Get Lost in Another World Named Valencia!

August 11, 2013. I arrived in Valencia early in the morning after spent 2 days in Barcelona. It was the first day of Ramadhan, I had sahur in bus station. I waited till the sun rose before leaving the bus station.

First destination of my itinerary was Playa del Cabanyal. I like the idea of going to the beach in the morning when the summer sun was still bit friendly. The beach can simply be reached by taking metro. There were already a few people in the beach that morning: lying in the sand, enjoying the sun, swimming, etc. I really wanted to go near to the shoreline to feel the warm of the Mediterannian water. But as people would feel weird seeing me all covered in my hijab, I undo the desire. I just observed the situation from a promenade, a bit away from the beach crowd. The beach was very well serviced. I could see a lifeguard standing in her post-station, kept on watching the beach situation, ready in giving rescue to any incident that might happened in the beach. I found it’s different from the beach I have ever visited in Indonesia. I am sure our beach has the lifeguards, but the different is they’re nowhere to be found near the shoreline.

The port could be found at the end of the beach. There was a restaurant, bar, café near the port dock. It would be nice spending leisure time with your loved ones while gazing at the sea from one of the café terrace. You could also find a lot of ships parked at the dock. Another special thing about the port was the street nearby would be transformed into circuit during F1 race day, which happened to be the reason why I finally set my feet there.

Maybe I was the only person in the world who came all the way to Valencia to see the F1 Street Circuit. The circuit began to host F1 European GP since 2008. Since that day, I kept telling myself that I have to be in Valencia one day. I think it is very exotic to have a circuit by the sea.

As I walked along the port, I began to imagine how the street was converted into circuit. When I arrived in the building which I was sure to be used for the pit, I could also imagine how busy the teams in the paddock during the race day. Because I came to Valencia not in the race day, I still have a dream to come back there one day to see the real race in the exotic street circuit. Unfortunately, F1 euphoria in Valencia was over after Fernando Alonso won the race in 2012. It was no longer used since 2013. Some news stated that the circuit was not well-maintained that it didn’t meet the F1 requirement. I guess it also has to do with the economic crisis in Spain recently.

From the port, I decided to walk to Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Science) even though at the end I found it was not the best idea at all. It was very hot in the afternoon, besides I was also fasting. Not to mention my feet were still in pain, an unanticipated gift from two days trips in Barcelona.

I found a park after a few minute walks. It felt like I had found water in the desert. I sat on the park bench, unzipped my backpack to get something that at least could relieve the pain in my feet. That was a muscle cream called Counterpain, my best friend during the trip.

I continued walking when fifty percent of my tiredness had gone. I still remember I had to walk up and down to reach The City of Arts and Sciences, the complex which contains some magnificent buildings designed by Santiago Calatrava.

I finally arrived in one of the building in the complex called Oceanografic after walking for about an hour. My tiredness was back to hundred percent. I saw people queuing in the ticket office, just in front of the building. “Oh noo, I have to buy a ticket to enter the complex.” I bought the ticket to Museo de Las Ciencias Principe Felipe (Museum of Science Prince Felipe). All I wanted is to get inside the complex, so I bought the cheapest one.

After getting the ticket, I queued in the gate. When my turn came, I showed my ticket to the officer in the end of the gate. He didn’t allow me to go inside because the entry to this gate was only applicable to those who had Oceanografic ticket.

After listening to his explanation, I stepped out from Oceanografic, turned right, and walked straight for 5 minutes until I found the gate to the complex where the museum and other buildings stand. I surprised to find out that no ticket needed to enter the complex. If only I found this gate first, I would not lose my money to buy the museum ticket. Not that I was stingy, but being on scholarship I had a tight budget in order to fulfill my willingness to have a trip to more cities in Spain. I should have asked first, but a tiredness made my brain didn’t work right.

When I entered to the complex, the first thing I did was to find the bench. I was exhausted. But sitting on the bench while gazing to the blue water in front of the museum building didn’t help me to regain my stamina. It’s hard decision to make, to break or continue fasting. I walked to the vending machine nearby. It was the first time I had to break fasting not because I am in a period. I couldn’t imagine seeing myself fainting when I traveled all alone.

Because I was still very tired, entering the Museo de Las Ciencias Principe Felipe became not interesting at all for me. But since I got the ticket, I forced my legs to step toward the museum entrance. The building has the look of whale skeleton in design. The science exhibition is in 2^nd floor, displays many science and technology inventions.

Next to the museum, stands the building that looks like a giant eye. It’s Hemisferic, an IMAX cinema with screen size 10 times larger than the conventional one. There is another building, face to face with Hemisferic, named El Palau del les Arts Reina Sofia. The building is used as an opera house and cultural center.

Finished exploring the museum, I sat near the pool next to Hemisferic building while reading the brochure in my hand. “Esta Ciudad Es Otro Mundo”. This city is another world. Being inside The City of Arts and Science complex would give you some spectacular sensations, feel like you were in another world. Moreover, these futuristic buildings are surrounded by the pool with clear blue water, giving relax and calm atmosphere though the weather was actually hot. It’s the best place to relax and escape from the ‘real’ world.

I still had Mestalla stadium on my itinerary, but time didn’t allow me to visit the home of the local football club Valencia CF. My stamina was getting worse, even I fell asleep in the bus on my way to bus station and almost missed getting off in the right bus stop. Not just I have found another world in Valencia, but I also lost somewhere in another world inside my mind. I have to return to Valencia one day with better endurance and 100% consciousness, to fully enjoy being in another world.