The America's Cup leaves Switzerland on the 'Road to Valencia'

THE AMERICA'S CUP AT LAKE GENEVA





The America's Cup trophy left its home for the past four years in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday, on the first step of the 'Road to Valencia' tour and the final count-down to the decisive stages of the competition. The tour taking in five cities, Paris (28th February - 1st March), Rome (5th March), Berlin (7th - 8th March) and Madrid (12th - 13th March), marks the end of three years of intense preparation by the 12 teams who are competing to capture the oldest and most prestigious trophy in the world, the America's Cup.

Just one month from now, the teams will begin racing in Valencia in the ultimate and decisive season of the 32nd America's Cup. The teams between them have spent nearly 700-million euros over the past three years in pursuit of that dream. 18 state-of-the-art boats have been designed and built to win the Cup. Final practice and preparation is well underway in Valencia, where over the coming weeks and months, only one team will emerge to claim glory.

The 'Road to Valencia' is a celebration of this pursuit of excellence. Beginning in Geneva, home to the Defender of the trophy, the Société Nautique de Genève and its sailing team Alinghi, and ending in Valencia.

Each stop will include a press conference featuring Allinghi, the Defender and challengers representing each country.
For the public, a unique and exciting slide show, projected in the evening on a landmark building in the city will capture the spirit and excitement of America's Cup racing.

Castellon Celebrates Magdalena

The Magdalena is being celebrated in Castellón this year from the 10-18th March - very sad for us because it coincides neatly with Fallas. We usually look forward to it being after Fallas, so that we can visit it too. More on thisisvalencia.com over the coming days

Let the Mascletas begin!

Tomorrow the 01st of march is the first of the 19 Macletàs in the Town Hall Square in Valencia, The Ayuntamiento. At 2pm sharp each day, this one is by PEÑARROJA of Vall d'Uixó.
A specially constructed steel mesh cage is in place in the square to protect the audience, which grows and grows over the next days until it is hard to find a place to stand any where near it.

The Crida - The celebration Mascleta

It's a slightly overcast day in Valencia, but the Mascletà was good.
What's a Mascletà? you ask.
It's a daytime firework display, so noisy that you are advised to keep your mouth open to avoid damage to your eardrums!
A mascletà traditionally takes place at 2pm every day from the 01 March to to the 19th (thanks to anonymous for pointing out our mistake in saying the 20th!) in the Ayuntamiento. (the City's Town Hall Square) They get better and longer as Fallas progresses.
Turn up the volume for this one!

The Crida - Fallas is officially launched today

Today is the day Fallas is launched to the public in Valencia. It all started at 8am this morning with a fantastic display of fireworks in the Ayuntmiento, the city's Town Hall Square. This was followed by a mass breakfast for all the Falleras and Falleros. Then the brass bands assembled in the Plaza de la Virgen (pictured above), to play and march to the Ayuntamiento. Then there's a huge mascleta, daytime fireworks.
At 8pm this evening the place to be is the Torres de Serrano, where there will be more bands, a light show and you'll get to see the Fallera Mayor and her court, followed by more fireworks, probably.

Biking through the Valencian Community

65th - Tour of Valencia – Bancaja Grand Prix
The Tour of Valencia - Bancaja Gran Prix will take place from 27 February to 3 March 2007. This test is the most important sporting event held in the Valencian Community, and after 64 editions, it has become one of the most outstanding on an international level.
Stages 2007:
• 1st stage – 27/02/07: Alzira - Alzira
• 2nd stage – 28/02/07: Calpe - Calpe
• 3rd stage – 01/03/07: Vila-Real – Vila-Real
• 4th stage – 02/03/07: Albaida – Alto del Campello (Vallada)
• 5th stage – 03/03/07: Valencia – Valencia
There's a very good explanation and preview of the race if you click on the headline
More when we get it on thisisvalencia.com

Carles Santos Live At IVAM Valencia

Carles Santos, multitalented pianist, composer, designer, played at IVAM on tuesday night - stunning performance!

|NUESTRO NEWSLETTER YA EN CASTELLANO!

|NUESTRO NEWSLETTER YA EN CASTELLANO!
|NUESTRO NEWSLETTER YA EN CASTELLANO!
Haz click el título....

IMAGINE

Nothing to do with Valencia, but, just had to share it!
Quote
ok, so imagine you live in portugal and your moving house. you find a lovely farm house set in a decent plot of land. the place has been empty for 15 years!
Whilst exploring your new property you find a large barn in the trees. the door is padlocked shut and its all rusted solid. so you grind the padlock open.........Unquote
NOW CLICK THE HEADLINE! _ a new link!!!

