Valencia and the Coasta Blanca

We decided to head to the coast this last weekend and see Valencia and the Costa Blanca. Valencia was a great city but it definitely comes in third behind Madrid and Barcelona. We got in at noon, so we basically had the whole day to explore. We did a walking tour that was in our guide book of all the architecture of the city. We had Valencian horchata (unlike the rice and cinimon kind from Mexico the Spanish version is made from tigernuts), which Sadie promptly threw up,  and some awesome paella which also started in Valencia.

Keeping them occupied on the train.

View from our terrace

Plaza down the street from where we stayed.

Train Station

Ceiling of the train station

Columbus Market

Tower

We were freaked out by this fountain. Babies throwing another baby in the water while laughing?? WTF?

The only part of the city walls that are left.

Rock climbing when we couldn't find a park.

jump!

Valencia Cathedral

Their "stage" while we waited for our meal. They sang every song they knew.

Yum!!!

The next day we rented a car  and drove down the coast to the Coasta Blanca. Beautiful.  We didn't make it as far as we'd wanted to because the kids woke up but we were at a perfect beach in Xabia and loved every second of it. It was so nice to just play with the kids all day long.

Where's Waldo.

So much fun playing in the sand with the kids.

The weird lobster/crab man that came down the beach. Just a tad freaky.

Sadie was seriously out of it on our drive home. She looked like a boxer after a bad fight.

On our last day we went to the Aquarium in the City of Arts and Sciences, which was built a few years back for when the Olympics were in Barcelona.  It was huge and the kids had a blast.

Nice smiles, kind of...

Silly Faces!

View from our second terrace

City of Arts and Sciences

Sadie loved the Dolphin show

The "Submarine" restaurant

Can. Never. Stay. Still.

Our little animal lover.

bringing the stroller up from the metro quickly becomes a family affair

Nana's visit

We were so excited that Debi was able to come out and visit us! It was so nice to have her here but we sure did miss Opa.

We went to lots of parks, ate, walked,  rowed a boat (while singing the appropriate song), ate, walked, went to Segovia, walked, hung out at the Palace, ate at the worlds oldest restaurant (El Botín), ate chocolate con churros, walked, shopped, ate tapas, saw a Flamenco show, went to Toledo and ate and walked some more. Are you sensing a pattern...

We had fun and I so much enjoyed someone to hang out with and eat with during the day. 

"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream"

I don't think Andrew knew we could see him. This was probably an hour after bed time. He was trying to reach my phone.

Upset about who knows what, she needed a moment on the stairs.

Segovia

El Alcázar in Segovia

Sadie LOVED these freaky/disturbing fake animals. They look so real. 

On Thursday night I got a babysitter to come watch the kids while the three of us went out. I'm so happy we did this, it was so nice and I think it was the first time I've been out in Madrid when it was dark. We went on a tapas crawl around La Latina and then went out to a Flamenco show which I enjoyed probably 100% more than I thought I would (and I was expecting to have a good time). The dance isn't choreographed and the dancers just do what they feel in the moment so the musicians are constantly watching them for leads of what to do next. It was amazing to see.

This was our guitarist crush, although my date was much hotter.

For Debi's last day we went to Toledo. Nick was able to get the day off and came with us. Although we didn't get home until super late the night before we were able to stay awake and enjoy ourselves with the help of many Diet Cokes.

Sweet pose Andrew.

Sadie admiring her new bracelet and necklace from Nana

I think we're entering the stage of only funny faces for pictures.