Photo: Cafe in Valencia
Feb 25, 1979 In the morning I saw some of the Valencia sights, including the Valencia Art Museum. For lunch had paella, a well known regional dish. It included rice, vegetables, fish and meat.
Feb 26, 1979 Departing Valencia, I headed north along the coast. Not intending to, I got on the tollway during morning rush hour. It took an extra hour to get off and find the alternative route N340. Occasionally one sees a farmer on a horse drawn cart. Today I saw one of these carts used for a garbage pickup detail.
Today s biking was the most difficult to date, I faced a constant wind and was exposed to rain at times. I managed 65 miles, reaching Torreblanca on the coast. I stayed at a $4 room at a service station. The room included hot water, a toilet, and a shower; three items that have not usually been part of my accommodations in Europe. I enjoyed a simple supper of bread, cheese, sausage, and a cheap but tasty wine.
Photo: Lucie at Tarragona Roman Aquaduct
Feb 27, 1979 I was on the road by 8 AM and enjoyed much better conditions. There was no wind and it was a pleasant day. The road wound into the mountains a couple of times, a welcome relief from the sometimes boring coastline. The Mediterranean shore is littered with factories and hotels.
After 100 miles, I reached Tarragona in the late afternoon. The youth hostel was a room set aside for travelers inside a university dormitory. My roommates were Lucie, a Montreal French Canadien working in Switzerland and a rather rude Scotsman. Lucie and I went to a bar for a supper of meat, peppers, bread and sangria.
Photo: Ralph on Tarragona Roman Aquaduct
Feb 28, 1979 Following a large hostel breakfast, Lucie & I walked 2 miles to the Roman Aquaduct. After many centuries, it was still in great shape. Returning to town, we went to see the museum of archeology.
Later we enjoyed the art museum near the coast. There Lucie conversed in French with a photographer whose job it was to photograph in detail every piece of art in the museum. Every piece required several photos and he did 5 or 6 pieces each day. He apparently was in no hurry and there were over 1000 pieces in the museum.
We also saw the old Roman Wall and the Cathedral. The guided Cathedral tour was disappointing as the supposed multilingual guide spoke no English and poor French. He was enthusiastic about the church treasures.
Map of North Eastern Spain
