{"id":34939,"date":"2024-08-17T05:24:47","date_gmt":"2024-08-17T09:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/how-to-plan-a-slow-tour-of-valencia-region-in-spain\/17\/08\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-08-17T05:24:47","modified_gmt":"2024-08-17T09:24:47","slug":"how-to-plan-a-slow-tour-of-valencia-region-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/how-to-plan-a-slow-tour-of-valencia-region-in-spain\/17\/08\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"How to plan a slow tour of Valencia region in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox noheight\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/15._2H6I2KKDGT6cc3Hjxw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA-\/https:\/\/i.natgeofe.com\/n\/54ad2780-57e3-40d6-8f23-fc2e6ffc5b09\/valenciasailing.jpg\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Albufera Natural Park lies just half an hour&#8217;s drive from Valencia. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>This article was produced by <i>National Geographic Traveller <\/i>(UK).<\/p>\n<p>Some call it Valencia\u2019s green lung, others its heart \u2014 but all locals agree that the Turia Gardens is one of the city\u2019s essential organs. People come to this meandering 7.5-mile ribbon of riverbed-turned-parkland to do the things that make life worth living. On the day of my visit, it\u2019s sunny (it usually is) and pleasure is unfolding in all its manifold forms. As well as cyclists like me, people on inline skates propel themselves along its paths. On the grass are sunbathers and picnickers, plus a group practising tightrope walking; in the shade of a jacaranda, a woman plays her violin.<\/p>\n<p>For Valencians, this is much more than a park \u2014 it\u2019s a symbol of hope, of triumph over disaster. Here on the Mediterranean coast, the rain in Spain falls mainly during the gota fr\u00eda, or \u2018cold drop\u2019, and it was one of these monsoon-like autumnal downpours that in 1957 caused the Turia River to flood, killing 81 people. It was subsequently diverted around the city. The Spanish dictator Francisco Franco planned to build a highway in its place but, in an early example of environmental activism, locals fought to claim the space, using the slogan: \u2018The river is ours and we want it\u00a0green\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Their victory was significant. Today, 97% of Valencians live 1,000ft or less from a green space \u2014 it\u2019s one of the key reasons the European Commission chose the city as its Green Capital for 2024. My bike ride through the Turia Garden takes in part of a huge cycle network \u2014 covering more than 120 miles \u2014 and one of four \u2018Green Routes\u2019 showcasing the city\u2019s efforts towards sustainability. It\u2019s my first taste of Valencia\u2019s eco-tourism offering on a five-day exploration that will take me out into the wider region and into its diverse natural environments.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/taETNvngDJg0hZKchL3uWg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/69066fccf073712702734530c9c02023\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Nuns walking past the exterior entrance to a cathedral\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/xgdSdmiM9Vl7TgAyOALgmA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/69066fccf073712702734530c9c02023\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nuns walking past the exterior entrance to a cathedral\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/xgdSdmiM9Vl7TgAyOALgmA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/69066fccf073712702734530c9c02023\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Honey-hued, hegemonic Valencia Cathedral was consecrated in 1238. <span class=\"copyright\">Photographs by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/rknrwYtvDBCp8rvfAJK9xg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/f2ea2a0f349cdf00ad52332ea506169e\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Colourful sign on the exterior of a building advertising a cafe in spanish\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/i4rR.qnY7fc6hgRN0xqqbw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/f2ea2a0f349cdf00ad52332ea506169e\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Colourful sign on the exterior of a building advertising a cafe in spanish\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/i4rR.qnY7fc6hgRN0xqqbw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/f2ea2a0f349cdf00ad52332ea506169e\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">In Valencia&#8217;s historic core, pedestrianised streets are lined with vibrant, ornately designed buildings. