3 August 2025

As July transitions to August in Valencia, things tend to slow to a crawl. Historically, in August the city all but shuts down. You can definitely see the sudden change.

When I moved here, I had to adjust to a different daily pace. Stores close at 2 for siesta. They reopen from 5-9 in the “afternoon.” But during August, many of them stay closed after 2, until the next morning!

But you know me. I don’t sit still for too long. I still had a great dinner one night with my friend Rafael. I had a fun Zoom call with Susan from Denver. And my classes have been really engaging

And this week, despite the slow city pace, I’ve had some great memories reawakened.

Monday and Tuesday, I hosted a couple of couchsurfers. Sebastian is from Poland and his partner, Alessandro is from Brazil, but currently living in a small town between here and Barcelona, Tortosa. They spent two nights with me.

The first evening, we toured the City of Arts and Sciences. As we made our way from there, to the Turia River Gardens, we passed some Jasmine. I remember the first time I smelled live Jasmine blossoms. I was in India in 1989 on a mission trip with Oral Roberts University. I never forgot that moment.

I wish there was an app that I could attach the aroma of this lovely moment. Sadly, all I can do is share a photo.

On Tuesday after class, we met for lunch and I showed them around the the old city, including the Mercado Central, the Cathedral, the Lonja de Seda and the Towers of Serrano. I never get tired of sharing this city with new and old friends.

Seb and Ales were great guests, including bringing fresh vegetables from Ales’s garden and cooking some delicious meals. They left Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday afternoon, I got a haircut that turned sad. Julian has been cutting my hair since I moved here. But he’s leaving the barber shop where he has been working to open his own place closer to where he lives. He’s helped me with my Spanish and he’s been a good measure of how much progress I’ve made since I arrived.

Friday, I went to the beach until rain moved in. I would have stayed longer, but thunder means lightening and I wasn’t messing with that. But I did make one new friend that day.

On Saturday evening, Vicente and I went to Sagunto, a small historic town about 25 minutes north of Valencia. They have a Roman amphitheater that hosts some wonderful summer performances. The Teatro Romano was built during the occupation of the Iberian Peninsula by Augustus Caesar.

Critics fault the city for remodeling this 2000 year old archeological wonder. But I was impressed that they kept the feel and scale of the place intact, while making it relevant for today and reviving the history of art and performance in that ancient space.

We saw a Chinese dance company that performed two amazing works.

Sagunto has a castle and fortress that we need to explore when we have more time.

On Sunday, I went to Vicente’s to cook lunch. Last week, he had a bicycle accident and injured his lower back. So he’s been moving slow and with some pain. He’ll be fine. But the recovery could take a few weeks to get rid of the pain.

I didn’t have much in my refrigerator. But I had a pork tenderloin. So, I improvised, making a recipe that I learned in 2023.

That May, I went to Tuscany Italy with my friends Sue and Jyll. While there, they arranged for an in-home chef to come to the Air BnB. She cooked a pistachio encrusted pork tenderloin that was incredible! I took copious notes and was able to replicate it back in Denver. That was the only time I tried.

Today is Sunday and nothing is open. So, I couldn’t buy pistachios. But I did have some pecans. So, I made a pecan encrusted pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and a salad. And, may I brag a little? I nailed it! It was tender, moist and flavorful. Thank you Sue and Jyll!

Well, back to school tomorrow. I hope life brings you great memories and great new opportunities.

Happy August!