Traveling Time
For 10 years or so now, we’ve crossed the pond in October or November to spend time in Valencia, Spain. Located on the eastern coast, about 3 hours south of Barcelona by train, Valencia is the 3rd largest city in Spain. With its Mediterranean climate and its 300 days of sunshine a year, it is always a pleasure to spend some time there. This year is no different than others. We purchase tickets, leaving the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day when travel is a little lighter and no family obligations call us.
It takes about 24 hours to make the trip. We leave at noon on Thursday and arrive at our apartment in Valencia on Friday at 5 p.m. local time. Usually, on our way there, I think, “This is crazy!” It seems like that is a lot of traveling. But before we leave, I think of what is involved in a trip like this and I imagine that the travel is part of the experience. As I fly out of South Bend, I slowly remove myself from the daily preoccupations of life in Indiana and turn toward the oncoming days of living life the Spanish way. Those hours spent in airports, on the three flights that get us to Valencia plus the six hours of jet lag help me to unplug from the everyday. On the final flight from Amsterdam to Valencia, I start to move into my new reality. Passengers around me speak that elegant version of Spanish called Castellano and the sun is pouring in the airplane window. Once on the ground, we find our bags and hail a taxi to take us to our final destination right in the middle of the historic center of Valencia. And just like, it’s like we’ve never left. Well, almost. The café we go to every day still sits on the corner but the plaza has been renovated and is more pedestrian-friendly than ever. We take in the sights of the Cathedral as we walk the familiar path to our apartment. And even though we are jet lagged, we know we are here in Valencia where there is nothing like the sound of the church bells and always the sound of people conversing. We immediately fall into Spanish style living: life is slower here and more relaxed.
After getting groceries at the little store around the corner, we walk out onto the large plaza surrounded by old stone buildings, follow the pedestrian street to our favorite café and stop along the way as a traditional folkloric group goes by dressed in their costumes and playing the local music. Then, we sit at an outdoor table and sip wine and eat olives as we watch the people go by. As the night falls in Valencia, we soak in the friendly, lively vibes before heading back to the apartment.
The next morning, after a sound sleep, the warm Mediterranean sun and deep blue sky welcome us from our balcony windows. “This will be easy,” we say. We’ve slipped right back into the life we left here a year ago. The clerks already recognize us. We’re falling into the groove. The next week will fly by before we head back to northern Indiana. In the meantime, we’ll take advantage of each and every moment in the Mediterranean sun.
