View over Valencia from Ferris Wheel from Valencia Blog on Vimeo.

Part of the Feria de Julio was a fair in the Turia riverbed, which had this gigantic Ferris Wheel. You can’t have missed it if you’ve been Valencia during the last month. But perhaps you didn’t get a chance to take a spin… Well, in that case enjoy the video and a few pictures below.

The song in the video is called Twilight Phenomena by Paper Tyger.

Gypsy Prince in Valencia from Valencia Blog on Vimeo.

Meanwhile, we’ve been back to Radio City for the third time: taking our guests to see Flamenco is now on our must do list, and for some reason Tuesdays always works best. But we’re dying to check out Flamenco nights in other bars.

Anyway, the performance of this young flamenco dancer was amazing. At first I thought it was a girl but after hearing "guapo" I realized it was a boy. He couldn’t have been older than 14. It was the best flamenco show I have seen (out of three!)

Does anyone has more information about him? I would really like to take some portraits… he’d almost be a guarantee to produce some interesting images.

Olé!

More info: Flamenco at Readio City in Valencia

Watching these videos will help us pay for our server. Thank you all!

As a birthday surprise, we went on a sunset cruise on a catamaran. I read about it in a brochure I got from the Valencia Tourist office, though neither the brochure nor the internet had many details about it.

So, a week early I walked by the Veles e Vents building located at the America’s Cup port from where the cruise leaves. I was afraid it is going to be super touristy when I read that the ship could fit a maximum of 100 people, but as soon as I saw the catamaran my doubts were quelled.

We were lucky to be the only 4 people on the ship. How awesome. The crew said that there are usually no more than 15 people during the sunset cruises.

The boat leaves at 8pm every day (except Mondays). I recommend confirming that by calling, and showing up at least 15 minutes early. Get information and make reservations at this number: +34 963 816 066 (they speak English)

Price: €18 per adult - €9 per child (prices may vary)

Adults will receive a glass of delicious cava (sparkling wine) right before sunset, and there’s a bar on board with fair prices.

They might ask you if you’d like a tour of the America’s Cup port. We agreed; it was interesting and worth the time.

Departure location on our Valencia Map

Now enjoy the images and the video from our trip. It was awesome and I totally recommend it to everyone visiting.

The catamaran in front of the Veles e Vents (it even has a toilet on board)

Setting the sails - let’s go!

Leaving the port and leaving Veles e Vents behind:

Ay, ay captain Mike!

The promised cava.

Perfect evening out with friends.

It was beautiful.

Have you also done the sunset cruise? Please share your experience with us.

We’ve mentioned the festivities for the Virgen de los Desemparados on Hola Valencia Blog before. Of course, we made sure to be there, and took some pictures documenting it.

There will be two posts about this festival - this one will be about the music and the dance on Saturday night in the Plaza de la Virgen (location).

We showed up at 22:30 - people were just starting to arrive and the plaza slowly filled up. At 23:00 we were treated with classical music and 10 minutes before midnight, we walked over to the Torres de Serranos (location) to be really close to the fireworks. These fireworks were nothing compared to the Nit de Foc during Fallas but it was still pretty fun. I think for next year, though, we’ll just stay at the plaza. From there you can see the fireworks as well, and then you’re able to claim a good first row spot to watch the dance which immediately follows.

The traditional dance was breathtaking! Hundred of dancers took at least 20 minutes to march into the plaza and the sight of them all dancing simultaneously is one you won’t soon forget.

Here are some snapshots you might enjoy:

“O Valencia” is one of the best tracks off The Decemberists’ highly acclaimed 2006 album The Crane Wife. They’re one of America’s most important indie bands (no offense, Elk City), and I was naturally curious about this song.

After listening to the track a few times and watching the video, I’m pretty sure that the titular Valencia doesn’t refer to our favorite city. The lyrics tell the story of a doomed Romeo & Juliet-type love affair, and the video casts Valencia as the hotel where the final action goes down.

Still, art is always open to interpretation. And one line in the chorus piqued my interest: “Valencia, and I swear to the stars, I’ll burn this whole city down“. That can’t be an accident: Valencia + whole city burning down? Surely, a reference to la Cremà!

Judge for yourselves. The song is awesome, and the extended video is pretty good too:

More Information at Pitchfork
The Decemberists: Official Page

I only have seen skies like this in the Alps. But we probably get the same effect here, due to the mountains surrounding Valencia. At least, that’s my theory.

I have to correct Mike’s recent post about the festivities for San Vicente Ferrer earlier this week. Just because there was nothing in the papers about Mascletàs, it doesn’t mean that Valencians won’t have them. There were at least 3 or 4 in San Vincente’s honor.

No Comment!

Last night, more than 750 monuments were burned during La Cremà — the fiery, official end to the Fallas celebrations.

Convento Jerusalén’s Monument in Flames

We went to see the monument of Convento Jerusalén be burned to the ground. It was amazing. Thousands of people crowded into the streets and on every balcony, to watch a huge fireball raze this beautiful sculpture into nothingness.

Within minutes the flame had consumed everything recognizable, leaving only a tall, burning framework, which soon collapsed. The air was covered with thick, black smoke and the firefighters were constantly at work containing the blaze. It was all over so quickly.

On the walk home, we noticed that the mood of the city had changed. The last 19 days had been like great sex, and Valencia was exhausted after its fiery climax. Now that it was over, everything seemed unreal — the day-long parades, the mascletàs, the constant firecrackers, the ninots. Had I really, just two days ago, drank vodka from a two-liter and yelled “Guapa” at falleras? Yes, I had. But, as with sex, behavior that’s shameful afterwards was awesome during the heat of the moment.

Probably better not to dwell on the details of what just happened, and instead relax & enjoy the post-coital glow. Thanks, Valencia, for a wild time… pass me a cigarette.