valencia

November 23, the state of things in Valencia

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There is still a lot of clean up left to do. This photo shows this location unchanged since the flood. This does not signify a lack of effort but more likely insufficient resources despite nation-wide efforts. Valencia rejected offers from abroad which may have helped, coordination difficulties aside. From Las Provincias

update

There are many volunteers at the Feria, a site normally used for expositions. It has large areas ideal for collecting and distributing donations. Large amounts go in and out, out on off road military transport vehicles that can go just about anywhere. Friends in Picanya report an abundance of goods and volunteers still. They are concerned that support will fall off too soon however. They also report that there is no school for the children. The day care center they use for their youngest is housing soldiers.

The metro is set to be fully operational as of December 6th. Green buses lent by Madrid are replacing metro service where possible in the meantime. Because the metro to the airport is not working you can go by bus or taxi. We went by taxi the other day. The driver took a route we’ve never been on before. He explained that the normal route is still closed to traffic due to flood damage. He also explained that taxi drivers were protesting recently over the local government’s decision to allow them to work seven days a week. They are normally limited to five. As a result of the loss of tourism including cruise ships there is less work for taxis now than before. The government mistakenly believes, he said, that because the metro is not working and some bus service has been disrupted that there is more demand for taxis. Now with seven day permission more taxis will be out looking for fares, resulting in them spending money just driving around.

I found this photo in an AP story. It shows the before and after satellite images of Valencia. AP story

Valencia Oct 31 after flood
Screenshot from 2024-11-24 08-45-02

Update November 11-15, 2024

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Friends report the presence of many volunteers in their communities, including some from Madrid and Barcelona. There are many heartwarming stories of efforts to provide on site assistance, food, clothing, shelters for pets and pet food.

Oscar Puente, head of Transportation, says that lines C1 and C2 of “Cercanías” (regional trains) will be reopened before Christmas, perhaps C5 and C6 as well. Line C3,the one going south, suffered the most damage. A reopening date has not been estimated. He went on to say that the main highways should be more fully operational in the near future. Secondary and smaller roads are going to take months. On the A7 they are building a bypass for military and emergency access. The A3 to the south was closed due to a collapsed bridge, but they are paving an alternative route. The 330 should be open by now. Source La Sexta

Mazon, the President of the Generalitat (Valencia province) apologized for the much delayed warning. Some 130,000 showed up at the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) in downtown Valencia to protest. There was another protest at the Borja Palace.

On November 11, 2024, La Dirección General de Tráfico says there were more than 22 kilometers backed up. Various important roads in the effected areas are still closed to traffic: the A-7 between Quart de Poblet and Torrent, the CV-33 in Torrent, the CV-36 from Picanya to the A-7, the CV-50 in Chiva. There are 31 smaller routes that are not usable at all.

We took the bus to El Perelló, .located on the beach to the south. Just outside Valencia city we drove past huge numbers of damaged vehicles. We saw no damage to property the entire distance to El Perelló other than the expansion of the lake, called the Albufera. Some farmland is underwater on the east and northern sides. The beaches are littered with reeds. These no doubt came from the Albufera and were washed out to sea before being carried back in. We saw about a half dozen Guardia Civil on horseback looking for bodies. Access to the beach is blocked north of the Estany de la Plana in El Perelló.

el perellon beach with horses
recovered
Debris washed up in El Perelló.

Reports from a friend in Catarroja: One of the first things they did was to clean out the storm sewers, removing mud and debris. Heavy rains this week would have resulted in additional flooding.

The bus information screen informed us that fishing in the Albufera has been suspended until conditions return to normal. The Rambla del Poyo that funneled the flood waters empties into the Albufera, causing the conditions leading to the prohibition. Emergency workers have been combing the reeds looking for bodies carried by the Rambla del Poyo.

The screen provided recommendations to volunteers working in effected areas. Equipment: mask, gloves, rubber boots, long sleeves and trousers (no shorts), head and eye cover. They are telling people not to eat or drink while in those zones, and to not put mobile phones next to your face and ears until you have sanitized all surfaces. Where there is no running water people can not use toilets so may be forced to go outdoors. Sewer lines may be broken, spilling sewage. There may be toxic materials in the mud and standing water.

See Las Provincias for photos of clean up efforts.

November 9th, the recovery continues

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The death total has reached 212. Five children are confirmed dead in the flood. Two are missing per the latest reports. Policía Nacional y la Guardia Civil have 28 cases of missing persons as of November 12, down from 50 the day before.

No victims were found in the parking lot at the MN4 mall in Alfafar.

Debris and vehicle removal continues but there are mountains to move. The first step is to clear a path for pedestrians and vehicles by piling everything on one side, opening one lane.

calle calvario 2
Calle Calvario, Torrent
street cleaning catarroja
Volunteers by the thousands showing up. This is in Catarroja. Photo by Aubrey Lay.
day care center in Picanya
Day care center in Picanya.

