Where I might meet my long-awaited fiery demise, or I might burn the brightest

Valencia is a city full of monuments, street art, real people, midnight bridge concerts and forgotten dragons. A city where you can find magic moments, and oranges, everywhere (even painted on building walls and ceilings at the most luxurious palaces).

My FIRST trip to Valencia was unexpected and brief, but nevertheless unforgettable. From meeting a long-time-no-seen friend and cooking a couple of dinners together (cute cat-cups are a must); to discovering what love for a specific city feels like and calling it nostalgia for “getting lost in spanish” (chatting with stangers in your mother tongue is a true bliss).

I have never felt so alive and at the same time so scared about the future, but keep the fake smile my friend, sometimes you just gotta TRUST and leave it to the universe.

Life will somehow find its way… you might roll 5 successive ‘grandes’ or win 100 euros on a “bingo”, but not (yet) the lottery.
A ‘grande’ is when you roll matching numbers on 5 dices (on your 2nd attempt) on a game called “Cacho”, a beer-drinking Bolivian dice game.

Valencian night-skies were beautifully lit either by Christmas lights or fireworks, but afternoons were blessed by the dim golden-hour sunlight passing through tree branches while “POP 101” echoed on my air-buds (If you don’t know Marianas Trench this is a sign).
A new goal added to my bucket-list: become a DJ or sing in a concert (and get everyone dancing, or at least swaying around).

This was the perfect way to end a year full of experiences, emotional rollercoasters and transformations. Seeing the abnormally-long fireworks at midnight while gazing at a lovely smile, mental photos, that’s how some people call them, lovely concept I guess…

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But… what would be my review of a city if I don’t talk about its food!
Don’t get me started because I am (or should be) a “gastronome”.

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Disclosure: We are going to be calling my friend “dear N” because I think she would hate me for posting personal info, or maybe she doesn’t want to be related with me, but nvm, it’s my blog and I’m gonna respect her privacy by hiding her identity, but assert my authority as a blogger by writing about it anyway.

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FOOD MARKETS

You can find “Mercatos” or traditional food markets on different points of the city, all of them are beautifully set up and very well organized (except when people visit them), here you can find (almost) every type of food product, from fruits and veggies, to meat and fish, to pastries and charcuterie you name it, I am pretty sure you will find it.

I was really shocked and surprised you could even find envelopes for your jamon Ibérico, some of them with funny names like “Ramón” so it is now “Ramón el Jamón”.

Outside of these markets you will mostly find horchata and churros’ stands, which are for sure a treat after a shopping trip.

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BEER, MORROS AND CHIPIRONES

It seems bottled water is scarce in Spain because beer is the most consumed thirst quencher, healthy or not, it was quite good. I was really surprised to see “café, gelato and beer” places, I was used to see cafes as just… cafes?

I am not a beer lover and as far as I remember N wasn’t also one, but damn, she drank those bottles like it was water, while young I had some pride on being daring so I could not fall behind!

Putting beer aside, I fell in love with the amazing fried food “served on the side”.

One would assume representative staple tapas would be a pick, but I am glad N introduced me to morros (fried pork lips) and chipirones (grilled small-squids on a garlic/parsley sauce).

Chipirones were really a surprise. They are a really simple but very delicious way to eat mini calamari. The freshness of the green sauce gives a garlicky-kick and they are so soft that they almost melt in your mouth without notice.

I would have ordered more, but I was trying to behave, I even left the last one for N (what a gentleman, I know), but she left it there! On the plate!

The server was about to take it back, but before she did, I managed to stab the chipirone with the fork, she was surprised and almost laughing but it was worth it, trust me.

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But we are not ending here, oh boy we are not, not before talking about almuerzos.

WHAT ARE ALMUERZOS?

Almuerzos in Valencia are a THING!
Imagine you’re a kid at a candy store and you have an array of options where everything looks so tempting and delicious, you want it all.

I’m talking about many, MANY options… mom says “you can just have 3”, but it’s not mom, it’s the waitress, and she adds “or you won’t be able to recognize any flavor”.
But you are not a kid anymore and you can pick whatever you want.

So… Almuerzos are basically everything you can fit inside half (or a whole) a baguette-like bread.

As a non-Spaniard, my first experience with something like this would have been Sub-way, but give Sub-way some crack, a couple of redbull cans and some agua de valencia, and even then, it cannot compete with traditional almuerzos.

You can find an assortment of fillings like the traditional “Tortilla de patatas” (traditional, with onion or with “sobrasada” a spreadable raw chorizo), to “morcilla” (blood sausage), fried pork, pickled veggies, eggs and many more, I really mean everything.

So be creative, it would take a lifetime to try all the different combinations, a goal I might try to achieve if I manage to move to Valencia.

The best places even get a golden peanut-award called the “Cacau D’Or”.
Why a peanut?  Who cares! They lawfully judge almuerzos and that’s all you need to know!

And… there you have it—Valencia, a city that embraced me with open arms, filled the last days of my year with magic and an awesome company. If this small glimpse into my journey has sparked a curiosity in you, why not embark on your own adventure?

Whether it’s looking at your own town with tourist eyes trying to find hidden gems, trying new dishes, or simply taking a leap of faith into the unknown, let the burning spirit of Valencia inspire you.

Life’s too short to stay in your comfort zone. Embrace the uncertainty, trust the universe and make each moment a story worth sharing. Who knows, maybe we could meet in the next city you explore.

Cheers to new beginnings and endless possibilities!
#AdventureAwaits #FoodDiary #Explore #Travel #Valencia