Two and a half days in Orihuela
I am writing an essay on the poet Miguel Hernandez for a book that is being produced by Instituto Cervantes Manila. My research begins in Hernandez’s hometown of Orihuela in the Valencia region. (Valencia as in oranges and Arroz a la Valenciana.)
In Plaza Ramon Sije in the old town, there is a palace for sale for 4 million euros. I don’t know how many rooms it has, but there are 14 bathrooms. If they threw in a noble title like Marques de Orihuela, I’m sure it would sell faster.
Calle Mayor, the main street of the old town, at rush hour. Temperatures in the 30s Celsius, blazing sunshine. Now I know why siesta was invented.
This is the house where Miguel Hernandez grew up.
The Episcopal Palace has been turned into a Museum of the Sacred Arts. The star of the collection: The Temptation of Saint Thomas Aquinas by Diego Velasquez.
One of the social events of the season is the First Communion of schoolchildren. There are white outfits for the children, after-parties, costumed bands.
Of course the food is marvelous. After a two and a half hour book launch involving a flamenco singer, a children’s orchestra, and some rather overwrought dramatic readings, we had dinner at The Agus gastrobar.
And a walk around the city, which centuries ago was part of a Moorish kingdom.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
