This is my journey to the heart of Spain in spring.   It was planned on dreary autumn days before I knew my lovely Mum would become ill in the winter and die just before I left.  'She would want you to go'  said every one.  So I put on my stiff upper lip and got on with it.  As they say.  What else could I do?  And yes, she certainly did want me to go.

The first stop is Valencia. We arrive an hour and a half late,  courtesy of Easyjet.  Thank goodness you can get dinner at 23.15 in Spain.  We receive a warm welcome and eat delicious Dorada in Restaurante Islas Canarias, Calle Las Canarias.

Next day it feels essential to head to the beach.  At Playa Las Arenas the sun is shining, the sea is already warm and all the world is out for a paseo.

One of us fancies a cool horchata,   Orxata de xufa (horchata de chufa), is made from tigernuts, water and sugar.   It originates from the Muslim period of Valencian history, and is served ice cold, often with fartons.  These are elongated buns glazed with sugar, and are another Valencian delicacy.