A picnic from the Mercado Central - in Valencia

The sky was blue as we caught the bus into town this morning from our hotel near the City of Arts and Culture. The number 35 took us painlessly in less than 15 minutes to Plaza de Ayuntamento. You can pay on the bus but it's a lot cheaper to buy a card of 10 journeys from any Tabac shop.

First stop was the Mercado Central where we wandered round in search of a picnic. The building is large and airy and full of every fresh food you could imagine. Many stalls were selling fresh fruit and vegetables, others dried sausages and jamon or the local cheeses. In a section on the far side of the market were all the fish stalls with langoustine and shellfish laid out on beds of ice. Oh how the Spanish enjoy their seafood.


We bought some small, sweet green olives and miniature pimentos and artichokes stuffed with soft cheese. Then almond macaroons, chocolate croissants and empanadas (chicken and meat pastries) from the bakery stall and some fat red strawberries.

Then finding a little Tapas bar we sat and rested, the children expanding their taste buds with some tortilla de patatas (Slices of omelette with onions and potatoes)and some jamon and tomato open sandwiches which were somehow toasted so that the jamon melted into the bread.

We ate our feast later in the Plaza de la Virgin and the children imitated the street performers by juggling with plastic Perrier bottles until they fell and cracked on the ground.

You can see my collection of Valencia photos on my Flickr site here.