Life: Idiotropic

In a 10 second commercial for Valencia, I'd have to push for young, old, singles, families, lovers of art, and lovers of architecture to take a walk to the end of the Turia to see Calatrava's breathtaking City of Arts and Sciences.

Grand in scope, these monstrosities spark the imagination. A spaceship? A big fish? The blue of the sky and reflections in the shallow waters surrounding the buildings make for happy cameras and wandering imaginations.

Kirk and I don't often get time alone. Really, I think the last real "date" that we went on was for our anniversary in March. Today the kids were all at school and he had the day off, so we took the train to Valencia passing the CAC on the way in. "Do you think we could walk there?" Hmm. I thought it might be a bit far, but no short legs along, why not give it a shot? And sure enough we enjoyed a marvelous walk from the old train station at the city's center to the turia that circles it, through the lush green paths past fountains and palm trees, Gulliver Park and the Opera House, old people in fancy suits pushing strollers and policemen parking their horses at the coffee shop for a quick rest, down to the CAC, Valencia's Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.

There is the Palau de les Arte with concerts and arts events, the Oceanografic - Europe's largest aquarium, a wonderful science center for children, a planetarium, a beautiful garden space, and the new Agora - a convention center that just opened in October. And though each is spectacular in and of itself, on a beautiful day like today, just the walk around the outside is enough. Exciting, new, wonderful. I've not been a fan of an architect before, but I think Calatrava has won me over. As much an artist as an architect, his structures - especially these together here in Valencia - are as inspiring as functional and haven't gotten passe with subsequent viewing. His work complements the Turia of Valencia and the city itself without being shocking or garrish. Not modernism for the sake of being modern. Somehow, it just works. And today we were able to enjoy it all quietly and without hurry as we strolled through the city.

Found a Japanese shop on the way back and bought wasabi powder, an ingredient that had eluded me until today. Stopped and had doeners and pide at a Turkish restaurant near the train station that the girls and I frequent. Train ride home sitting with a nice older couple who shared their mints and complained lightly about the unusual warmth in the city - warm enough for short sleeves today. Doesn't feel like December.

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