Fin whales greeted us on our very first day of voyage, what a sensational beginning!

Albufera was the first mission for our day in Valencia, the third largest city in Spain. On the outskirts of this city we can find a protected ecosystem and a great habitat for many bird species. Due to a sedimentation process this area has changed along the centuries as the lake was formed and separated from the Mediterranean.

The rectangular land fields are covered in shallow water, the birds are looking for the recently planted seeds and the traditional adobe house with very low triangular straw roofs, barraca, reflects on the water that is just now irrigating the fields. For more than 750 years this areas has been used by men for fishing and rice production working in harmony with nature and originating the famous Paella!

A very charismatic local fisherman explains to us how they fish for eels, a local delicacy and took us on his small boat touring along the albufera canals and admiring moorhens, purple swamphens, many mallards, red-crested pochard, common terns, cattle egrets and grey herons. This is a very important wetland in the Iberian Peninsula not only as a nesting area for resident birds but also for many migratory species, here they can seek for food and refugees in this peaceful lake.

The foodie moment of the day was learning about paella while it was cooked just in front of us on an orange tree wood fire followed by a tree types of paella lunch complemented by local wine and sangria.

After lunch and a small siesta on the way to Valencia a very charming city with Gothic cathedrals and a market bursting of live presenting fruit, fish and hundreds of smoked ham hanging in the stalls. Mediterranean countries are all about food and wine. It’s inspiring to see everyone enjoying their coffee, horchata (sweet rice beverage) or ice-creams at the local sidewalk cafés. You just want to sit and stay appreciating the sunny afternoon and watch live go by.

On our way back we felt like traveling in time going from the traditional old city quarters with a Cathedral in La Plaza de la Reina to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences by Santiago Calatrava's.