Our latest Newsletter is out now!

The lates newsletter from thisisvalencia is out now! click the headline to see all the latest news from Valencia!

IL DIVO PLAY IN PORT AMERICA'S CUP on 28 APRIL

There has been so much mis-information on this one - The papers first announced it as the 22 April - but when we checked we found that they were playing in Vancouver that night. So here is the actual date 28 APRIL 2007 - Marina Sur, Port America's Cup.

It's the first date on their European tour, and should be a very fast sellout!
Get your tickets from all the usual online outlets - EL Corte Ingles, Ticktackticket, La Caixa etc

S-H-O-E-S

It is nice to have somewhere to go of a Sunday evening. I met up with Gooru and headed to the IVAM yesterday (you just can't drag him away from the place these days!) to catch a shoe show and a symphony overture. On the way he tried to show me the stuffed turkey, but it had gone - lucky he got the photographic evidence then! The Banda de la Federación de Sociedades Musicales de Valencia took up the whole of the entrance hall to the museum as around two hundred onlookers stood to listen to a piece especially composed for IVAM's 18th birthday. Written by composer, musician, professor and director Ferrer Ferrán, it was quite beautiful and the setting and acoustics were ideal - the rain coming down outside made us feel extra cosy indoors and all the more privileged to witness this special performance alongside Rita Barberà, Consuelo Ciscar and other familiar faces.



We stayed around afterwards to see the inauguration of the Julio González' life works exhibition and then for a parade down the catwalk of an unusual collection of shoes and sandals by Álvaro Carpena. - from bejewelled and platformed to leopard printed and stripy to flat and frumpy. The models came down the spectacular concrete and marble staircase of the IVAM and down onto a catwalk, accompanied by the orchestra playing the piece IVAM for a second time. We were then showed a (rather disappointing) cake and offered champagne. I passed, I was nursing a rather heavy hangover and was not on for hair of the dog, so headed outside instead to admire the new scrolling LED lights imbedded in the steps up to the museum and the images projected on the front.
Tonight at 11pm Josele Santiago will be singing songs from his new album Golondrinas. All events during the 18th anniversary celebrations are free to the public.
©ANITA DARLING
Read her great WOMAN column by clicking on this entry's title.

IVAM's Birthday, A ballet and a turkey!

On my way this morning to the first of the celebration performances for IVAM's (Institute Valenciana de Art Moderno) 18th birthday, I saw this stuffed turkey in the street, abandoned. So of course I took a photo of it, because chances are, without physical evidence (and, no, I wasn't going to pick it up and give it a good home) No one would believe me.






Anyway, I saw the ballet 'Laboratorio de la Velocidad', all jerky hand and arm movements and a lot of jumping and falling over, and kept thinking the stuffed bird was a sign....

Tonight, by the way, it's shoes as art, 7.30pm, see you there?

The Bulls, The Bulls!

Fallas is almost upon us, the maddest festival by far in Spain and possibly the world.
It's also time for the Plaza de Toros to come into its own for two weeks, Bullfights everyday. we have the timetable and a little explanation of this sport/art/abberation (depending on your point of view). We also offer you a glossary of the terms associated with this Spanish obsession (all except Barcelona, who have decided they don't like it)

IVAM celebrates its Eighteenth Birthday with a week of activities starting on Sunday 18th February

The Modern Art Museum IVAM is celebrating its 18th birthday with music, dance, video art, jazz, perfomance, conferences,cinema - and even shoes!.
It promises to be a very interesting week, and it all starts this Sunday 18th when the week kicks off with Laboratorio de la Velocidad, a dance piece.
There's a premiere performance of a symphonic work especially commissioned by IVAM and entitled IVAM. Carles Santos is performing his work No al No.
for more info and the full programme click on the headline above

Shakira's only Valencian Date

It has just been announced that Shakira will be playing in Parque Antonio Soria in Torrevieja, her only appearance in the Valencian Community as part of her Oral fixation ’07 tour.
Organisers have said that this is a totally new show.

DATE: 31March 2007
TIME: 22:30 h
DOORS OPEN: 20:30 h
PRICE: 40€ + sales commission
Tickets available online from Corte Inglés, Tick Tack Ticket; Caixa y ServiCam.
Or from the following sales points Taquilla Teatro-Auditorio Municipal, Televisión Torrevieja (TVT) y Carrefour Torrevieja.

