Lots of good news this week!

On Wednesday, I took a metro ride. Then Google maps led me on a longer than necessary walk to get to the Patraix Police Station, where I had my appointment for the next step in continued residency. I’m glad I left early.

Once there, at the scheduled time, I provided my papers and fingerprints. Now, they will process my file and if all goes well, in 40 days or less, I’ll be able to return to pick up my residency card. Another big step forward.

Once I receive that, I’ll know how long they are extending my student visa and can work with my attorney to plan how long I’ll actually stay in Spain.

Then, on Friday I learned that I’m eligible to use the National health care system. I didn’t know that.

I have my private health insurance that I used for my sprained ankle. Private insurance was required to get my student visa. And I’ll use that for non emergency situations. But if there’s a real emergency, I want them to take me to the closest hospital, wherever I am at that time. So, I went to my local hospital and very easily received my National health card. I hope I never need it. But it made me feel more like a Valenciano.

Saturday, I met my friend Julio. We had a great day. He has worked in a number of local museums over the years. So today, we went to two I hadn’t seen before.

La Lonja is a Unesco World Heritage Site. It’s an interesting building that has served numerous financial and business purposes since it was built in the 15th and 16th Centuries. But it’s most famous for being the Silk Exchange.

The building has a beautiful orange grove courtyard.

And various rooms and floors. We weren’t able to get access to the tower today. But Julio was able to secure a pass for a future return visit. It’s nice to know people who know how to work the system.

We enjoyed a relaxing lunch. Then we went to the actual Silk Museum. Valencia’s Silk Exchange was an important stop on the route from China to the rest of Europe for trading silk. And eventually, silk worms were raised here and Valencia developed a thriving silk production reputation that served France (the center of fashion) and Europe.

Additionally, beyond fashion, clerical garments of silk and velvet were made here.

Walking with a history buff was fun. We passed the home of artist, Joaquim Sorolla Bastida.

We were walking on San Vicente Street when we stopped and Julio pointed out a brass marker on the sidewalk.

When the Romans occupied this area they built a road from Rome to Cadiz, through Valencia. The Via Augusta was that road.

And outside the train station, he showed me a sign that showed that during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), with the bombings in Madrid, many people were evacuated to Valencia and for a short time, Valencia became the capital of Spain. 🇪🇸 Things I keep learning about this amazing city.

And just for grins, check out this building I’d never noticed before.

I spent Sunday cleaning the apartment (it’s amazing how much dust and dirt can accumulate in one week), practicing music, and I met my friend Omar (from Bolivia) for tacos. Omar knows the best restaurants in Valencia). I’m making a list so you get the best experience when you visit. 😉

And this last minute bit of news: I just found an “affordable” airline ticket. So I booked it. I’ll be flying home to Denver for two weeks: October 23-November 7. Which is ironic. That was the two week period that I first visited Spain in 2022. I’ll be in touch directly with family and friends to plan travel and details.

Happy Memorial Day!