The future & the past

Another picture post! My blog is really converting itself into a turism promotion site... :-) Anyway, it´s time I tell you about the Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias! It´s a modern architecture project of futuristic buildings which host a science museum, the biggest aquarium in Europe - or at least that´s what they say - a theatre and an IMAX-cinema. The Ciudad is situated in the Turia parks, and as you approach it through the park, it really seems to be a city from the future, or at least, a Star Wars set!
This is me in front of the Umbracle, which is, well, ehm... Like a sort of garden walkway or something... You have to come and see it for yourselves!

This is the Centro de Cultura y de las Artes Reina Sofia, a very long name for a fancy big theatre. It looks a bit like a giant bird´s head, if you look at it from the side...

This is the IMAX-dome, which looks a bit like a human eye. I went to see a movie in it, about the Nile, and I actually got naucious during the boat scenes!

On the right is the Museo de las Ciencias Principe Felipe, which is the biggest building of the lot, too big to take a picture of. The ponds around all the buildings are so inviting to swim in! But unfortunately, you can´t...

And me again, in the city of the future... :-D

Let´s take a look at the past now. There are two towers in Valencia which you can climb to have a great view over the city: the cathedral tower, called Miguelet, which is the Valencian equivalent of ´Micky´. It´s called like that because the church was built in honour of the Archangel Michael. It´s the highest tower in the city, and you have a beautiful view from up there! I first climbed the tower with Kobe, but I´m guessing I will climb it a few more times still with all the people who are coming to visit me, as it is a real must-do for every tourist in Valencia!

So this is the view. Spectacular, isn´t it? In the distance you can see the mountains that surround the city, and on the other side (not on the picture), you can even see the sea! The two identical towers on the picture belong to the Ayuntamiento, the ancient town hall of Valencia.

This is the Plaza de la Reina seen from atop the tower.

The second big tower which you can climb is the Torres de Serranos, and ancient gate into the city, which survived the demolition of the city walls. They are not as high as the Miguelet, but you can climb them for free and the view is really great too. On this picture you see Kobe who is a little bit afraid of heights! :-)
On the right of the picture you see the other tower of the gate. The gate actually looks like a small medieval castle, with ´kantelen´ (no idea how to translate that to English) atop both the towers.
This is part of the Turia parks., which are situated in the old river bed of the river Turia. In the 1950´s the river transborded and inundated the entire city, and so the people of Valencia decided to "redirect" the rivers flow 3km to the south of the city, and to convert the old river bed into a park over 10km long, with playgrounds, sports facilities and terraces.

This is the cathedral with the Miguelet towers as seen from the Torres de Serranos.

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