Want to know more about the America's Cup, but were afraid to ask?

Quite a few people have mentioned to us that they don't really know waht the America's Cup in all about - Well, with the help of our new Sailing correspondent, Mike O'Neill, we think we can help - All you need to know about the America's Cup is now online on thisisvalencia.com read it by clicking on the title of this entry.
(Photo credit: Ivo Rovira/Alinghi)

Exhibition of Estate Agencies

Tomorrow, 15 February, the first exhibition of Inmobiliarias starts at the bullring in Valencia - no idea what it will be like, but it's worth a look!
We'll be going so we'll let you know in good time before it finishes!

More on the Ninots exhibition

One of our fine readers, Paul BK, inspired by this very blog, got the family together on Sunday and went to the Exhibition of Ninots we talked about at the Nuevo Centro
He very kindly sent a raft of photos - some of which we publish here for your pleasure.
They are usually satirical, a comment on the politicians and life in Spain and the world. When they are finally erected in the streets and plazas of Valencia on the night of La Planta (the planting), they are each accompanied by 4 line poems - Prizes go to not only the Ninots (Papier Mache Sculptures but to these, very important little satirical verses.
Thanks to PBK!

Not unlike a saucy seaside postcard

A children's ninot

A very unkind one of Rita Barbéra -Valencia's Mayor

HRH Juan Carlos and the Princess Letitia




Some of the ruder Ninots

Fallas begins with an exhibition of Ninots

Fallas really got under way yesterday with the opening of the Exhibition of Ninots on an extremely hot day, at Nuevo Centro. There were demonstrators with placards outside, against the banning of the fireworks for children, and in response to the news from Tenerife that part of the Carnavale has been banned because of noise. Valencians are worried that Fallas will be next affected.

Though Mayoress Rita Barbèra, below arriving to open the exhibition, has publically stated that she will not allow Fallas to be affected

At one o'clock the first Mascleta was set off- quite a small one and the wind was high so the coloured smokes didn't hang around. But it was good and loud!

We snapped the firemen leaving after the show was over, they were not the ones in the Calendar we talked about last month!
The Exhibition, by the way is open every day from 10.00h to 20.30h and is 2euros for adults and 1euro for children

Cocktails! Cheers!

Friends of tivlc are over from England tonight getting away from the snow and bad weather for a couple of days. They have expressly requested cocktails when they arrive - so its Sloe Screw and Champagne cocktails all the way!

Sloe Screw - Sloe gin and Orange Juice
Champagne Cocktail - Cava, Brandy, surag and Angastura Bitters
images©2007tvb - and are available from gallery@thisisvalencia.com - email for more information

Unveiling of the Renaissance Frescos in Valencia Cathedral

Discovered when the high altar was being restored, the cathedral’s frescos are finally on display.
They were commissioned in 1472 by Rodrigo de Borja, a cardinal and member of the infamous Borgia family, who went on to become Pope Alexander VI.
These beautiful, vibrant frescos of twelve musician angels had been hidden behind the baroque ceiling of the high alter since the 17th century.
The work is attributed to Francesco Pagano and Paolo da San Leocadio, you can see them now at Valencia’s cathedral. For more information click the headline, though, be warned, the site is only in Castellano or Valenciano.

Ceramics Centre of the World

CEVISAMA - the International Tile and Bathroom fittngs fair opens at the Feria de Valencia for it's 25 Anniversary outing today. It will be officially opened by Francisco Camps, President of the Comunidad Valenciana.
It is said to be the biggest fair of its kind in the world. So if you have been trying to get a hotel room for this week and found it hard, you know why now!
The Feria de Valencia is the largest exhibition space in Spain now, and is only 5kms from the city centre and the same from the airport.

First no Smokes, now no Bangers

Pity the poor shopkeeper in Valencia.
More specifically the Estanquo (paper shop) owners. In January they were forbidden to sell tobacco any longer. It is now only sold in official Tabacleras (tobacco shops) or from machines in bars. The machines now have to be in the off position until the bar owner has ascertained the age of the prospective customer, only then can he switch it on!

But that is by the way, back to the estanquos - now they are no longer allowed to sell fireworks! Their ascociation reckons they will each lose around 12,000 euros in sales during Fallas and are urging the Generalitat to give dispensation for the three weeks of the fiesta.

Let's not even go down the road of the proposed abolishment of Siesta and the ramifications of that!
Ohhhhh, the EU has so much to answer for!

for regularly updated info, as we get it, click the title of this entry

Don't make that call!