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Charting my progress on Google Maps \u2014 phone balanced in the basket of my rented bike \u2014 I wend my way towards Valencia\u2019s historic core. Pedalling along mostly pedestrianised streets, I pass an endless slew of beautiful buildings \u2014 the Palace of the Marqu\u00e9s de Dos Aguas (now a ceramics museum), with its ornate baroque exterior, and honey-hued, hegemonic Valencia Cathedral \u2014 but most impressive of all is the modernist Central Market. The city\u2019s cathedral to food, it\u2019s perhaps no coincidence that its design was inspired by Venice\u2019s Saint Mark\u2019s Basilica. \u201cThis is still a real locals\u2019 market,\u201d says city guide Carlos Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda Llabata. We pause on its threshold to admire its soaring stained-glass windows. \u201cMost of the produce here is local, too \u2014 fish from the coast and vegetables and fruit from Valencia\u2019s fields and orchards.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I head inside and, gazing up, notice ceramic tiles painted with the region\u2019s celebrated oranges. Sunshine pours in through windows in the domed ceiling, making the produce \u2014 rosy tomatoes and regal aubergines among them \u2014 gleam. Municipal markets like this one are integral to the area\u2019s sustainable food chains, allowing small farmers from La Huerta de Valencia (Valencia\u2019s fertile lands) to sell directly to consumers, keeping prices affordable by cutting out the middleman. Strolling among its 1,200-odd stalls, I\u2019m gratified to spot the ingredients used to make some of the region\u2019s most famous culinary inventions: tiger nuts to make the sweet, creamy drink horchata, as well as all the necessaries (pan included) for paella Valenciana.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/hwgrbcZP1IPPXjLCE24H0Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/c324c3ff33d28fe0eceb32c038cca870\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Three croquetas served on a plate with floral detailing\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/SXTw8yJSYLYl2UgaWdVf0w--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/c324c3ff33d28fe0eceb32c038cca870\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Three croquetas served on a plate with floral detailing\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/SXTw8yJSYLYl2UgaWdVf0w--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/c324c3ff33d28fe0eceb32c038cca870\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Just outside of Valencia Central Market, Vaqueta Gastro Mercat serves Iberian cured ham croquetas. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/H5pjbrZfIUPruNLFClatig--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/c9fc6a1275b91a93756aa16abf9495d2\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Woman selling drinks from a carriage market stall in a square\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/HmjTKx8AokGXBtYplA06Dw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/c9fc6a1275b91a93756aa16abf9495d2\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Woman selling drinks from a carriage market stall in a square\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/HmjTKx8AokGXBtYplA06Dw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/c9fc6a1275b91a93756aa16abf9495d2\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Horchata, a sweet, creamy drink made from tiger nuts, is sold by street vendors across the city. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The latter, the region\u2019s signature dish \u2014 now so famous it even has its own emoji \u2014 is indicative of Valencia\u2019s longstanding expertise in culinary thrift.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s said to have been invented by the rice farmers, who\u2019d gather in\u00a0the fields to share a one-pot lunch featuring whatever\u00a0ingredients they had to hand. Over the centuries,\u00a0paella\u00a0has evolved into a far less utilitarian meal \u2014 preparing the\u00a0dish for family and friends often an\u00a0almost sacred ritual.<\/p>\n<h2>A sea of rice<\/h2>\n<p>The region\u2019s best arroz (rice) comes from an area 11 miles south of the city. To qualify for the prestigious \u2018DOP\u2019 label, varieties like bomba, senia and bah\u00eda must be grown inside\u00a0the boundaries of Albufera Natural Park, a nature reserve covering 82sq miles. This \u2018protected designation of origin\u2019 status confirms that certain foods and drinks come from a specific place and are produced in a certain way, much like the system that distinguishes Champagne from other French sparkling wines. Like rice cultivation itself, the word \u2018<i>albufera<\/i>\u2019 has its roots in Spain\u2019s Moorish past. Al-buhayra, Arabic for \u2018little sea\u2019, was what the Muslim empire that ruled most of the Iberian Peninsula between 711 and 1492 called its huge freshwater lagoon, separated from the Mediterranean by a slender strip of pine-forested dunes.