Oh - the craziness before "Reyes" in Valencia.  Reyes, or the day of the Three Kings (January 6th) is when most Spaniards exchange gifts. 

My sister-in-law wanted me to take this picture, so she could share it with her sisters (or brother ;))

I know, passing the buck on the daring underwear but it's the truth!

La Plaza del Ayuntamiento, or City Hall Square, is right in the middle of downtown Valencia.  Many of the buses pass through there and that's how we noticed the long line outside of a brand new structure on the square with the words BELEM (translation - both nativity scene and Bethlehem).  Since Ben was home from school today, we decided we would try and visit it.  Our wait was only about 10 minutes, and it was well worth it. 

There is a mandatory, informative, nine minute movie at the beginning.  It talks about the development of the Belem from idea to creation.  One of the largest nativity scenes in the world (900 square meters), the Belen de Bancaja was inaugurated in Valencia in 1996 has just returned from its tour of other major Spanish cities.  Thanks to Bancaja - a leading Spanish bank and its sponsor-  it is free.  Represented inside are more than 1200 figures representing different scenes from the birth of Jesus.   

The show was the idea of several workers from Bancaja in 1990.  They commission three major Spanish artists who spent 3 years researching over 52 books about the historical context of the nativity and what life was like when Jessus was born.  From 1993-1996, they build the nativity scene.  In 1996 it was open to the public for the first time in the very same plaza where you can see it today. 

It's quite a display.  They recreated towns of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Egypt.  The details are incredible.  Waterfalls, thousands of hand sculpted and painted individual leaves. Photos were not allowed, but this photographer on Flickr was able to capture some of the scenes.  The figures you see in the pictures are between  four and nine inches tall.  The detail is what is most amazing in this display.

You can see it between 10am and 10pm every day until January 7th.  I believe that you can also reserve timed entrances on the bancaja website.

No one brags about the zoo in Valencia.  The guide books all mention that it is small and many sites mention the small enclosures for animals.  We had very low expectations and were therefore pleasantly surprised. 

It is a very compact zoo, which can be useful with small children.  The enclosures are small but the animals did look relatively healthy. 

I should note that Valencia is in the process of building a much larger zoo on the other side of town where the enclosures which be much larger.  I actually met another American mother at the zoo who mentioned that she and her husband were both construction artists that were working on the new zoo.  She mentioned some sort of "soft opening" around February of 2007, although she didn't think the animals would be there yet. 

We really enjoyed the apes and the orangutan Boris who can put on quite a show.  Ben saw a camel and was smart enough to tell his papa that he knew they had those in Iraq.  The tiger was in a very small enclosure and let us know that he didn't like our presence so close to the glass.  That gave us a bit of a scare. 

We saw quite the elegant set up for a children's birthday party as well.  In addition to balloons and little chocolate shakes and cake for the children, we saw what looked like an elegant art opening set up for the adults with finger foods and wine.  I saw a sign that birthday parties were 7 euros a child ($10) but I doubt it included the display we witnessed.

This is not one of the world's finest zoos, however, our three year old had a great time.

This morning Mitch took Ben to school and I hopped on the bus that took me downtown via Blasco Ibanez.  I just wanted to take a walk around and perhaps take a few pictures.  It's great sitting on a bus and observing when you have time.   The contrasts in this country our amazing.  Everyone hangs their laundry out to dry and even young women use fans to cool themselves.  Everyone also seems to have an ipod or similar in their ears.  The folks mopping the floors, cleaning the streets and even the old lady next to me on the bus. 

The bus drove by a Starbucks.  I had to laugh as this morning Mitch and I were commenting on our dissatisfaction with the coffee selection in the supermarket.  I love Spanish coffee, cafe con leche or cafe cortado or solo that we can order in the bar.  I dislike however the coffee that we make at home in the morning.  So, I had to jump off the bus and buy a few bags of extra bold French Roast.