Spring has Sprung!

And here in Valencia, that means Fallas.  Days of fireworks and fiestas, parades and pageantry.  A spectacular tradition that consumes the city.  This year, I was lucky enough to see the Mascletà fireworks from the Ayuntamiento balcony.  An incredible experience. I’m not sure my ears have recovered, however!

It was all part of a story I did for CNN Travel on Valencia’s sustainability efforts.  The city is the 2024 Green Capital of Europe, awarded by the European Commission to encourage more environmentally friendly cities.

I’ve always been a fan of Valencia’s network of bike lanes and I cycle to get almost anywhere in the city.  Through this story, however, I learned more about the history of social movements in Valencia and the  public demand for more green space.   The result is that 97% of residents live less than 300 meters from a major green area.  That’s impressive.

For me, that means the Turia park, a converted riverbed that runs like a green ribbon through the city.  It’s where I go to run, walk, cycle, meet friends and have picnic lunches.  It’s hard for me to imagine that city developers once wanted to make it a multi-level highway!

This year, my mother also joined us for a few days of Fallas.  We escaped the crowds to walk along the beach dunes of La Devesa and had a glorious paella lunch by the Albufera lagoon.  Plus, we were able to squeeze in some family padel!  A real treat.

Now, Fallas is over and my mother is headed home.  The street cleaners are sweeping away the firework wrappers and empty bottles.  It’s time for me to get back to my writing routine.   My novel has been waiting for me patiently, along with an experimental short story I’ve been playing with. Will update on my progress soon!