<\/p>\n<p>For nine months of the year, the rice paddies surrounding the lagoon are submerged, creating a landscape so watery it can feel almost dreamlike. This is especially true at sunset, when lateen sail boats and traditional wooden vessels called albuferenc set out from the jetty at Gola de Pujol, offering tours of the Albufera lagoon. There\u2019s even one that offers an on-deck paella service. Unsurprisingly, fishing was once a major industry here, and many fishermen would\u2019ve lived in one of the region\u2019s distinctive barracas: squat, A-frame buildings with thatched roofs. Now they\u2019re mostly used as summer houses \u2014 places to host guests for languorous lunches \u2014 or occasionally as a restaurant setting.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/NRdPoIbzUG6rXJhswFfOag--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/921136a91ec9312cf4360b9b320c92d7\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Men stand in wooden boats at a jetty on a lagoon\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Xck5zpGKO9yVEwBhvzIb0A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/921136a91ec9312cf4360b9b320c92d7\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Men stand in wooden boats at a jetty on a lagoon\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Xck5zpGKO9yVEwBhvzIb0A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/921136a91ec9312cf4360b9b320c92d7\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Setting out from Gola de Pujol, sail boats and traditional wooden vessels offer tours of Albufera&#8217;s freshwater lagoon. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/eazZrBnrIP5sd7rSAVMHUA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/ec1af465714b8c9b4329e1a379a2b98f\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Cottage next to a lake and grassland\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ZRrwECWTUteuS_H9im.24Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/ec1af465714b8c9b4329e1a379a2b98f\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cottage next to a lake and grassland\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ZRrwECWTUteuS_H9im.24Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/ec1af465714b8c9b4329e1a379a2b98f\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Valencia&#8217;s distinctive A-framed, squat barracas were once used as fishermen&#8217;s houses. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cPaella isn\u2019t a culture, it\u2019s a religion,\u201d says Santos Ru\u00edz, who works with Arroz de Valencia PDO to protect and promote its product. We\u2019re talking at his company\u2019s barraca in El Palmar, an island hamlet in the heart of the natural park, where I join several other guests for lunch. Wearing an apron and a heated expression \u2014 he\u2019s a man who\u2019s truly evangelical about rice \u2014 Santos flings wood onto the fire of his outdoor paella kitchen. \u201cThe true paella Valenciana, made with rabbit, chicken and vegetable, we only really make on Sundays,\u201d he says. As it\u2019s traditional for guests to take part in the cooking process, Santos hands me a glass of Cava and a basket of beans to shell.<\/p>\n<p>Like all major religions, paella has many rules, which Santos outlines as we sit in the shade of a vine-wrapped pergola to enjoy the fruits of his labours. \u201cFirstly, everyone knows how difficult paella is to make, so you can complain as much as you like during the cooking \u2014 what, you\u2019re not adding garlic?! \u2014 but when the dish is set on the table there must be applause for the chef. Then, everyone eats from the pan \u2014 and with a spoon, not a fork.\u201d Only children are served their portion on plates, he explains, and their first meal from the pan \u2014 usually in adolescence \u2014 is considered something of a rite of passage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnly take from your section,\u201d says Santos, indicating the boundaries of my area with his hands. \u201cAny meat you don\u2019t want goes into the middle, where someone else can take it.\u201d Like everyone around the table, I eat more than I intended to, each mouthful encouraging another. The rice is rich and nutty and, because of its high absorbency, packed with the flavours of the land.