June 25-29 Valencia, Spain

So, things did not exactly work out as I had planned.  My time in Spain after the study abroad program was going to be used for traveling the different regions.  However, I got pretty sick and decided to just head to the beaches of Valencia and take it easy...


Sickness!

The night before I was leaving for Valencia from Madrid, I was planning to meet Adria and Bridget for  chocolate con churros.  It was going to be our last time being together until August.  However, after we had dinner and I went back to my room and took a short nap, I woke up and realized that I was feeling very sick.  I called the girls and told them that I didn't think I would make it for chocolate and churros--and I knew it would be best to rest since I had to wake up at 4:30am to get around and to the airport.  Besides, Bridget said that Adria was also feeling sick...those poor girls had been through a lot during their trip! [Adria broke her toe and now had an awful cough that Bridget called the plague, Bridget had just lost her bag with all her valuables in it...they missed their initial flight because of their luggage issues]



I took a cab by 5am and I went to my locker at the airport to deposit my dirty clothes that I would not be needing to take with me to Valencia.  I was glad I had arrived early enough, because I think it was the longest check-in line I have ever waited in.  There were only 2 employees handling a line of probably 100 people.  Most of us had already done the self-check in, so all they had to do was look at our bag and send it off--but still, it felt a little crazy.


I felt like crap and the couple behind me kept asking me questions and I was like "I don't know" "I have no idea"  "who knows" but they persisted.  I think they wanted to find out if I held the answer to at least one of their questions.


[Valencia]
I booked  a dorm room to stay in while I was in Valencia.  The room was nice and only a year old with a private bathroom.  I think it is run by a separate company than the University of Valencia.  During the times when no students are in the rooms, they rent them out like hotel rooms through hostelworld.com.


I took the metro/tram (2.90 Euros) from the airport to the University and then checked into my room.  I slept practically the rest of the day and night.  I did wake up for a few hours to walk down the street and eat some Valencian Paella.


On Saturday morning, I headed to the beach.  Valencia has miles of beautiful, soft sand to enjoy.  After 10 minutes of laying out, I could hear race cars start up!  I saw signs on my way to the beach about the Formula 1 track, but I didn't realize there was a race that day!  From where I was, I could even see cars round the corners on the jumbotron screen.  I ended up walking a bit further down the beach so it wasn't so loud, though...  For lunch I had another version of Valencian Paella and then for dinner, I ate a kebap.  Adria and Bridget were right, better kebaps do exist.


On Sunday, I felt much better from relaxing all day Saturday.  I walked around the city center of Valencia.  I went to all the major historic buildings and took lots of pictures.  I had lunch at a tapas bar.  I also bought a new shirt because I was running out of clean clothes.  By the end of the day, though, I started feeling pretty sick again and my cough came back worse than it was.



On Monday, I went back to the beach for some more down time.  I discovered an awesome pastry shop that had all their treats at really low prices.  I still felt sick, so I bought some pastries and then took them back to my room where I watched a movie.

Right now, its Tuesday, and I will board my flight to Madrid in 40 mins. (I'm already in the terminal).  I cant tell if I am getting better or worse because I'll go for awhile feeling fine and then Ill start coughing/sneezing again... the poor people who sit near me on the plane!