But I had other plans for today! I decided to go talk to the tourist information people about a bus to Valencia. I wasn't really sure if I felt like going into the city today because I didn't know if I'd get to see any of my friends. I didn't actually end up talking to anyone at the tourist place and I just got on the bus when it arrived. I'm always down for a little adventure. It only cost 1.50 to get there (and 1.50 to get back). Really 3 euros to spend a day in Valencia isn't anything at all.
The bus had a stop at Pont de Fusta, right on the other side of the bridge from the study center where I lived all last fall. I was really nervous to visit the study center for some reason. I think I was afraid they'd be mad that I came into the building, but I got to see so many old staff members and they were awesome. I talked to Maria, Gema, Alicia, Ignacio, Belen, BJ, Dolo, and Facundo. I loved it. They were all so shocked to see me haha. But they told me that they're always there in Valencia for me so that felt reassuring.
It was 1 then and I knew that Erin had class until 2, so I just decided to walk around Valencia for an hour. I went to the old chino store and got some slippers (let me tell you, ugliest slippers on the face of the Earth) because I have to make Andrea wear hers in the house, but I felt guilty never wearing any myself. Then I went to the market and bought dried strawberries. I can't find them anywhere in the US...well the ones that I do find there are nothing like the ones here. They're probably my favorite treat on the planet.
I got to see all my favorite places and the big plazas that I've missed so much. I feel like I noticed so much that I never saw before. I guess also because the weather was so perfect, but Valencia just seemed so full of life and color. I was so happy getting to be back. Pobla de Farnals is home of course, but Valencia will always have a special place in my heart.
Plaza de la Reina
I bought a drink and sat in a garden in Plaza de la Virgen, took a walk down my favorite alley, and then went back to the study center. Last fall there were only like 28 people in our program, but over the summer there are 140! I couldn't believe how many students there were, it was incredible. I got to see everyone that's there this summer that was in my program in the fall--Graham, Wes, Jordan, Ryann, and Erin. It was so great to see them again.
Garden where I sat
Erin was one of my closest friends in Valencia and we had so many fun times together. We went to go visit Sandra at her restaurant. I wrote about Sandra in an old entry but she's this older Colombian waitress that we made friends with last year. It was so nice talking to her and the other workers there. We kind of got roped into sitting down and staying to eat. I got a glass of wine, some pineapple, and a coffee and Erin got a soup and a salad. This place is actually a fairly expensive restaurant, but Sandra only charged us 12 euros for all of it. I'm pretty sure my wine alone was supposed to cost 12 euros. She is too sweet. Erin and I just got to sit and laugh and reminisce on funny things that happened last year. I am SO happy that she and the others are here this summer.
I left around 3:50 because I wanted to make the 4:00 bus. And that's where my little adventure began. I waited for half an hour at the Pont de Fusta bus stop until the bus came by...except the driver wouldn't let me on there. Luckily I knew it stopped at the bus station, which I'd been to twice last year, so I headed that way. It took about 20 minutes to walk there and I asked an information guy which bus went to Pobla de Farnals. He told me 40 and that it was about to leave. It was literally about to pull away as I arrived, but this time the guy let me on. Thank goodness. I would've had to wait a whole hour for the next one.
Andrea and I had so much fun playing today. We blew bubbles in the garden, put out feet in the pool, climbed this rope thing on the beach, and collected shells at the water. I forgot my camera for all of this unfortunately. Then I gave her a bath, got her to eat dinner, and put her to bed. What a success!
Today's great Spanish life experience was learning how to cook octopus. When I got to Spain, Raul showed me the one he had in the freezer, and this morning when I got up, I saw it sitting in a bowl in the kitchen. I told them how I was afraid of it and they kept laughing at me and telling me it was dead and couldn't hurt me. I asked Raul if I could take a picture of him holding it and then he made me hold it! Haha I literally had goosebumps all over my skin, but it wasn't that bad.
I meet Mr. Pulpo
To cook it, you just boil it for like 45 minutes. That's not what we ate for dinner yesterday, but we're planning on eating it tonight. I've actually eaten octopus a few times on the Camino, but I was just creeped out by seeing the whole creature. Yuck. I'm sure it'll be good tonight though. More pictures to come!
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