<\/p>\n<p>That land \u2014 the rice fields that make up 70% of the surface of Albufera Natural Park \u2014 is also a key habitat for migrating birds, which prefer the paddies to the lagoon. \u201cOurs is an entirely man-made landscape \u2014 we have a \u2018natural park\u2019 that isn\u2019t really very natural at all,\u201d says my guide Yanina Maggiotto, when we meet at the wetlands\u2019 visitor centre the next day. Her company, Visit Natura, runs wildlife, photography and birdwatching excursions, and I\u2019m struck by how bird-like Yanina herself is \u2014 petite, curious and in almost perpetual motion. \u201cI\u2019m from Argentina,\u201d she continues, \u201cbut, as soon as I arrived here, I knew I was home.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 640px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader\" style=\"padding-bottom:67%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/FZpDxSiinf5ihW_eif0eCw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/ac3ad811b0211e41cf6ddfc044c38f8d\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"People gathered on a jetty next to a lake watching the sunset\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/lUlhz7v_rD7ka6c6whbqLg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/ac3ad811b0211e41cf6ddfc044c38f8d\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"People gathered on a jetty next to a lake watching the sunset\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/lUlhz7v_rD7ka6c6whbqLg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/ac3ad811b0211e41cf6ddfc044c38f8d\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">The calm, serene waters of Albufera make for an idyllic spot to watch the sunset. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>I follow her along a pathway fringed with palm trees and pines, the sand underfoot studded with fallen needles and fragments of shell. Bindweed hangs from higher branches like tangled sheets on a washing line, creating a canopy of foliage so thick we\u2019re temporarily thrown into shade. Yanina tells me this is part of an ecosystem known as the \u2018macchia mediterranea\u2019: mostly dense evergreen shrubland and small trees.<\/p>\n<p>We emerge onto a small, salt-rimmed lagoon with a wooden bird hide set on its shoreline. Here we fall silent, watching what appears to be some sort of bird party: hundreds of feathered friends, gathered to chatter, eat and drink. Yanina points out black-winged stilts and sandwich terns, but it\u2019s the flamingos that snag my attention. \u201cThey don\u2019t turn pink until they\u2019re about four years old,\u201d she whispers. \u201cThey get their colour from eating invertebrates that contain high doses of the pigment carotene.\u201d The etymology of the word \u2018flamingo\u2019 is in fact, Spanish \u2014 it originates from flamengo, meaning \u2018flame-coloured\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The landscape itself is rich in colour in Carcaixent, 50 minutes south of the park. I drive through the region at dawn, winding my way through an apparently endless series of groves, the trees\u2019 white blossoms scenting the air with a subtle perfume. Every now and then a gateway offers a glimpse of a grand house, a palm-tree lined path spotted with orange orbs, luminous in the shadows. This is the cradle of Valencia\u2019s famous orange; the region where, in 1781, the first plantations were established, growing a variety believed to have originated somewhere in Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The Ribera family have been here nearly as long \u2014 their orchard, Huerto Ribera, was built in 1870. The house at its centre is an eclectic architectural mix, with a Norman-style carved roof, mosque-like ceramic tiling and a modernist facade. \u201cEvery year in Carcaixent we have the Feria Modernista, a festival that recreates the lifestyle during the golden age of oranges,\u201d says my guide Ana Soler, the sun bringing out the warmth of her eyes as we stand on a patio overlooking the orchards. The Ribera family also commissioned one of Carcaixent town\u2019s most striking modernist buildings, Magatzem de Ribera, a former orange\u00a0store that\u2019s now a civic building at the heart of the annual festivities, hosting a turn-of-the-century fashion show. \u201cThe particularities of this landscape have changed very little since the beginning of the 20th century,\u201d says Ana. \u201cIt\u2019s still a sea of orange trees, without many walls or\u00a0fences.