Telefonica, Vodafone & Orange here in Spain may well feel the pinch a little today (though it will probably be like a drop in the ocean to them). Young people al over the country are calling on the population not to use their mobile phones except in an emergency until midnight tonight. This is in protest at the proposed tarrif rises very soon announced by the companies. Spain already has some of the highest mobile phone charges in Europe.
Listen to the people T, V and O!

A few less bangs. Possibly.

Fallas is almost upon us. The first Mascletà of the proceedings is at Nuevo Centro on Saturday 10 February to celebrate the opening of the exhibition of Ninots (papier Maché sculptures) for this year's fiesta. If you haven't experienced a mascletà it's worth a trip to the plaza in front of El Corte Ingles just befor the river on the cv35 to experience a tamer one before seeing the big ones in the Town Hall Square each day from the first of March.
But something curious, and smelling distinctly like EU Political Correctness reared its head over the weekend.
As of yesterday it is illegal for youngsters under 12 to purchase or let off fireworks in the streets. If you have ever been in a Valencia street (or a street in any village or town in this neck of the woods) during Fallas you will know that it is a bit like being in a war zone. Firecrackers and Pertados (bangers) going off all around you day and night. A lot are in the hands of children, who seem to have no fear and toss them all over the place, though rarely at people or animals. A good friend is a surgeon who works at one of the hospitals. I remember years ago, when we first arrived on these shores and were horrified at how young these kids were, asking him how the hospitals coped with what must be a huge amount of casualties. His response was that, actually, there are very few considering and went on to explain fireworks are so much part of the culture here that kids grow up with a certain respect for these loud bangers.
Many of the Casals (Fallas groups) are up in arms and have asked the Generalitat to lift the ban - we shall see.
I doubt we'll notice a difference in the noise levels though.
To read more on Fallas got to http://www.thisisvalencia.com/fallas-intro.html and keep revisiting as we tell you all about it over the next 3 weeks.

New thisisvalencia.com and strangely enough, A new timesonline!

It's a funny old world.
Today we put the new thisisvalencia.com site up (which we hope you all like! We also launched issue two of our newsletter(http://www.thisisvalencia.com/thisisvalencia-c.html) full of more info on the city. In the newsletter we refer to an article on timesonline.co.uk and here's the funny bit, if you click the link it takes you to a page (today) apologising for the site being unavailable at this time because they are putting their new-look site up. Thisisvalencia.com and timesonline.co.uk - both new today!
Great minds think alike!

Valencia's Market Garden

Go to any site on Valencia and somewhere you will see photos of Calatrava’s stunning City of Arts and Sciences (although they won’t all tell you that it was the late Félix Candela who designed the Oceonogràfic). A mixture of elegance in architecture and searingly modern scultpture, the complex has become the icon of the Valencia and is seen as one of the foremost examples of modern Spanish urban development, praised and pontificated over world-wide. What would surprise many, if the were to take a short walk beyond the El Saler shopping centre, opposite the CAC, is just how close they are to 'La huerta', Valencia’s market gardens that still supply much of the vegetables that feed the city. Walk along the narrow irrigation canals and turn your back on the urban landscape, and you could be deep in rural Spain of fifty years ago.
Derek Workman

More about sizes

Further to the story about clothes sizing the other day by our own Lolita Devine, The Pasarela de Valencia is taking place at the City of Arts and Sciences at the moment, because, not that you'd know unless you scoured the papers, this is Valencia Fashion Week. Why are we telling you this, well, this year there is a rule about the size of the models walking the runway - no less than a size 42. Which has got to be good news.

Elevator Trouble

It’s not always a bad thing when the lift breaks down in your apartment building. Actually It’s never a bad thing for me because I live on the first floor and never use it anyway. But at least I’ve been able to exchange a few words with my vecinos, the neighbours from who I’d normally only get a polite ‘Buenos dias’ as we pass each other on the stairs. With some it’s more than a passing few words, particularly with Carmen, the delightful pensioner from the flat above, when she takes her tiny dog, Chipi, for a walk. We both delight in giving the owner a good slagging off over the way he won’t spend a penny on the building except in emergencies, such as the collapsing of the main drain that runs right through entrance hall and let off a horrendous stench of ripe mierd. It’s nice to know I have something in common with an aged Spanish lady, but I’d rather it was something better than a dislike of the landlord and the stink of Spanish shit.
Derek Workman