Thursday, 13 April 2017
Vaencia, Spain
Boy does the wifi at the Astoria Palace in Valencia work reallty well and really fast. And it's really free, too. Besides using my phone and ipad in my room, I am using a real computer in the lobby to post the blogs because it is much easier to post photos on a real machine. And the hotel is perfectly located, less than two blocks from the central square, and within walking distance of almost all attractions of interest to tourists such as I. Although it is officially rated 4 star, it is not quite up to my usual standards of quality in the room itself [ok call me a snob], although the bathroom is quite nice as are the other facilities in the hotel. Nowadays the number of stars is often related to the specific services offered by the hotel. Does it offer room service, restaurant, 24 hr desk service, elevator, etc. The hotel may rate 4 stars even though the quality of each of its areas is not quite the best. But it is perfectly fine for a few nights and quite lower than my usual budget.
City of Art and Science
I spend almost the entire day at the CAS today, using the city's new Metro to get there, and still did not get to see everything it offers.
The main feature at one end of the CAS is the aquarium, the largest in Europe and possibly anywhere else. It covers a large number of underground pools and passageways where fish and oither creatures surround the visitors. There are large sections devoted to each of the major land environments, including the Arctic, South America, the tropics, etc. There are also display tanks holding members of specific species, like Beluga whales, penguins, crocodiles, birds, and the rest of the bizarre and familiar creatures that live in the seas surrounding us. Exhibits are labeled in Spanish and English and there is an audio tour available if one chooses, but I did not use it. I did take lot of pictues, however.
The entire CAS project is like a combination of Lincoln Center and Sea World, only designed with more much avantgarde and dynamic arachitecture and technology. Even the Oceanografic, in which the acquarium is located, is like a Disney Theme Park for the well educated. After exploring the inside and outside areas of the the Oceanarium, I have lunch at one of the sitdown restaurants. There are also snack bars and pizza stands for those who prefer a quicker pick up.
After lunch I head to the Museum of Sciences whose admission price is included with the Oceanografic. The museum takes up a three story pavillion about as long as a football field and probably just as wide. Most of the exhibits offer hands on activities, and younger visitors would have a really good time. But given the size of the building, there is still much empty space that needs to be filled. I cannot get into the Opera House Concert Hall, since there are no current productions, and I do not wish to see the 3D films on offer in the Imaginarium Oculus Building. So my admiration is confined to the outside. There are also two Calatrava designed bridges connecting different parts of the site.
Because today is a school holiday, Holy Thursday, the place is somewhat overrun with families and kids. If you should plan your own visit, make sure that the kids are still in school. I am glad I brought my cane, since it helped me maneuver through some of the rudest crowds.
But it's 4pm and I have retunrned to the hotel to pack and get ready for tomorrow morning's train ride back to Barcelona. I shall then have a late dinner and an early bed time.
Perhaps I shall be able to post one more blog before I leave for home.
My thanks to all who have had the patience to keep on reading.
Vaencia, Spain
Boy does the wifi at the Astoria Palace in Valencia work reallty well and really fast. And it's really free, too. Besides using my phone and ipad in my room, I am using a real computer in the lobby to post the blogs because it is much easier to post photos on a real machine. And the hotel is perfectly located, less than two blocks from the central square, and within walking distance of almost all attractions of interest to tourists such as I. Although it is officially rated 4 star, it is not quite up to my usual standards of quality in the room itself [ok call me a snob], although the bathroom is quite nice as are the other facilities in the hotel. Nowadays the number of stars is often related to the specific services offered by the hotel. Does it offer room service, restaurant, 24 hr desk service, elevator, etc. The hotel may rate 4 stars even though the quality of each of its areas is not quite the best. But it is perfectly fine for a few nights and quite lower than my usual budget.
City of Art and Science
I spend almost the entire day at the CAS today, using the city's new Metro to get there, and still did not get to see everything it offers.
The main feature at one end of the CAS is the aquarium, the largest in Europe and possibly anywhere else. It covers a large number of underground pools and passageways where fish and oither creatures surround the visitors. There are large sections devoted to each of the major land environments, including the Arctic, South America, the tropics, etc. There are also display tanks holding members of specific species, like Beluga whales, penguins, crocodiles, birds, and the rest of the bizarre and familiar creatures that live in the seas surrounding us. Exhibits are labeled in Spanish and English and there is an audio tour available if one chooses, but I did not use it. I did take lot of pictues, however.
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| Oceanografic Main Entrance |
Tropical Fish Exhibit
Where the Fish Surround You
Sleeping Sea Lions
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| Diagram of Oceanografic Only a Small Part of the City of Art and Science |
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| Oceanografic Main Entrance |
The entire CAS project is like a combination of Lincoln Center and Sea World, only designed with more much avantgarde and dynamic arachitecture and technology. Even the Oceanografic, in which the acquarium is located, is like a Disney Theme Park for the well educated. After exploring the inside and outside areas of the the Oceanarium, I have lunch at one of the sitdown restaurants. There are also snack bars and pizza stands for those who prefer a quicker pick up.
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| Interior of Arctic Exhibit Hall |
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| Beluga Whale |
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| Notice These Stairsat the Science Museum Are Closed |
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| Science Museum Exterior |
Science Museum Interior
Opera House and Oculus Film Theatre
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| Garden Walkway Hides Parking Facilities |
But it's 4pm and I have retunrned to the hotel to pack and get ready for tomorrow morning's train ride back to Barcelona. I shall then have a late dinner and an early bed time.
Perhaps I shall be able to post one more blog before I leave for home.
My thanks to all who have had the patience to keep on reading.
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