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Fulfilling a plan Mark and I had designed in my previous trip to Valencia, in this tour, we went to the coastal area adjacent to the city to visit La Albufera Natural Park, one of the areas of greatest ecological value in the Iberian peninsula and recognized for its beauty and rich biodiversity.

La Albufera was formed approximately a million years ago, when the huge marine gulf which was then located in the region was closed by a coastal sand strip, thus forming a lagoon. The coastal cordon, 35 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide, was stabilized by the vegetation that grew later on, forming one of the most valuable coastal forests in the Mediterranean, which is inhabited by a very diverse fauna adapted to the ecosystem. 

The Arabs called this portion of water separated from the sea “Albuhaira” or small sea. The lagoon has almost 3000 hectares and is the largest freshwater lagoon in Spain — originally, the water of the lagoon was saltwater, given that it was fed by the sea, but since the 17th century, the water flow is controlled and the sea water no longer enters the lagoon, which now only receives water from the Júcar and Túria Rivers and from the many acequias (water delivery systems for irrigation) —. 

The lagoon is home to a great diversity of waterfowl and a resting place for many migratory species. Among the fish species, the eel, mullet and seabass stand out for their importance for the fishing activities in the lagoon.

Surrounding the lagoon are the marshlands and their rice fields. This area, taken over from the lagoon, presently covers about 16000 hectares. Rice cultivation has become a traditional activity that is deeply ingrained in the culture and history of the region, and rice paddies are an essential part of the landscape of La Albufera. Although highly anthropized, the area plays an important role in the characterization of this ecosystem. With the seasonal flooding and drying of the fields, it works ecologically as a temporary lagoon that floods in autumn and dries out in spring, giving place to a cultivation area in the summer, and restarting the cycle in the winter.

Our tour included walks alongside the rice fields to better understand La Albufera’s most important current economic activity. It also covered a stroll through the village of El Palmar, one of the 13 municipalities within the park, where we could appreciate one of the last remaining “barracas”, the typical construction of La Albufera, and where Mark took the opportunity to explore the richness of the region’s traditions.

After visiting El Palmar, we headed for a boat ride. Mark selected a boat tour company that has a small museum where we received some enlightening explanations about the fishing activities, rice production and life in the region. After that, we took one of the traditional La Albufera boats for a ride in the Lagoon, during which a very entertaining “captain” gave us further information, told stories and diligently answered our questions. This was also the chance to observe the characteristic waterfowl, the typical vegetation of the lagoon, some lateen-rigged sailboats and the surrounding landscape with the mountains in the distance. It was an invaluable experience that provided other perspectives of La Albufera, its ecosystem and the ways people live there.

We finished our tour with an exquisite lunch with traditional La Albufera dishes, such as the all i pebre, the eel stew flavored with garlic and pepper, accompanied by potatoes, and the Valencian paella, which was invented there (except, when invented, instead of duck, its recipe took the typical marsh rat — Arvicola sapidus, a vegetarian rodent that has nothing to do with the sewer rat and whose meat resembles that of rabbit). While we waited for our dishes, Mark read some passages of Cañas y barro  (Reeds and mud) — a novel by Blasco Ibáñez, one of the most celebrated Valencian writers — which is set in El Palmar and its surroundings at the beginning of the 20th century. It was indeed a grand finale for our spectacular tour!

In a nutshell, it was a comprehensive tour, which encompassed all the richness of La Albufera from different angles. Mark once again showed his true passion for sharing knowledge and his skill to do so in a simple and interesting way. He was always available and willing to answer my questions and open to discuss any matter that came up, delving deeper into the points I was most interested in. Moreover, he is a friendly and amusing person, and conversation spanned across several engaging subjects. I learnt a lot in a very pleasant way, and we had a fantastic time.
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Henry
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Aug  1, 2024
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We left Tortosa for Valencia.

Knowing my interest in the Spanish Civil War, Mark suggested that we make a stop in Corbera d&#39;Ebre. We first visited the Battle of the Ebro Information Centre, where we saw several artifacts related to this important battle of the Spanish Civil War and learned a lot about the facts that preceded the battle, how it developed and its consequences. Afterwards, we went up to the &quot;Poble Vell &quot; (ancient town), where one can still see the destruction caused by the bombardments during the Battle of the Ebro. It was a truly poignant experience.

We then passed through Calaceite, a nice town, where we could stroll through its winding streets, which still retain a certain medieval air and where we could appreciate several architectural styles, such as Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque, and the charming stone palatial houses (“casas solarengas”) decorated with wrought iron balconies, which are so typical in this region of Aragon.

Finally, our journey took us to Morella. There from the road, we could already appreciate the majestic walls of the town and its beautiful surroundings. Our visit began with the rare Gothic aqueduct, a beautiful example of Spanish hydraulic engineering from the 14th century. We then crossed the walls and began our visit of the town, which is an extraordinary example of Gothic architecture. We walked through several of its imposing gates and by its powerful towers. We went up the streets of the town, taking in all its historical and architectural wealth, passing through the Archipresbyteral Church  of Santa Maria Maior, with its impressive Baroque decoration, through the bullring and arriving at the old castle. The castle was our last spot in Morella and we ended the tour enjoying the stunning views of the town and its neighboring region.

