3rd Sept Super Hot day 38 degrees celsius

Now we are four we decided to collect our credential ( pilgrim passport) which allows us to stay at the allbergues along the way and is our proof of walking the Camino Ruta de Lana.

Backwards and forwards we went from the old to the new cathedral until a sweet old Nun explained where we should go to get them. The Bishop’s Palace aka admin for the Cathedral. They had a sign INSIDE the building! Not very helpful but ultimately very pleasant once we found them. Then a trek to the post office to send back extra gear that in this heat I am not going to need. The postal service always seems so friendly in Spain. I had to use my translator app to clarify a few things.

Once more we set off, this time for lunch and drinks, the temperature rising steadily. No orange juice! There seems to be a shortage of oranges this year or they are all being juiced in the heat! We decided to walk through the Turia gardens for the shade and explore. A delightful range of trees from Boabs to an Umbre tree, Oaks and Jacarandas as well as Oleander bushes and others I didn’t know. Valencia is full of cyclists riding around in normal clothes at a leisurely pace. Such a contrast to the manic Melbournians in Lycra. We came across a construction that intrigued us until we realised it is Gulliver laid low by the Lilliputians. Eventually we arrived at the centre for Arts and Sciences. What a fantastic building. The surrounding pools of water were so inviting in the now extreme heat but the only things in the pools were marvellous bronze sculptures, though around the corner there were kids in rowboats and paddle boards. We rested and had icy poles. Karen was beginning to feel the effects of the heat. Despite this we pushed on towards the beach. Where we were greeted by pulsing music and a very glamorous restaurant/ poolside bar and lounging area.

I changed into my swimsuit and headed for the water! Divine and surprisingly large fish in small schools swimming around us. when we were feeling refreshed we returned via the bus. Getting tickets was a fraught process as we had intended to go by the metro but after struggling to buy tickets with our credit card we resorted to cash. Thus worked we thought but then when we tapped on Karen didn’t think it was registering so exasperated we went to the bus with a human in attendance! We used our translator app to explain our issues and so we took the bus but it seemed we had used three of the four tickets after all and had to buy more for the bus! The challenge of transport in other countries! It was now apparently 38.5 degrees. No wonder we were hot and bothered. A rest and then dinner at 8.30 at a classy vegetarian restaurant. Slept well.