Oranges and Rice

Valencia is known all over the world for it's oranges. A little known fact is that Valencia is also the biggest grower of rice outside China and exports more rice than China. Rice is a staple food here in Valencia with locals eating it generally every day and like Mexico loves beans with every meal, Valencianos love rice. This is also the home of that famous Spanish dish - Paella. There are rice fields galore in this part of Spain.

I've now made my way south to the east coast of Spain and in total will be in Valencia for 5 weeks. Time to leave the vacation behind and get back into studying and improving my Spanish. After saying farewell to my great friend and travelling companion, Gillian, I took the train south along the coast from Barcelona. Coming into Valencia, all you can see for many miles, are the orange groves that have been the famous export of this area. They grow orange trees in the public parks as well and have a festival for the oranges too.

Valencia is the capital city of the Autonomous Community of Valencia (kind of like a state government area). Once, the Turia river flowed directly through the town but in the late 1950s there was a very serious flood, after which the river was diverted to go around the town. The old river bed has been made into a wonderful garden park. It is a lovely place to walk and has many uses. There are bridges, water features like you see in Arabic palaces, lawns, trees and a garden of flowers on one of the bridges as well.

Bridge of Flowers, Valencia (city)

Rice fields, Valencia (province)