Maribel Alblat, the mayor of Paiporta, probably the most seriously effected community, called the “delegada del Gobierno” Pilar Bernabé García, charged with central government activities in the province, at 7 pm on the day of the flood. “People are dying,” she said. It took an hour before the massive alert was issued. That meant that thousands more were in their vehicles when the flood waters hit.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) had issued orange alerts the day before the floods for heavy rain. The president of Valencia province Carlos Arturo Mazon has been heavily criticized for the lack of timely response. The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has also been criticized although it appears that the primary initial response must lie with local officials versus those in Madrid.

Mazon, the Partido Popular leader (conservative), voted against a recent proposal to introduce measures that would prevent the risk of floods along the Mediterranean coast. (Alex Dunham and Conor Faulkner – alex.dunham@thelocal.com, 5 Nov, 2024 CET. Updated: Tue 5 Nov 2024 14:30 CE).

remains of the ped bridge Picanya
Rambla del Poyo in Picanya. You can see the supports for the pedestrian bridge (in yellow)
cleaning up in Picanya
Volunteer clean up in Picanya

Many people use bottled gas in their homes. Some have to wait in lines for hours for replacement bottles. Water and electricity has returned to at least parts of Catarroja according to a friend of mine with family in the area.

A Spanish Navy vessel landed Monday bringing 104 marines to assist in recovery efforts. There are over 5,000 soldiers already in the area. The ship brought trucks loaded with food, water, support materials, and two SH-60F helicopters. Daily World

Schools in about half of the effected areas are set to reopen on Monday, November 11.

The Ford factory is resuming daytime operations. Further opening will depend on the transport situation. Roads to the effected areas and beyond has been heavily effected, especially during rush hour. The closure of the Metro has forced more people into cars and buses. From Torrent to Valencia took 15 minutes by metro now takes 3+ hours by road. https://www.lasprovincias.es/valencia/incomunicacion-torrent-tardar-minutos-llegar-valencia-metro-20241108142255-nt.html

Various fund raising efforts are underway. Last night we attended the tour of the Antiguo Almacen de Dientes. There were more than 50 people in attendance and many more who bought tickets but did not attend.

raton

Source of the above information is the online version of Las Provincias unless otherwise indicated.

Fallas 2024 rocks on

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Starting March 1 each year, Fallas is an annual celebration of renewal, a kind of out with the old and in with the new, clean out the shop and closet to create something out of scrap. Well that’s the way it began, morphing into an over the top celebration of, well, pretty much whatever you want, most using a wood/foam construction to create these gravity defying sculptures as well as the smaller ones, called Ninots which largely target children. Photos below the videos.

For an explanation of what this World Heritage event is all about, see Fallas- what it’s all about

Here is a link to the midnight fireworks of March 17, in the City of Arts section of Valencia

Here is March 17th mascleta at 2 pm at the main square

rusafa fallas 2
In the Rusafa neighborhood of Valencia.

Huge numbers of people arrive from all over Spain, Europe and the rest of the world. It is a family centered event. Kids as well as adults participate in just about everything. There are food trucks and cocktail stands galore, with very little drunkenness especially considering the numbers. It is loud, with firecrackers readily available and employed even by the smallest of children, generally following the requirements of adult supervision and training for members of the Casals, the clubs that organize the sculpture production and doa lot of the partying as well as sponsoring the Fallera Mayor and Fallera Infantil, the adult and child queens of the entire event.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/195152940@N05/53595108564/in/dateposted-public/
rusafa fallas 5
lights in rusafa 1
A good time in the lights of the Rusafa neighborhood
pilar
The Fallas Pilar in construction, going on to place third in the Special Classs (the biggest sculptures)
Pilar 1
We watched them add pieces to the Pilar Fallas
Pilar 2

Live Your Dreams- Art on the Street in Valencia

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chanteuse final full sm

My contribution to the L’Art de Career (Valenciano for Art on the Street) in Picanya, a small town on the south side of Valencia.   It was sponsored by the Women of Picanya  http://www.picanya.org/persones/dones/activitats.  There are about 50 pieces hanging from the balconies celebrating women through March 20 2022.

Here are my comments:  

Vivir tus sueños (Live Your Dreams)

This expressionist piece is about living our dreams, our desire to become who we want to be, to accomplish what we want to accomplish.  We all seek the path we find most attractive.

Expressionism rejects the restrictions of realism while remaining largely figurative-  you can recognize the object even if it’s not realistic.  It also can include abstract elements.  Here there are four  women, two playing musical instruments, one singing.  The fourth dreams of her possibilities.  Not all the figures are attractive- beauty is not a requirement for success.  There are two muses in the upper left and a third on the bottom left. They inspire the dreams.

The dreams of our youth influence the rest of our life.  Those of our mature years, our 30’s and 40’s, are increasingly influenced by experience. As we continue to age, we tend to become more realistic but still can have our dreams, guiding our later years.

Vivir tus sueños (Live Your Dreams)



Esta obra expresionista trata el tema de los sueños que las personas tenemos, nuestras ganas de ser quien queremos ser, de lograr lo que queremos lograr. Cada uno de nosotros busca la libertad de seguir el camino que más nos atrae.

