So field trips have been basically my favorite part of having to take classes, while studying abroad. On Wednesday, my Spanish Art/Culture class visited the Valencia Cathedral to learn more about its architecture. We were able to see the beautiful décor and paintings on the walls. Everything was intricately detailed. One unique artifact to the Valencia Cathedral is that it has been recognized as the home of the Holy Grail – the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. There have been numerous movies about the quest for this sacred cup. Many Popes have stated that they believe that the real Holy Grail lies in the Valencia Cathedral.
The outside of the Valencia Cathedral.
The inside of the Valencia Cathedral.
Waiting to start our tour of the Valencia Cathedral with our professor.
It's so beautiful.
“Wikipedia says that there are cups claimed to be the Grail in several churches, for instance the Saint Mary of Valencia Cathedral, which contains an artifact, the Holy Chalice, supposedly taken by Saint Peter to Rome in the 1st century, and then to Huesca in Spain by Saint Lawrence in the 3rd century.”
The supposed Holy Grail.
After our class field trip, my friends and I ventured to our favorite restaurant Cien Montaditos down the street from our school, because on Wednesdays, you can get anything on the menu for 1 Euro. Cien Montaditos sells mini sandwiches, but they have appetizer and dessert sandwiches as well. They are really a favorite for us, as you can get as many as you want!
And after eating, we all headed to a bar called Portland, where on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Spanish speakers come there to talk to English speakers in English. So English is the only language that you will really hear there on those nights. It’s fun for us to help the Spanish speakers practice their English, and it doesn’t make us feel so bad when our Spanish isn’t nearly as good as theirs!
South Carolina license plate at Portland!
On Thursday, I decided that I would explore El Centro a little more before my classes that day. It’s always fun and entertaining to walk around such a busy part of the city. I went into El Corte Inglés for the first time. It’s a Department Store in Valencia, but instead of having a Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, etc., they just have El Corte Inglés, which is always packed. There are over 8 floors in each store, and they aren’t always in malls. When I was walking in the main shopping district of town, there were 2 El Corte Inglés stores right next to each other.
After getting lost in El Corte Inglés, I walked through 2 very popular buildings in El Centro – each for different reasons. First, I walked through La Lonja de La Seda, which is well known historically for it’s Gothic architecture. This beautiful building used to be for silk exchange, when Valencia was a main economic center of Europe. Its luxury explains its historical importance.
The outside of La Lonja de La Seda.
The inside of La Lonja de La Seda.
“Wikipedia says that The Llotja de la Seda (Valencian pronunciation: [ˈʎɔdʒa ðe la ˈseða], Spanish: Lonja de la Seda, English "Silk Exchange") is a late Valencian Gothic style civil building in Valencia, Spain, built between 1482 and 1548, and one of the principal tourist attractions in the city. The UNESCO considered it as a World Heritage Site in 1996 since "the site is of outstanding universal value as it is a wholly exceptional example of a secular building in late Gothic style, which dramatically illustrates the power and wealth of one of the great Mediterranean mercantile cities."[1].
After touring La Lonja de La Seda, I decided to walk through Valencia’s Mercado Central, which is equivalent to an extremely large supermarket, expect for each station sells different products. Each person at a station sells his or her own products – usually home grown/home raised. The Mercado Central overwhelms you will different smells, and everything is extremely fresh. The building itself is something to look at, as its architecture is truly one of a kind.
The outside of Valencia's Mercado Central.
Fruit Stand.
The inside of Valencia's Mercado Central.
The Spaniards LOVE their Ham!
Later on that day, I had a field trip in my Spanish Literature class. My Spanish Literature professor conveniently used to play for the Valencia Fútbol Club – the soccer team in Valenica, which is known to be the 3rd best team in Spain after Real Madrid Fútbol Club and Barcelona Fútbol Club. It is currently the off-season for soccer players, so the soccer stadium is closed. But my professor was able to get us an elite tour of the Estadio Mestalla, Valencia Fútbol Club’s Soccer Stadium. We were able to sit down in the most expensive suite and tour the locker room, room for press conferences, team benches, the field, and more. It was definitely an exciting experience to be that close to a field when legendary players, such as Juan Mata, play.
The outside of the Mestalla.
Sitting at the Press Conference Desk.
In the Locker Room!
Getting ready to play!
In front of the Valencia Fútbol Club field!
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