Valencia is paella’s capital city. And l’Albufera is its birthplace. Here’s why.
When I was last in Valencia, I was captivated by Albufera Natural Park, with its dunes, Mediterranean forest, and above all, the immense lagoon of the Albufera. Water is king. I had to show Malcolm.
Once, l’Albufera was open sea. Rivers such as the Turia dragged silt and mud to the coast, and gradually this patch of sea became a lake. A saltwater lake. Aquifers beneath gradually sweetened the water. And over the centuries, man intervened, claiming shallow waters for paddy fields. Rice, rice and more rice grows here. Here’s a paddy field, resting for the winter.
Water both shallow and deep ensures this place is a Mecca for birds. Northern birds fly south to winter here, birds from Africa come too.
Locals spend their summers cultivating rice, and their winters fishing the rich waters of the lagoon for carp, eels and other fish, sharing their catch with the bird life.
We explored some of the park before moving on to the small town at the edge of the lagoon, El Palmar. No need to ask what we had for lunch. There were all kinds of paella on the menu, but paella it was. Eaten in the open air – 18° in January seems miraculous to us.
Then a boat trip. We had to have a boat trip. Restful, restorative…. a wonderful afternoon, shared with herons, egrets, cormorants and all kinds of ducks. A truly special day. Camera photos once I get home. For now, we’ll make do with the phone.
What a day you must have had, perfect in every way. Look forward to more pictures in a later post but those ones were excellent.
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L’Albufera is a very special place. Especially in January, when it’s a tourist-free zone.
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Magic. Thanks for taking us there, Margaret.
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It was even more magical than the photos suggest.
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❤
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Beautiful. So calm and tranquil. A haven against the maelstrom that is England at the moment!
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It is a haven. And we’ve rather put our head in the sands while we’re away from England. Better for our sanity.
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Absolutely the best thing. Switch off and enjoy 🙂
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Of course you needed a boat trip–I say take a boat trip every single time one is available!
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Wise words. I completely agree.
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Lagoons and marshland do have intriguing, transient qualities don’t they? The wildlife sounds enchanting and that paella (I eat a lot rice) looks so very delicious.
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I think this is a place that has your name on it. You should definitely visit.
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😊 I would love too.
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What a beautiful way to spend a winter’s day. Especially when winter means 18 degrees. The photographs have such intensity of colour.
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The camera photos were even better. I really love that place. I’d always include a trip there in a visit to Valencia.
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Fascinating – I had no idea that rice is grown in Spain! What a wonderful way to spend a winter’s day.
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Winter? More like Spring. Wonderful.
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Now that does make sense. I’m a paella tragic but I’d never questioned the rice, thank you.
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Ah, so now you know. It’ll taste all the better.
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