Lynne woke early, so I did too; to the thought that the banks will be closed like Mercadona tomorrow. So we won’t be able to get Peter his deposit. Also thought that they might closed Friday too, because banks are like that. So we need to check this morning on our way out of Calpé. Then it started to get light to another clear day.
So we had a bath and got the day going. Lynne called Keith about the banks and learned that Calpé market is Friday because of the fiestas. Then we decided that Lynne would check the bank while I filled the the car. No notices but Lynne spoke with a couple of English ladies who assured us that the bank would be open, just like Keith did. So that will have to be business morning.
The drive up to Xeraco was no problem. Need to update the directions Keith got us and return them (done). The train journey into Valencia was delightful passing through huge areas of rice paddies with load of Little Eggrets, which makes us think that the one on Calpé beach was lost.
Arrived in Valencia English lunchtime and hungry to find that everywhere appeared to be café and pastries. So we found the EMT35 bus to the bit of Valencia Lynne wanted to see, the Ciutat de les Art y les Ciencies (I think).
Took loads of great photos but the place was shut because Queen Sophia (is it?) was visiting tomorrow for the festivities, for sure the level of clean up going on makes preparations for a visit of the the QEII look quite poor.
So Lynne had an idea, lets get the bus back to the station and get the train back to Xeraco and drive down to Denia for lunch and the afternoon. So we go back to the bus richer in photos but not much else. I suggested that we explore a few of the back streets and we found a pedestrian street with a few café bars and one had Paellia Valenciana. Didn’t even ask the price but ordered “un ración”, tea, coffee and water. A huge plateful for €8 each plus the drinks. It was true Piellia Valenciana with Jamon, Sausage and Black Pudding. I was worried about the last but it is made with rice around here (spooky that) and hours later we knew that Lynne was okay. BRILLIANT! A piella that we both enjoyed. We hassled the server for the bill and caught a train straight back to Xeraco. While we were on the train I got a phone call from Peter Fiebert our builder inviting us to go to lunch in the mountains with him via a ‘flea market’ in Jalon on Saturday. Naturally we said yes (as Calpé market is on Friday this week 😉 It fell right into my prediction the previous day that I could see us becoming friends with Peter.
Then we drove the N332 down to Denia. Lynne was asleep for the bit before Gandia where there were ‘working women’ (mostly South American looking) plying their trade along the main road.
When we got to Denia we parked on the road next to our favourite car park next to the station (because it was closed) and walked into town. Our favourite Milanese Silver Jeweller had gone. We had a good walk around and shop before hitting the motorway back to Benissa and the main road to Calpé. I didn’t see anywhere to get Lynne a birthday card but a good bottle of perfume has made up for it – phew! I got some really nice shoes and a new scent, plus one for Francesca to say thank you for looking after the dog and cats and house. Cheap at twice the price considering.
We hit Mercadona for GF bread and pan for me. We then hit the Lagonda for a pint of cider for Lynne before hitting our new watering hole across the road. The first thing the Senora asked was Lynne ‘bien’, obviously meaning was she okay after last night’s meal and beamed when Lynne indicated she was fine. We had a few drinks and after ‘la cuenta’ she gave us each a Soberano. So we are well in there now.