The City That Impresses vs. The City That Works For Us We hadn’t been back to Madrid in a while, but we remedied that this last week. We had a perfect excuse: my younger brother Dave and his wife Lorraine were passing through on the way to a cruise departing from Barcelona, and Madrid madeContinue reading “Madrid vs. Valencia”
Category Archives: Lifestyle
Our First Fallas: Beautiful, Bizarre, and Very Loud
When we moved to Valencia, one of the things we were most excited about was experiencing Fallas. We had done our homework. We’d visited the Fallas Museum multiple times. We understood the basics: the ninot figurines, the falleras in their elaborate dresses, and of course, the climactic spectacle of La Cremà. We thought we understoodContinue reading “Our First Fallas: Beautiful, Bizarre, and Very Loud”
The Surprisingly Long Journey to Not Owning a Car
When we first started planning our move to Europe, we had a simple vision: we wouldn’t need a car. European cities are designed differently than American ones. Shops are nearby. Public transit works. Walking is normal. The idea of driving everywhere just … fades away. At least, that was the plan. Reality had other ideas.Continue reading “The Surprisingly Long Journey to Not Owning a Car”
Another Bureaucratic Update: The Waiting Worked!
For those of you who’ve been following along, lighting candles, sacrificing toner cartridges, or simply shaking your heads knowingly, I’m happy to report a small but meaningful victory in our ongoing Social Security saga. Kristie’s account is now showing as ACTIVE. No fanfare or trumpet blast, just a quiet status change on a website. Which,Continue reading “Another Bureaucratic Update: The Waiting Worked!”
Curtains Up: Discovering Valencia’s Live Performance Scene
…or, Why We’re Still Constantly Surprised by This City One of the things we’ve loved most about living in Valencia is how much of life happens outside the apartment. There are things constantly occurring in plazas, parks, markets, and, excitingly, on stage. We knew there’d be paella. We knew there’d be beaches. But we didn’tContinue reading “Curtains Up: Discovering Valencia’s Live Performance Scene”
A Crash Course in Spanish Healthcare (Literally)
It’s been a while since my last update, and that’s not because I’ve run out of things to say. Quite the opposite. It’s just been… a lot. Some of it has been joyful. The arrival of our new cat Rea was wonderful, and we travelled to the US for some family time at Thanksgiving. SomeContinue reading “A Crash Course in Spanish Healthcare (Literally)”
Getting Around Valencia: How Do We Get Where We’re Going?
In Lisbon, we had three modes of transportation. We used the metro a lot; we had monthly passes, and got our money’s worth out of them. We combined that with walking. Our general rule of thumb was if the total journey was less than 15 minutes by foot, or if the destination was within 10Continue reading “Getting Around Valencia: How Do We Get Where We’re Going?”