Tourist season

Last seven weeks we have had guests almost all the time so we have had a lot of things to do. Of course I couldn’t be with them all the time because I was working in the daytime.

5.10. – 18.10.2011

My brother’s and friend’s visit here included, of course, a lot of time on playing on the parks and that kind of doings. Then the weather was pretty good yet so we also went few times to the beach to sunbathe, play and swim. I already miss that weather! They preferred more to just relax so we didn’t go to watch local sights that much.

 Cool, Jasu wasn't interested. :D

One of the many fountains in the old center.

You can imagine how happy boys were.

They couldn't resist to buy...

One day was really hot, so surprise, we went to the beach. 

Track for little balls.

Park playings.

21.10 – 28.10.2011

My sister and step-sister from Germany came here to vacation and also to see each other. This was their first meeting after summer so they were excited, and I guess that they were also missing boys a little! C isn’t a real step-sister but she was studying one year in Finland and lived in my parents’ house so we can think like that.

 In the nearest park.

Kids.

Family to me? Why you think like that?

From the escalator.

One of our caretakers. Boys always want to

put five.

Nice bubble.

Happy couple.

This photo has to be taken...

Like in Finland...

29.10 – 5.11.2011

Neea’s cousin and his girlfriend were the most eager to explore local sights so we visited in places like L´Oceanogràfic and Science Museum and walked a lot in the old center. They also went to explore the city for themselves and to taste local foods in restaurants.

Going to L´Oceanografic.

Catedral de Valencia.

Inside of Catedral de Valencia.

Narrow streets in old center.

Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Plaza de toros.

Pose...

"Daddy you have to come now."

In the left Estación del Norte and in the right
Plaza de toros.

Plaza de la virgen.

12.11 – 19.11.2011

Neea’s friend also came here more to relax on her vacation than to see every sights and stuff, but of course we showed of some sights because she came a new place. And have to say that she has different opinion what is relaxing because she WANTED to clean up sometimes and said that it's nice, well, each goes with own style... This week was kind of vacation to Neea too, after my work they could spend time with each other without taking care of boys.

Amigas.

Enjoying the life here.

Fortunately we had some freedays between guests because it was tough time to take care of guests... Just joking! 

Es difícil de entender que hemos estado aquí un poco más tres meses ahora, más como mitad de tiempo que vamos a estar aquí. Tiempo corre tan rápido… Todavía muchas cosas a ver en Valencia. Próximos visitados llegaran hasta enero así creo que solo esperamos con interés de navidad y año nuevo y disfrutamos de la vida aquí. Y por supuesto tengo que hacer mi trabajo. Mi trabajo continúa en enero pero creo que tengo solo unas clases de español porque eso curso terminará antes de navidad. Probablemente tengo que tratar de completar mi programación de código antes de navidad también pero después eso tengo que escribir reporte sobre mi trabajo. Afortunadamente tengo un tiempo todavía, mi último día de trabajo es 21 de enero si recuerdo correcto.

Vamos a ver qué niños les gusta porque no tendremos más visitas antes de mediados de enero…

New neighborhood

First days we just walked around near our home getting familiar with new neighborhood. Of course the first mission was to find out where we can buy a food and other important stuff. Near our home are many cafeterías (surprisingly), couple markets, couple china shops, many clothing shops, pharmacies, couple big parks and so on… I expected some kind of cultural shock after coming here, but it never came. Of course it’s difficult to speak with locals but I think we have survived pretty well. And all the time we understand more about Spanish. Locals are usually very sympathetic if we don’t understand something so they try to explain with body language. 

 View from our balcony.

And view from our rooftop where we usually dry our laundry.

From the nearest park, there is many fountains, lot of flowers and few playgrounds.

Park in the Avenida de Vicente Blasco Ibáñez.

Some playground in the Gran Via de Fernando 'El Católico'.

Also papá got to play...

We had almost three weeks free time so we were able to explore the city before my work started. Playa Malvarrosa, the large beach became familiar during first weeks because of perfectly good weather. Beach is easily accessible on tram which also goes past my school, Universidad Politécnica de Valéncia. Also we have visited many times in Carrefour which is big market including also many little shops and in big mall called Nuevo Centro. Here are more than enough good shops to spend money, we have tested that! Even the nearest Hospital’s services we have already tested because in one evening Jasu hit his head to table’s corner. Wound was pretty deep so our housekeeper called a taxi for us and we visited in the hospital where they glued it, fortunately didn’t happen worse.

 

View to promenade.

 

 Some tourist...

So warm water.

Beach plays.

Also there is nice to train with boys. :D

 More beach plays...

Few times we have seen jellyfish. 

Amigos en Carrefour.

There are some fun machines in the Nuevo Centro area.

Jasu is enjoying...

A short distance from home starts old center where are a lot of old buildings, sights, narrow streets and of course shops for tourists. Yet we haven’t been there so much, just a few times because there we can be more when it’s cooler here. Now we just want to enjoy on this good weather in somewhere else. Here isn’t any more like 30 degrees or more everyday but still enough comparing to Finnish weather. And some days it rains so homesickness can’t surprise us! 

 Torres de Serranos in the edge of old center.

 

View from Plaza de Reina, Catedral de Valencia on the right.

Catedral de Valencia from behind.

On monday 26th this month Otto had his fourth birthday. At first he got his presents to the bed and he was so happy! After my short day in work we went to the mall where he got to those fun machines couple times. He also wanted to eat something in the cafetería downstairs our home because there are Paco and Hugo who always play with him. Later we went to home and ate ice cream cake...

 ¡Feliz cumpleaños a Otto!

Solo cinco días antes que primeros invitados llegan!