Is there any peace and quiet during Las Fallas?  Perhaps.  These pictures were taken on La Malvarrosa beach on one of the final days of Las Fallas.  We had lunch on the beach, heard the neighborhood mascleta and walked around.  It was a quiet day on the beach and warm with the midday sun.   This was the time of year when I fell in love with the Malvarrosa neighborhood.  It's so peaceful to walk on the beach during this time of year.  Our apartment is about four blocks from the beach.

And can you see the love I have for my mother and my Aunt Betsy?  My cousin Joseph or his wife Melissa probably took this picture.  I enjoyed their visit immensely and these pictures always bring a smile to my face.

And the neighborhood commission - or Casa Faller marching by.  If you are  visiting Valencia for Las Fallas, please try and experience Las Fallas in the lesser known neighborhoods.  We were so impressed with our walks through Cabanal and la Malvarrosa.  In these neighborhoods, we were noticed to be tourists and invited it for a drink or a snack.  Mind you, have a good excuse if you don't think you would like to sample to fried, salted, pig tongue you may be offered :)

Soon, we will have our very own, little slice of Malvarrosa.  Later this week, we hope to settle on a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment about 5 blocks from the beach.   These are the before shots that I took a few months ago when looking at apartments.  We will need to paint and of course furnish the place - but the basics are all good.  A remodeled kitchen and bath, 2 a/c units, and a building with a lot of apartments and an elevator that is possible and approved.  (You don't know how rare that is in Malvarrosa)

Joaquin Sorolla is an early 20th century Valencia painter who captured scenes on Malvarrosa and Las Arenas beach.  I just noticed these two and how much the little boys look like Benjamin.  And since we met friends at thh beach today and Ben and his friend Willie decided to body surf sans bathing suits, I am really amazed at how realistic Sorolla's paintings are.  Perhaps we should find a few prints for our apartment. 

More "after pictures" of the apartment once we settle, paint and furnish it.  Interested renters please contact us!

Oh yes - and for those folks who have wondered if we will rent out the apartment.  We're so happy we occasionally appear to be independently wealthy.  Umm.  Not in the least.  We just hope that in 30 years when we finally get to retire, that we'll be able to live a nice life syle.  The sabbatical is coming to an end and it's back to the working world for us....