Technically, paella<\/em> is paella valenciana<\/em>, made with local produce such as rabbit (conejo<\/em>), snails (caracoles<\/em>), eel (anguila<\/em>), and chicken (pollo<\/em>). I\u2019m not much for rabbit (especially after seeing Local Hero<\/em><\/a>), but there are many other lesser paellas on offer for the squeamish called arroces<\/em> (rice dishes). Valencians do everything big. Even the paellas are massive, and are meant to be eaten with a wooden spoon straight from a special paella pan made of polished carbon steel. Aside from the arroz para chuparse los dedos<\/em> (scrumptious rice), what marks any great paella<\/em> is the saffron and piment\u00f3n<\/em> (smoked pepper). And the yellow-stained fingers of the happy customers.<\/p>\n Agua de Valencia is a specialty cocktail made of cava, orange juice, vodka, and gin. Fire water to be sure. But Valencia is famous throughout Spain for its real fire, hosting a week-long Father\u2019s Day festival every year from March 12 to March 19, where the Valencians have been burning things in an annual San Jos\u00e9 day parade since 1934, on a bigger scale each year (March 19 is el d\u00eda de San Jos\u00e9 and since Jos\u00e9 or Joseph is the father of Jesus we get Father\u2019s Day then). Called fallas (Valenciano for fire), there is a museum containing the one falla<\/em> deemed too good to burn each year.\u00a0The Museo-Fallero<\/a> is on two floors and already pushing its limits.<\/p>\n Just off the old town is the river that isn\u2019t a river, as curious a site as you will see anywhere. Diverted around the old city after disastrous floods in 1957, the River Turia is now a sunken city park that winds its way through the whole of the city of Valencia. One walks along the old river bed under medieval bridges as if paddling along like long-gone ducks, and ending up in a revamped flood-plain that is now home to the majestic City of Science and Arts, designed by Valencia\u2019s very own Santiago Calatrava.<\/p>\n La Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias consists of four stunning white-steel buildings, including a planetarium and Imax theatre, science museum, opera house, and marine centre. The entire area is beautifully landscaped with trees and water amid Calatrava\u2019s trademark cantilevered geometric style. There\u2019s a Focault pendulum inside the science museum (\u20ac8 entry) with a period of 6 seconds, from which one can work out the height, h<\/em>, from h<\/em> = T<\/em>2<\/sup> g \/ (2pi), if one is so inclined. The original Focault pendulum was in Paris just beside the Pantheon (where it now resides), and shows that the earth does indeed move for us all.<\/p>\n There is much to see in the historic old city and one easily finds everything by just walking around, either aimlessly or with a plan. Not to be missed is La Lonja de la Seda, a medieval trading building that once served as a terminus to the ancient Silk Road. Its civil Gothic style boasts a trading floor 17 metres high with 12 Solomonic columns. Around the corner you\u2019ll find the narrowest building in the world called La Estrecha<\/em> (107 cm wide), wedged into yet another quaint plaza. They do big and small in Valencia, whether fire, water, or the best paella ANYWHERE.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re adventurous, take the bus to el Palmar and the rice fields and canals of Albufera. (Bus No 25<\/a> from Plaza de Am\u00e9rica, 40 minutes, though I suggest you keep an eye on the schedule for the return trip). There is nothing half so much fun as messing around in boats, and a gentle boat ride into the lagoon costs \u20ac4 euros for about 45 minutes. Walk to the end to get away from the crowds, and make sure to wear a hat \u2013 it\u2019s hotter than you think. You can even reserve a paella<\/em> in any of the street restaurants for when you get back. Canejos<\/em> and anguilas<\/em> optional.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Valencia is the third-largest city in Spain at almost 800,000 people, and one of the largest on the Mediterranean coast behind its Catalan cousin Barcelona. A country\u2019s third-largest city usually has to try harder, but with the biggest old city … Continue reading ![\"PaellaTown1\"](\"http:\/\/johnkwhite.ie\/caracolas\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/PaellaTown1.jpg\")
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