It was hard to take Katie seriously while she sported Oscar’s sunglasses, one lens raised jauntily, but, despite her comical appearance, her comment over our pre-lunch snack was undeniably astute: ‘When was the last time you ate anything outside in Canada in January?’
Warmth is something that people from temperate climates take for granted.  Fair enough, I’m sure that I take a whole host of things for granted that others find as joyous and wonderful as I do the warm, sunny days of winter here in Valencia.  I don’t think the …

Life in modern Spain is much like life in any first world nation.  Okay, obviously there are differences, but what I mean to suggest is that the major components of daily life are the same.  The conveniences and hassles of modern life are common to many countries - cars and parking; houses and mortgages…  People enjoy the vast array of consumer products available to them and try to balance spending with income as well as work with free time.  In that regard, life in Spain is very much like life …

You’ll have to stay on the lookout to keep up with me!  (Or you could just keep reading this blog as I shamelessly point out all of the writing that I’m doing around the internet.)
I’ve recently met a guy who’s putting together a very ambitious site that will map out every eating establishment in Valencia.  He’s helping me bring Ivan In Valencia up to speed and I’m contributing some writing to his venture, Eat-In-Valencia.com.
To take a look at my first article there, just click here.  It’s the first of three …

The bigger the antenna, the more likely it will fall.

Hearing the wind howl throughout the night isn’t too bad, but the sudden, deafening crash that woke us up at 4 AM is something that I’m hoping not to hear again any time soon.

Living in the old quarter of Valencia, we hear church bells ringing all the time.  For the most part, I have no idea why and today was no exception, though their ringing was exceptionally vigorous.
I hadn’t even know that today - Jan 22 - was a holiday until a Spanish friend mentioned it in an e-mail a couple of days ago.  That’s what happens when you work from home; you lose touch with your community.  Well, we aren’t in Valencia so that we can spend our lives online so I …

After a lightening-fast decision making process and a hurried series of good-byes in Barcelona over Christmas, we finally (only four weeks later) arrive in Valencia. Only a little wrinkled…

Part 2 of 3 recounting how circumstances brought us to our new home in Valencia

Part 1 of 3: How we were quickly convinced that life was conspiring to make us happy in Valencia

Hurray! I’m in Valencia!
The first obvious question is: who cares?  (The first obvious answer is YOU, since you are reading this - thank-you!)  But really, as a newbie on the blogging scene it’s difficult for me to imagine just where this excercise is going to take me.  That said, I’ve never let a little uncertainty get in the way of a new experience.  (Okay, seldom…)
And now, in order to prepare you for a habit of mine that you will confront regularly if you stick with me and this blog, I …