Valencia Fall

The blazing sun of summer has given way to my favorite time of year – Fall. And the light? The glorious warm light that you can only describe as Yummy!. If light were a physical thing that you could wrap yourself in, this kind of light would be soft and comforting like a favorite blanket at nap time when you were a child.

I could sit at the tables of any outdoor cafe and look at it for hours – dancing along the stone walls of the old city. Kissing the Plaza de la Virgin in the evening. This morning’s walk from Trinidad, across the old stone bridge lined with popes over the Turia, and through El Carmen saw the morning sun peeking down the wet cobbled streets. The temperature was perfect and we lingered for a long time over coffee and pastry. Usually Jeff is ready to get on with the day, but even he seemed in no hurry to get things started from anything other than a sitting position under the olive trees on a shady street. At one point the wind blew and the leaves rained down us like snow, making us laugh.

I can sit here now and see my olive trees on the terrace and their fruit is starting to turn black. Ripe for the picking. My gardenia tree is past flowering for the season, but it did put on a fragrant show in spring and early summer. And my pomegranate tree? I have glorious pomegranates! I can hardly believe it. I love pomegranates. And I seem to collect them in imagery, art and jewelry. Funny how we’re attracted to certain things. These hearty few fruits are the first from the tree I bought on my birthday at Friday Market in Benimachlet last year.

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The days are still warm but the nights are cool and sleeping with the windows open and a breeze blowing means that we’re sleeping like babies. Better than with the A/C blasting. But it also means I have to sweep more. The wind carries the sand and dust up from the Sahara desert and North Africa. So my washing machine is perpetually covered with the sandy grit on my laundry porch off the kitchen. I’m sure we’re wearing it every day in our ‘clean laundry’.

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The fruit in the stands at the Mercat Central are bursting with all sorts of fresh local verduras. Tomatoes the size of cannon balls. And my favorite Herbalista has fresh herbs that smell heavenly, and freshly dried dried ones we can’t get anywhere else.

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I’m very sure this time of year is the best time to visit Valencia. The weather is good and there are an abundance of fiestas coming up in October – if that’s your thing. Otherwise, you can just meander, spending the day walking the city or an evening stroll at the beach. Enjoying the abundance that this beautiful city has to offer.