Last Day in Valencia

On my last day in Valencia, I put a priority on seeing the famous Mercato Central.  It was just a few blocks from my apartment.  The above picture is how it looks from the outside.  It opened in 1928 and is said to have about 900 food stalls.  I have never seen anything quite like it.  One of the most interesting stalls to me was one selling valuable smoked meats with the actual cure dates showing:

These are apparently beef-vaca.  They're in a glass case, so a little hard to read and I truly was not thinking of that at the time.   There is a whole area devoted to fish, a special stall selling only saffron, amazing displays of fruit and so much more.  If humans eat it, I think you could find it here.

I then went to nearby area where I had seen some department stores as I was thinking about shopping.  I didn't find what I was looking for, so headed back toward my apartment.  Along the way, I saw  a restaurant called 100 Montaditos.   There is a 100 Montaditos a few blocks from my home back in DC, so I was interested.  It was still too early for lunch, but I had a coffee.  Back home, I did a little research and 100 Montaditos is a Spanish chain.  In the United States, they are in DC and Florida!   Comparison of logos is in order:

District of Columbia-Yards Park

Valencia--in the Ciutat Vella (Old City)

I would love to have put those side-by-side, but couldn't get them to do it.  The geography is just too far apart, I guess.

I continued on to a museum I had read about, called "L'Almoina."  I had looked for it a few days earlier, but it was closed.  I am so glad I persisted.  It is an archeological dig site and provides an historical review of the city of Valencia.  I have to admit that I should have done some research before going because it was hard to put what I was seeing into context.  Also, most of the signs were in Spanish; actually, Valencian.  As an art object, my favorite thing was a terra cotta mask from the second or third centuries AD.   

I was overwhelmed by the history which covered Visigothic, Roman, Moorish, and Christian eras.  One particularly compelling part of the site was a well which I think is considered Visigothic:

It was a nice finale to my "Trip to Spain."  Actually, the real finale was a late lunch at a nice restaurant on the plaza.  It was siesta time for most people, so not too busy!  My glass of wine while I waited:

Back to my apartment and getting ready for plane trip tomorrow.  All went well on the trip back home.