El Expresionismo rechaza las restricciones del realismo, y por eso nos permite explorar formas y figuras con menos límites. En esta obra, se ve a cuatro mujeres, dos que tocan instrumentos musicales, otra que baila. La cuarta mujer sueña con las posibilidades. También se ve a dos musas a la izquierda y otra al fondo quienes le inspiran a ella. Las musas vuelan en su mundo, invitándonos a explorar mundos nuevos.

Los sueños de nuestra juventud influyen al resto de nuestra vida. Los sueños de nuestros días más maduros, en torno a la edad de 30 y 40 años, se ven más influenciados por las experiencias que hemos tenido, haciéndonos más realistas, y reconociendo nuestros
límites. Según vamos envejeciendo, volvemos a explorar nuestros sueños de una forma menos condicionada, ya que, en este periodo tenemos más tiempo libre y posiblemente más recursos disponibles, los sueños nos guían otra vez.

Live Your Dreams
Live Your Dreams
With friends
With friends in Picanya
INVITACIÓ ACTE HOMENATGE C.C. ART 2022

Days out in Valencia: the lock down lifts a bit

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The Spanish government began allowing some outdoor activity as of May 2.   It is divided by age group and you can still only get close to people you live with.  Necessary activities are still subject to physical distances.  You must stay withing one kilometer of your house. We will still have to rely on the internet to “share” drinks and meals.

Spain is still showing an increase in cases, just above 1% so they will be checking the statistics before further relaxation.

On our 5th floor terrace, Peg reads. On the other hand, I must work!

Valencia is not in a danger zone so air travel is permitted within the EU without any health certificate (which I believe is just a questionnaire anyway).  But try to get a flight and see how that goes.  We have had 5 to the Netherlands canceled.    You can not get a train or bus ticket out of the country.  We might be able to fly from Madrid but are not 100% certain we will be allowed to board the train out of Valencia.  We normally give up our apartment to live on the boat in summer, probably not an urgent matter, as is required.  On the other hand, they would be getting rid of us so why not let us cease to be potential patients and just let us through? We do not know where to turn for advice on the matter.

Food supplies and essential services have been well managed in general, as near as one can tell, for which we are thankful.

Bolivian Dance at Midnight

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December 14, 2019

 

It was a bit past midnight.   We were on the way home from the theater, passing through Parque Turia, when we came across this group doing some worship dancing. There is an impromptu shrine to Mary in front of which they dance.

 

Bolivian folk dance

There were perhaps 100 people in the crowd.  Children were running about like it was afternoon.  People were laughing, watching the dance, clapping, chatting.  

 

 

 

The final day of Fallas, 2019

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Here are photos from the last day of Fallas, March 19, 2019.  Included are photos of Mary in the Plaza de la Virgen covered with flowers and one or two from earlier on while they are building.   Nuria and Zoe in their Fallera dresses in the first photo.  We walked about 3 hours to get these photos, leaving a little after 8 am.  After around noon the streets at the larger and more famous Fallas get very crowded.  Most of the morning the sky was a bright blue.

A high school mate is on my website mailing list. (you can get on the mailing list on the website or PM me with your email address) She wrote, “Thanks for sharing those fabulous photos and your latest artwork. At first I thought they were small, but after several views, oh my heavens, they are huge. Is there a theme in the designs?”

Indeed they are huge. I was standing next to a small one the other day. Bugger than I am! But next to the 15 meter high ones it looks quite small. I try to get some scale in the photos to help the viewer put things in perspective.

There are multiple themes, in fact a nearly endless variety. One major theme is national and local politics, and international as well, this year more to do with Brexit and the reburial of Franco. One showed Franco, Stalin, Hitler and Trump wearing nothing but hats.

The huge one by city hall is an ode to graffiti. There are some excellent graffiti artists here. It’s stunning!

There are quite a few fallas’ that address the treatment of women. This year Spain inaugurated a hotline for domestic abuse, you dial 116. They are now addressing the matter more seriously. I did not see that dealt with immigration. Italy, Greece and Spain are all dealing with immigration from sub-Sahara Africa. Corruption is always a topic. We saw several that talked about pollution caused by plastics. There are more, these are just the ones I noticed.

[envira-gallery id=”8367″]

A Passcalles is a major part of Fallas.  The clubs, called Casals, assemble in Fallero/Fallera clothing to march through the street.  Here is a short video of one group, accompanied by traditional Valencian reed instruments, called ‘dulzaina’

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zNCVQRcn9c[/embedyt]

During the day, aside from the Mascleta in the square in front of city hall, there are dozens of smaller but still loud and impressive mini Masletas put on by the Casals.  We went to ours.  You can get much closer, which does not do your ears any good, but it is something to behold!

Starting late tonight is the Crema.  They burn all these amazing sculptures except for one small example.  It’s a lot of unhealthy smoke and aside from the late hour –  they are not done until 1 am – this is why we no longer go to any of these events.  There are some 800 of these afire in the city, not simultaneously of course.      

 

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