Cuatro Días en València, España

How many days does it take to fall in love? Four. Four days. That's 96 hours or 5760 minutes to be precise. And, Cupid's arrow struck hard. Deezy tells me that I love every place we visit. It's true. I do. The same way that you can hold space to love many people, but only be in love with the one. I think it's happened. I think València could be my Deezy of world cities. Only time will tell as we endeavor on our nomadic journey.

From our base in Porto, Portugal, we take the metro to the airport. There is no non-stop flight from Porto to València, so we had decided to fly to Madrid and take the train from Atocha. (Or so we thought!) We are both excited to catch a glimpse of Madrid. We haven't returned since our travels in 2014, and we both adore the city and talk about it often. Even though we aren't expecting to visit our old neighborhood, Lavapies, the opportunity did, in fact, present itself. (The universe works in mysterious ways.)

Upon arrival at the Madrid airport, we plan to take the metro to Atocha, the largest train depot in Madrid. Strangely, the metro is under construction and the line to Atocha is closed. (Typical Spain!) Unaware of the train station in the north (Chamartín), we proceed to debate our options: (1) take a bus from the airport to Atocha - not appealing in the least; or (2) metro to our old stomping grounds and walk to Atocha - it's about a 7-minute walk más o menos from Lavapies to Atocha.

The giddiness overcomes me as soon as we surface from the underground metro into the Lavapies Plaza. From there, we start by taking the least direct route to Atocha, weaving through the narrow, brick-layed streets. There are noticeable changes to the neighborhood. Our favorite restaurant is gone, but the grocery store remains the heartbeat of the plaza surrounded by new restaurants and shops.

As we arrive at our old apartment, we can't help but notice the how different everything looks and feels. When we were in Lavapies in 2014, it was a transitional neighborhood. Now, it feels established and it's thriving with freshly painted buildings, gardens flourishing on balconies, and a cool, hipster vibe. There were hints and promises of this back in the day but nothing close to what the reality is now.

But I digress...we arrive at Atocha. (I'll spare you the long, boring details, but let's just say that I really got to practice Spanish!) We learn that the train to València no longer runs from Atocha; it is only scheduled once a day there and the regular train runs from Chamartín. Mind you, Chamartín is pretty much next to the airport, so imagine our dismay as we've spent a good two hours getting to Atocha. Also, because of where València is located, the train actually passes Atocha; it just doesn't stop there. Okay. Okay. Okay, back to Lavapies to take the metro to Chamartín. I look at Deezy and say, "Maybe we should just stay in Madrid for the night." The idea is immediately rejected. We know Madrid. We love Madrid. But, we're here for a new adventure. Eyes on the prize, he tells me.

I think to myself, If all goes according to plan, we'll be able to catch the 5 PM train to Valéncia and be there about 7 PM. We're about two stops away from Chamartín. It's 4:11 PM and you have to purchase tickets at least 30 minutes before departure, or so said the woman at the counter at Atocha. Suddenly, the metro stops. We wait. And wait. And wait. No announcements. No movement. I look at my watch. If the train starts moving right now, we'll just make it. I will it to happen. Alas, the mind cannot command the funcionarios of Spain. After another five minutes, an announcement is broadcast that everyone must exit the train. Nobody even bats an eyelash, us included. This is par for the course. After all, we are in Spain. And, yes, it's all coming back to me now. You can't plan, especially when it comes to public transportation. You have to be flexible and patient. We wait another seven minutes and a train arrives. We are definitely not getting on the next train to València; we'll be taking the evening train.

Indeed, the evening train it is! Our host in València is so gracious when we arrive at 9:30 PM, lets us into the apartment, and gives us a brief tour. The apartment is cozy and centrally located - just outside of the old city. (I highly recommend it!)

Spain has always held firm as one of my favorite countries in the world. Olé! When I first visited in the mid-2000s and then returned for three months in 2014, there was no denying it. The attraction was unrelenting and unforgiving. (I even fell into - what was the closest I've experienced to - a depression after returning from Madrid.) But despite my travels to Málaga, Sevilla, Ronda, Granada, Nerja, Barcelona, Toledo, and Madrid, I hadn't set foot in València.

València is a special place. It's both a city and beach town, historic but modern, casual yet elegant. In four days, we walk the old city, saunter through trendy neighborhoods, and relax in the overwhelmingly beautiful and oversized park. We stay in Extramurs (I think) and our apartment is a stone's throw away from the Portal de Quart. (Our València apartment and Russafa/Ruzafa area were my two favorite neighborhoods.)

It's hard to describe València, but it feels like home. Familiar. Comfortable but different. The city feels relaxed, unpretentious. It's walkable with excellent public transportation. It's incredibly cycling-friendly, too! And there's something for everyone. It's a proper place to live and experience a good quality of life. Yes, I got all this in a four-day trip.

Here's how we spent our four days doing FREE (except #3) things in València:

1. Admiring street art: There is immense talent amongst street artists that seems to be embraced in València. Art is everywhere in València. And these beautiful murals don't disappoint!

2. Visiting parks: València has lots of green space that expands around the city center. We visit Turia Garden València and Jardines del Real.

Visiting the historic center: In the historic center, we enjoy wandering through the streets and finding little nooks with cafés, shops, book stores, food stalls, and vendors.

3. Llotja de la Seda or the Silk Exchange or Market: The ONLY place we paid to entered and worth the Euros. (Note: It is a beautiful gothic building but not a place for buying silk products.) You can find naughty gothic gargoyles and statues tracing the building's edges. Visitors can walk the outside of most of the building without paying an entrance fee.

4. El Mercat: This mercat is similar to the one in Barcelona but less crowded and much larger. It has all varieties of food: meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc. We take a good hour or more roaming through the building. I nearly break my neck staring at the beautiful ceiling for far too long.

5. La Roqueta (upper Russafa): We walk for hours through cities when we travel. It lets us see things along the way that we don't intentionally seek to find. We just so happen upon the bull-fighting stadium, North Station, and a carousel.

6. The beach (la playa): It's very easy to get to the beach using the metro, one transfer and a short walk (less than 5 minutes). It was breezy, warm, and uncrowded. The water was still amazingly inviting, so I went for a swim.

7. ‎⁨Ciutat de las Arts i les Ciències⁩, ⁨València⁩, ⁨Costa de Valencia⁩, ⁨Spain⁩: The center for Arts & Sciences is truly a magical place. The grounds are extensive and immaculately maintained. We roam for hours and even go into the biosphere to sit and relax. The environment is super chill and a bit of sensory overload. I can't not stop taking photos, but take many reflective moments to appreciate the pure beauty of the compound and ingenuity in its design.

8. The Historic Center: At the risk of sounding cliché, the buildings are enormous and beautiful. It's hard to believe that these structures were created hundreds of years ago without modern technology. The craftsmanship is flawless, timeless, and truly awe-inspiring.

BONUS CLIP: A wall of graffiti art that was truly impressive!