I just had lunch with ekscrunchy.
 

She and a friend are visiting Valencia so I had the opportunity to go with them for lunch. We also toured around a bit in the car so they could get a better feel of the city's outlaying areas and buildings.

I wish I had more time this weekend as their company was energetic and fun. Hopefully our paths will cross again someday.

We all commented on how few people who post here seem to come to Valencia and what a shame that is. Maybe her next trip report will help change all that!

uummh - always thought she was a he - a nice polite poster in any case!

Will we have to wait for eks' return to find out what you ate?

I'm usually on the Asia forum and see her there! Didn't know she was a big poster on Europe too.
Sue

We went to a place she really had wanted to go to and she had pre-ordered a couple rice dishes for the three of us.

One black rice with squid eggs, then a traditional duck, chicken rabbit paella. Both were excellent. We had a black sausage (morcilla) onion open face puff pastry type thing to start off, and passed on dessert and coffee.

The weather was so nice we were able to sit outside. The view will be better in a few weeks when they flood the now brown dirt rice fields.

Before lunch we drove across the canals that are connected to the Albufera lake and saw the fishing village of "el Palmar" as well as a short visit to the El Saler beach then after lunch.

The company was excellent. She has some great places she is visiting in Barcelona, too, so I imagine her report will be full of recs as usual!

mmmm, I´m kind of jealous of this great food and no doubt great company...

mmmm..black rice with squid eggs...not sure I can begin to imagine that.

but it sounds like a great lunch.

lin - why, in your opinion, do so few people come to valencia? what are we missing?

I'm not quite sure why the city hasn't been marketed better. Plenty is being spent doing so.

There is SO MUCH to see all over Spain, that since IMO there is not really anything else really, really special NEAR Valencia, it sort of gets stuck off the route by itself, making it difficult to find justification, perhaps, to go "out of one's way".

However, most visitors are surprised by all the stately architecture, the museums, beautiful doors and balconies.. but one might not see all that unless someone were pointing it out along the way. Unless you spend a little more time here, I don't think you can get a real feel for how provincial and quaint the city can be, as well as the variety of areas, each with their own personality.

There are so many nice places people just don't "get" to on a whirlwind trip. Many sites are not on the main streets but off in a little plaza or corner of a neighborhood.

The famous triangle, the three largest cities in Spain, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia makes a nice 10-12 day trip.

Hopefully with the AVE we will be getting more visitors. Cuenca certainly will be easier to visit from both ends, Valencia and Madrid.

Spain has several nice routes .. it would take years to see them all.

Come on over.. you will be shown a good time.

I had intended to visit Valencia and perhaps to have a coffee with you, Lincasanova, but when I decided to invite a friend to come on my trip, I changed my itinerary. I decided she couldn't visit Spain without seeing the Mezquita in Córdoba and the Alhambra.

Then we'll be in Málaga and Sevilla for Semana Santa. Well, maybe next time...I enjoy Spain very much and want to return.

Yes, I remember. I hope you DO come. We can celebrate both our birthdays belatedly..

I agree.. there are so many amazing monuments one must see.. just not time enough for all of them!

Enjoy the south during Semana Santa. That certainly will make an impression. I am in awe just watching the processions on TV.

fun! I think I have mentioned this before but I have very fond memories of when I was in Valencia 30 years ago. so much so that when we were planning our two week trip for last May I had Valencia on the list. Alas, it was just too hard to get to! but now there is the AVE going there from Madrid. Had that been there when I was planning, I bet I would not have dropped Valencia from our agenda. However, we packed in alot and had a great time.

yes, hopefully the new AVE will bring more visitors to Valencia. oh yea, this just came to mind too. on our return flight last May there was a travel "channel" that had videos of all kinds of places. I watched both the one they had of Madrid and of Valencia. and I barely recognized Valencia as there have been many positive changes since I was there 30 years ago!! I think the future is bright for Valencia with the new AVE train.

I noticed that Grimaldi lines has added an overnight ferry from Valencia to Livorno. Perhaps that will bring a few more visitors.
http://www.grimaldi-lines.com/

Valencia is drop-dead beautiful. Wonderful architecture by Calatrava, good food and cheap wine in El Corte Ingles basement supermarket.

I am using the computer at the Westin Valencia to check e mail and just could not resist loking at Fodor´s! Imagine my surprise when I das this thread! Valencia is a gorgeous city and my advice is to get there while Linda´s offer to meet is still valid. Once word of the city´s charms gets out here, there will be to many claims on Linda´s time for her to spare even a moment for coffee!
We had an incredible day together yesterday. Details to follow.
Right now we have more exploring to do in Valencia!

I am using the computer at the Westin Valencia to check e mail and just could not resist loking at Fodor´s! Imagine my surprise when I das this thread! Valencia is a gorgeous city and my advice is to get there while Linda´s offer to meet is still valid. Once word of the city´s charms gets out here, there will be to many claims on Linda´s time for her to spare even a moment for coffee!
We had an incredible day together yesterday. Details to follow.
Right now we have more exploring to do in Valencia!

Hey you guys......what fun!!! Have a good time.

lincasanova-
In my many trips to Spain I'm a little embarrased to admit I've never traveled to Valencia. It's probably because as you suspected it has been a little out of the way. I didn't have time to fit in Valencia with my trip to Catalunya and before the AVE it was more time consuming to visit from Madrid. I already have decided to visit Valencia next spring for las Fallas alogn with Cuenca. You're descriptions have me excited!

I've always had Valencia on my list because I've read horchata originated from there and that's a good enough reason for me! Someday....

I liked the title of your post. It isn't alarmist or catchy but we all know that it means something unusual and rare. Captures that little bit of oddness and communality that is Fodor's.

A good, cold, not too sweet horchata accompanied by light "fartons" pronounced FAR- TONES.. so stop laughing!.. is a wonderful way to attack a hunger pain.

I am waiting to hear about some of ekscrunchy's additional gourmet stops, and am looking forward to meeting another brave Fodorite at Fallas.

CathyM.. hope you do find the time to get down here on one of your journeys.