we finally received our independent travel privileges and we wasted no time planning a weekend getaway. two friends and i decided upon valencia for puente. (puente is a custom very special to spain, based around their many holidays. if a holiday falls on a saturday, everything is closed on friday, and if a holiday is on a sunday, everything is closed on monday to give everyone time to recover from the fun.) our trip included a long morning bike ride through the gardens that surround the city, which used to be a river, a visit to the central market, and a tour through el museo de bellas artes, el museo fallero and el museo de las ciencias en la ciudad de las artes y las ciencias. there was no shortage of the infamous oranges and paella. valencia has an element of a beach lifestyle and is a slightly more laidback city, reminding me a little of home.