If it's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium - 7/8/08

If it's Tuesday, This Must be...Valencia (Spain, that is).  Last week I showed some highlights from my recent visit to Madrid.  The following stop was Valencia, on the coast.

Valencia was a tale of two cities.  Actually, most big European cities seem to be split between an "old town" and a new part of town.  The old city portions retain the oftimes centuries (and sometimes millennia) old buildings and squares.  The new parts have the modern buildings.  Valencia does this in extremes.

Of course, every old European city seems to have some sort of victory archway.  This one in old Valencia had a big cross in the middle.

And there are usually lots of old churches.

And even older churches

And really cool fountains surrounded by old architecture

The inside of one of the old churches really struck me as beautiful, with a unique spiral to the columns and the requisite vaulted ceilings.

Valencia has two sets of double guard towers.  Note the cannonball holes.

Okay, these were all in the old city.  Not far away, however, is a new project that was the primary reason for me to go to Valencia.  Within the last few years the city has built a series of unique buildings that house a concert hall, science museum, arts, and an oceanographia (aquarium).  Talk about your contrasts.  Does this look like a conquistador helmet to anyone besides to me?

Most unique in my mind was what I call "the eye."  The concert hall is surrounded by a shallow reflecting pool and I really like the way this photo looks.

The last building almost looks normal.

These are just the highlights of Valencia.  In future columns I'll delve deeper into some of the churches, the architecture, and the aquarium.  I also just returned from a weekend in Prague (Czech Republic) and took 389 photos in 2+ days, so will have lots to show in the upcoming weeks.

Thanks all.  I look forward to hearing your comments.