Valencia is the third-largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona. It’s the home of the City of Arts and Sciences, the Las Fallas festivals, and delicious paella. Known for so many beautiful things, I looked forward to exploring and indulging in as much as I could.
There’s History So Much History in the Old Town
On my first full day, I took an early morning walking tour around Ciutat Vella (the Old Town). During the two-hour tour, we heard all about Valencia’s history; the Romans, the Moors, the wars with France, Portugal, and England. We walked through the neighborhoods as our guide pointed out the various architectural designs ranging from Roman to modernist styles, and the strong Arabic influences at every turn. That’s when I discovered my new-found love for art – street art.
Valencia’s Amazing Street Art
I enjoyed the tour, however, what I began to focus on were the colorful murals that decorated the walls of nearly every empty lot, on garage doors, down alleyways, and on abandoned buildings. It was here that I started to collect photos of some of the most captivating scenes I could find.
One, in particular, caught my eye as we were quickly passing. It was an image of a beautiful, proud woman with intriguing, compelling eyes. I merely glimpsed at her as we turned the corner to head to the next segment of the tour. Hindsight, I should have taken a photo. However, I was already too far away to turn back. I’ll go back tomorrow, I thought to myself. I made a mental note of the location and continued with the rest of the group.
My Obsession Was What Brought Me Back
The next morning I was off to the City of Arts and Sciences. I spent a few hours there, but the thought of going back to Old Town distracted me. I needed to find that mural again. Yes, I can become obsessed with things sometimes, and having a photo of her was one of those things. Taking the bus back to Old Town, I tried to figure out my way back to the street. I thought I knew where I was going but only ended up in circles. I walked around the area. Things looked familiar, but still no mural. I backtracked and tried to walk the same path as the tour from the day before. We took a left, then a right, then what?
I became frustrated, hot, and tired. I didn’t even know what to say if I were to ask someone about it. Excuse me, where’s the mural of the lady on the wall? There could be hundreds of women’s faces painted on walls in this old town!
Fueled With Determination
I didn’t want to give up, but I needed energy, so I decided to take a break. Stopping in a Moroccan restaurant, I had the most delicious meal during my stay (Big compliments to Almunia in Valencia! More on that in another story.). After a fulfilling lunch, I regained the energy and motivation to continue searching. It wasn’t long before I walked through a small plaza in the neighborhood of La Seu. That’s when I saw her. The eyes, still intriguing, caught my attention. I smiled, then sighed. I was relieved that I had found what I had searched for and happy that I never gave up looking.
