The Sequel to Salamanca

"Every exit is an entry somewhere else."

This past week, my semester in Salamanca came to an end, and as I closed my luggage shut for the last time on Calle de las Petunias, I realized I was finishing a huge chapter of what my life had been for the past six weeks and starting a completely new one, with no idea what would be written on its pages. Not only was the setting going to change, half the characters would be cast off, composing their own subsequent chapters on separate journeys home, work, and abroad.  But the nine of us became the book’s main characters, and off to Valencia we were bound.

One week in, Valencia has already flipped Salamanca on its head and given Spain a whole new meaning. It stands as the 3rd largest city in Spain with a fast pace movement that never leaves you bored, yet manages to keep an aura of quaintness in many of its bordering neighborhoods. The stores overwhelm the center city, as rebajas (sales) scream from the glass windows attracting consumers of every kind.  However, if you wiggle your way into one of the off-brand streets, you’ll find yourself amidst a quieter setting, walking among a series of narrow aisles that block out the exterior city noise and leave you to explore the hidden gems of the district.

The most picturesque paths lie within the streets of Valencia’s Old Town, portraying both Roman and Arabian influences and filled with charming orange trees and outdoor cafes. These whimsical streets typically lead you to the restaurants that give you a front row seat to the incomprehensibly large paella pans, overflowing with rice and mariscos, or out into an open plaza filled with a melting pot of people, speaking a language that appears to intertwine both French and Spanish, formally known as Valenciano.

The most recognized plaza in Valencia is the Plaza de la Virgen, where the focal point is the Cathedral of Valencia. Behind the Plaza, you’ll find El Mercado Central, where thousands of food stands fill the massive building, and sell everything from fresh bread to live eels.

The most striking aspects to the building are the large central dome, which rises 30 meters high, and the huge stained glass windows that shed light into the busy market. The first thing that caught my attention was the visual intensity of the gastronomic frenzy. You walk through the doors, and an instant swirl of smells, movement, and color attack your senses, as seafood counters display countless fish species, while the fruit and vegetables show off their bright, ripe tones. Intense reds in strawberries and tomatoes; bright greens in broccolis and lettuces; and blinding yellow in lemons and bananas.

Even with so much left to be explored, Valencia has already bestowed so many qualities that put it in my book of most beautiful cities.  What I like about Valencia is that it doesn’t try too hard to stand out for one thing or another, it’s a jack of all trades.  And the undeniable diversity within its areas, atmosphere, community, and cuisine, have given this new chapter in Spain a lot of content to uncover.