Day on the beach

This Saturday I was invited by Sasha, my Carpenter from Ukraine to join him on the beach for some sun bathing and sea bathing while getting out of the ship to prevent cabin fever. To make matters easier we had also a few pegs of Russian Standard to grease the wheels and soon we are on our way walking to the "playa".

View of America's Cup basin from our agents rooftop office terrace

Visiting cruise ship in the commercial harbor

Sasha on the beach enjoying Kingfisher

Beach

Beach 

Building sand castles can be fun too...

Sasha

Valencia Science Museum

This day decided to visit the Science Museum of Valencia. As it was close by we decided to walk over there, the museum could be seen far away. The pedestrians were not very much favored as we ended plodding down paths in no mans land but eventually we made it on the road to the museum. 

Science Museum

Science Museum

The premises were nice but in the end it turned out not be much to write home about. The exhibits were more directed for kids and not really "museum" like at all. Entrance fee was high considering what was on display and for other interesting exhibits, like the IMAX shows cost additionally on top. 

Grabbing the bull by the horns

Art in front of the English mall

Eventually got fed up and we took a taxi to go see a movie in the old city but all movies turned out to be voice overs so we skipped that plan too as no one fancied listening to Spanish. Then we idled around and ended up walking by the bull fighting arena (Corrida) and the trainstation and then we found ourselves in Chinatown where we stopped in a local bar for a few drinks watching the locals spending time. 

Old town again

The "Corrida" and trainstation

After that we felt hungry and checked out a Chinese restaurant for a feed. The staff was Chinese the food looked Chinese but it wasn't very Chinese if you have been to China and seen what the food is there like, but nevertheless the taste was good.

Beer shack in Chinatown

Valencia streetview

Valencia Old City

Went walking in the old town of Valencia for about 4 hours, interesting architecture and what they have done with the dried out old river bed. Also the restoring of old buildings is remarkable.

Being touristy I also fell for a 185€ folding knife that was a copy of something highway robbers used in olden times. The knife is hand made by Jose Exposito Picazzo. It was described as: This kind of knife was very much used by the bandits in the end of XVIII and middle XIX centuries. Raw materials used are s/s 440, engraving by etching, alpaca & cebu horn scales.

Bridge over river

The river bed is a park now

Bridge over river

Batman's triumph

Batman

Fountain

Old town

Old town

Old town

Old town

Old town wall

View over "new" Valencia

View over old town

Somebody's terrace

Tiled advertisements

Did not know this was allowed in Spain...

Old church

Above from inside

Above from inside

Glass painting

Post & Telegraph Office

Cannes - Valencia

On the 4th June morning we heave up anchor and depart Cannes for Valencia. Weather is fine for a change and it is nice to get to the open seas for a change from ports and marinas, albeit a short time.

Islas Columbretes

5th June in the morning we pass the Islas Columbretes in the distance. Me as a keen diver can't resist the thought of thinking how the diving is there. It is indicated on the chart that the area is designated a nature reserve with no anchoring allowed. Sounds promising. 

Canal to Americas Cup basin

In the afternoon we arrive Valencia, take pilot and proceed alongside. There is a tricky "S" bend just straight after the wavebreaker but we manage well. After that it is to go along a narrow canal to the "Americas cup" basin where we make alongside on the South side.

Americas Cup Basin

After that agents starts boarding, local officials etc. The usual circus and another voyage is completed. I start planning maintenance jobs for the boys for the next event, the F1 in a few weeks time.

The commercial port is just next to Americas Cup