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/9Vk1kCM4JRdv3dQ1dWOShg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/aa8e8601342ff35db53bdd2aee1e9405\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Insides of pink and yellow citrus fruit on a wooden chopping board\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/RXuCWg5hTc0EBurbnsTFkw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/aa8e8601342ff35db53bdd2aee1e9405\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Insides of pink and yellow citrus fruit on a wooden chopping board\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/RXuCWg5hTc0EBurbnsTFkw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/aa8e8601342ff35db53bdd2aee1e9405\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Built in 1870, the Huerto Ribera orange plantation grows a variety of exotic citrus fruits such as the brown-skinned &#8216;chocolate orange&#8217;. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 1440px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader portrait\" style=\"padding-bottom:150%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/.x1ArZwWZ6pJ_bOR5g1dwg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0zNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/2e566cdde0ec0e69fe1a9d73daea24d2\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/G.dJWsE.Rlp68gEafLOgwQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/2e566cdde0ec0e69fe1a9d73daea24d2\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/G.dJWsE.Rlp68gEafLOgwQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/2e566cdde0ec0e69fe1a9d73daea24d2\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>On a tour of the orchards, I\u2019m introduced to citrus varieties that look and sound like they were invented by Willy Wonka \u2014 the brown-skinned \u2018chocolate orange\u2019; a \u2018buddha\u2019s hand\u2019, with gnarled yellow segments that look like digits; and finger limes, also known as \u2018citrus caviar\u2019 because they can fetch more than \u00a3200 per kilo. Afterwards, on a verandah with views over Huerto Ribera\u2019s carefully tended gardens, I\u2019m served the freshest of freshly squeezed orange juice as part of a traditional Valencian esmorzaret. The local dialect for \u2018little breakfast\u2019, this meal can take place any time between 9am and 12pm and usually includes blanco y negro (a sandwich stuffed with both white and black sausages) and cremaet (rum-laced coffee flavoured with cinnamon and citrus peel). It\u2019s hearty, hikers\u2019 fare \u2014 and I find myself longing for an opportunity to walk it off.<\/p>\n<h2>Mini mountains<\/h2>\n<p>The perfect place to do just that is in the Sierra Calderona Natural Park, Valencia\u2019s closest mountains, about an hour\u2019s\u00a0drive north of the city. They aren\u2019t whoppers \u2014 most are under 3,000ft \u2014 but what the landscape lacks in height, it more than makes up for in personality, with jagged stone peaks and forested ravines.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think of this landscape as more like a video than a picture,\u201d says Guillermo Tenorio Garc\u00eda, a guide for ecotourism company Itinerantur, whom I meet at the park\u2019s thousand-year-old olive tree, La Morruda. \u201cIt\u2019s changing all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I am joining Guillermo for a whistle-stop tour of some of the park\u2019s highlights. He sees his role as an \u2018interpreter\u2019 of the landscape, believing those who understand their environment are more motivated to protect it.<\/p>\n<p>We hop in the car and are driving along a road that winds upwards through endless pine forest when the windscreen suddenly frames a vast lake, sparkling in the sunshine. Guillermo tells me that locals call it, inexplicably, Laguna de la Rosa (\u2018pink lake\u2019). Today it is decidedly emerald green. \u201cThis is an old stone mining site,\u201d he tells me. \u201cWhen they\u2019re done with a quarry, it\u2019s usually lined with clay to allow it to hold water. It\u2019s a remediation of the land.\u201d Alert to some signal I\u2019m clearly oblivious to, Guillermo looks up abruptly, pointing at the sky \u2014 I get a glimpse of brilliant plumage as a flock of birds do a fly-past. \u201cBee-eaters,\u201d he says. Like me, they\u2019re not from round here \u2014 having, in fact, come all the way from Africa.<\/p>\n<p>We drive on to Mas\u00eda de Trist\u00e1n, a forested recreational area in the mountains with a smattering of picnic tables, parking up beside a spooky abandoned house with a tall chimney. Guillermo tells me it dates from the early 17th-century and was once home to a community of self-sufficient farmers. From here, we follow a route towards Pico Trist\u00e1n on one of the park\u2019s many waymarked walking trails. The path ascends to 2,490ft, offering views over the most protected area of the Sierra Calderona and its cork forests.