly simple tasks. One day, I dropped the pepper shaker ... it hit the floor and exploded. Elvira yelled, "Don't breathe!" I was sneezing for two days. Another day after watching me try to fry chicken in hot oil, Elvira sent me a link to a video about preventing and putting out fires in the kitchen. It was not exactly a vote of confidence, but it was a dose of reality.

This is a picture of me serving Cuban rice plate (arroz a la cubana). After I finished cooking, it took me about 10 minutes to build each plate ... so the eleven of us ate over a two hour period and only the first two were warm.

One of my first goals was to learn to make tortilla de patatas (potato omelettes). Well, they don't look like they are supposed to but they taste pretty good! That's a start!

I'll never make guacamole like Isabel and I'll never compete with Heidi's children (http://www.spatulatta.com/). But, I will consider myself successful if I can feed my family without burning the house down ... though I may need Elvira to come home with us.