You would think that a fluent French speaker would be able to pick up Spanish easily. But that’s not my case. I recognize many (similar) words, but stringing them together into a coherent sentence is a challenge. And when they speak to me in rapid-fire Spanish, my face goes funny with an expression that says, “Huh?”

But the kindness of the people compensates for my linguistic lapses. Invariably, at some point, you will come across a person who speaks English or French (less so in smaller cities and towns).

Sunshine makes all the difference. And freshly-squeezed orange juice. This is my most favorite machine in the supermarket. Oranges are everywhere here. Valencia’s coastline is covered in groves, and the orange is regarded as a symbol of the city.