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 640px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-lightbox caas-img-loader\" style=\"padding-bottom:67%\" data-lightbox-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/_rpf8rCuhCBCIs7SEcmETg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjAw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/8988f87efa0e082582ed5a07a866dafc\"><span class=\"caas-img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Viewpoint over a parkof mountains and green hills\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/imId4UYe5ocg5kGniYWQyQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/8988f87efa0e082582ed5a07a866dafc\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Viewpoint over a parkof mountains and green hills\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/imId4UYe5ocg5kGniYWQyQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/8988f87efa0e082582ed5a07a866dafc\" class=\"caas-img\"\/><button class=\"link caas-lightbox\" aria-label=\"View larger image\" data-ylk=\"sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;elm:expand;itc:1\"><span class=\"openArrows icon\"><svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\"><path d=\"M12.372 0.92C12.372 0.414 12.782 0.004 13.287 0.004L21 0L20.996 7.712C20.996 8.217 20.586 8.628 20.08 8.628C19.574 8.628 19.164 8.217 19.164 7.712V3.183L12.337 10.011L10.988 8.663L17.816 1.835H13.287C12.782 1.835 12.372 1.425 12.372 0.92ZM1.835 17.816L8.663 10.988L10.012 12.337L3.183 19.164H7.712C8.218 19.164 8.627 19.574 8.627 20.08C8.627 20.586 8.218 20.995 7.712 20.995L0 21L0.004 13.287C0.004 12.782 0.414 12.372 0.92 12.372C1.425 12.372 1.835 12.782 1.835 13.287V17.816Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">El Garb\u00ed is one of the highest viewpoints in the Sierra Calderona National Park. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Anna Huix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s known for being especially peaceful, and the complete absence of other human beings helps me focus more deeply on my surroundings. Our discoveries include a bushel of madro\u00f1o berries so sweet they sometimes ferment into alcohol in the sun, and swathes of wild fennel and thyme. We rub the leaves between our fingers, releasing their rich, aromatic scent.<\/p>\n<p>Perched at the top of some of the taller trees are great clouds of witch\u2019s broom, a tree deformity that has the look of a sinister bird\u2019s nest. This part of the forest, says Guillermo, is mostly cork \u2014 a slow-growing tree that Spain desperately needs more of. \u201cOur climate is changing and becoming more prone to fire, but cork trees are fire-proof,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo have healthy forests in the future we need to cultivate and protect these trees now \u2014 and reduce the quantities of pine we have everywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We don\u2019t complete the full seven miles of the trail \u2014 the heat is soon so intense we\u2019re obliged to retreat to a local restaurant for lunch, rather proving Guillermo\u2019s point.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s close to sunset by the time we reach El Garb\u00ed, a 12-mile drive east and one of the highest viewpoints in Sierra Calderona. Here, a cascade of rocky promontories have created a natural amphitheatre, and people clutch beers and snacks as they make their way to their seats to watch nature\u2019s nightly light show. I take my place up in the gods and stare out at the view: hills and valleys studded with white villages \u2014 an undulating landscape that stretches all the way to the sea. There on the horizon is the city where my journey began: Valencia, shimmering like a jewel in the heat haze and surrounded on all sides by green.<\/p>\n<p>Published in the September 2024 issue of <i>National Geographic Traveller<\/i> (UK).<\/p>\n<p>To subscribe to\u00a0<i>National Geographic Traveller<\/i>\u00a0(UK) magazine click <a href=\"https:\/\/subscriptions.natgeotraveller.co.uk\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>. (Available in select countries only).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/plan-slow-tour-valencia-region-080000562.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Albufera Natural Park lies just half an hour&rsquo;s drive from Valencia. Photograph by Anna Huix This article was produced by National Geographic<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/how-to-plan-a-slow-tour-of-valencia-region-in-spain\/17\/08\/2024\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34941,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34939\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}