It was then time to head to Valencia.

Once again, I must highlight Mark&#39;s ability to put together a comprehensive itinerary, which enriched our trip to Valencia and which allowed me to learn more about the complex history and culture of this region in Spain. Also commendable is Mark’s eagerness to share his knowledge and his availability to answer my — sometimes tough — questions and to delve deeper into the points I was most interested in.  In a nutshell: I learnt a lot and enjoyed myself tremendously. This was yet another unforgettable tour with Mark!
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Henry
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Aug  1, 2024
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We left Barcelona for Tortosa. Mark organized our journey, solving a complex puzzle of locations and schedules, and making sure we would be able to visit as many places as possible in the most efficient way in the time we had. The itinerary Mark developed made our ride to Tortosa become a rich experience which allowed me to have a comprehensive view of the towns we visited, their history and their culture.

Our first stop was in the “Arc de Bara”, a triumphal arch built by the Romans in the 1st century BC, recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Then, we headed to Torredembarra, a small town located near Tarragona, which was important in maritime trade with the Americas in the 18th century and was the birthplace of important figures, such as Juan Güell, father of Eusebi Güell, the famous patron of Antoni Gaudi. We took the opportunity to stroll through the old town, which is surrounded by walls built in the Middle Ages, where we admired several ancient buildings, such as the City Tower and the Church of San Pere.

The next stop was in Altafulla, another small town located a few kilometers away. From the road, we could see the Castle and the Church of San Martí, which started being built in the 12th century and underwent several changes until it took on its current form in the 17th century. We took another pleasant stroll, passing by the castle, the church, the Plaza del Pou and the Monument to the Castellers, the famous human towers characteristic of Catalonia that were declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

We then drove across the “Pont Penjant”, a suspension bridge that is an icon of the town of Amposta. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, it is a masterpiece of civil engineering. The bridge crosses the Ebro River and, in the past, played an important role in the communication between Barcelona and Valencia. During the Spanish Civil War, it was destroyed by the Italian Legionary Aviation, an ally of Franco’s, and was only rebuilt after the war.

It was then time to head to the Ebro Delta Natural Park, where we visited the Ecomuseum. There, we learned about the characteristic fauna and flora of the region, as well as about the traditional activities and the typical architecture of this unique and environmentally relevant area.

We then arrived in Tortosa, an ancient town crossed by the Ebro River. The region has been inhabited since the time of the Iberians, who were succeeded first by the Romans and then by the Muslims. The town experienced periods of splendor after its conquest by Ramón Berenguer IV in 1148 and during the Renaissance. At the beginning of the 15th century, it hosted the famous “Disputa de Tortosa”, the most important theological debate between Christians and Jews in the Spanish Middle Ages. Finally, it was one of the scenes of the Battle of the Ebro, during the Spanish Civil War, when it was practically destroyed. 

After checking into the “Parador de Tortosa”, located in the old “Castle de la Zuda”, we set off on our tour of the town. Our first stop was the old fortress, from whose walls we could enjoy fantastic views of the town and the Ebro River. Afterwards, we walked along various sections of the town walls. We then passed by the old slaughterhouse, a masterpiece by Pau Manguó, an exponent of Catalan Modernism. Built in the early 20th century, it now houses the Tortosa Museum and the Lands of Ebro Tourism Office. Next, we visited the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Tortosa and its cloister, and the Episcopal Palace, built in the traditional style of Catalan Gothic civil architecture from the 14th and 15th centuries. We then stopped on the banks of the Ebro, where we analyzed the monument commemorating the Battle of Ebro, built by the Franco regime to celebrate its victory over the Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War. We also walked by the Municipal Market of Tortosa, another emblematic modernist building, work of Joan Abril and Joan Torras, built at the end of the 19th century. Continuing our tour of Tortosa, Mark made a brief stop at the medieval Llotja, a 14th-century building, where he took the opportunity to explain to me the tradition of the “Gigantes” (giants) and “Cabeçudos” (big-headed) of Tortosa, huge puppets that represent Christian and Muslim characters and parade through the town during the Renaissance Festival, which recreates a 16th-century atmosphere in the town. Finally, on our way back to the Parador, we were able to admire several other modernist buildings and the Reales Colegios de Tortosa, with their amazing Renaissance gates.

It was a true lesson in history and architecture, in which Mark demonstrated vast knowledge of the many subjects that arose. What is also noteworthy is his ability to connect the diverse topics covered in the tours, and to correlate what we saw in the different sites we visited. All these skills combined allowed him to convey a huge amount of information in a light and entertaining way.
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Henry
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Aug  1, 2024
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