Valdepeñas

19th May 2015

I have had an exciting but also tiring day, when I was waiting for my hosts here in Valdepeñas. I was sitting in front of the bus station, it was chilly because it was very windy, but I could not be inside, because the bus station was locked straight after the arrival of the bus I was coming with. Around 9pm my hosts picked me up by car. They do not live in the centre of the city, anyway it is walking distance. My hosts Consoli and her husband are very welcoming and have a nice home. She is a teacher and he is a psychologist. This evening they shared the WiFi and a pizza with me as well as they explained to me what I should see in this little town, well-known for the wine. Certainly I have to see the wine museum. I also tried to find a host in Granada, but without success.

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Inside the Bus Station

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20th May

After breakfast, the husband of my host, who is unemployed for two years now and is studying again for getting another profession – he was working for the government before and I could compare with my situation in Hamburg – followed me to the city centre showing me the mill (an not active one), the turist information and asked for a map of the town and continued with me to the market place with the houses in the typically colours of the “community of Castille-La Mancha”. Furthermore we took a look at the church “Iglesia de la Anuncion”, which is at the market place and open all day – though we also took a look inside. We hade time enough to visit the “Museo municipal” and the “Fundación Gregorio Pietro” before he had to leave for showing up at the department for unemployed people.

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Wind Mill with Wine Barrells

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When I was walking around alone in the museum I took my time for all the drawings, one from Picasso included, as well as the cellar. When I was going to leave, the assistant told me, that there is one more room, I did not see and went with me to the cellar. I told her, that I have been there and she was surprised and told me, that she could not see it on the video of the security system.

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Entrance for the Museum “Museo Municipal de Valdepeñas”

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I became hungry and found a nice and not so expensive place not far away from the market place, where I at a pizza – chapata. It was for 3,50 EUR only and a little bottle of water for 1 EUR, though the waiter got 50 Cent of my as a tip. Afterwards I continued to the “Museo de Vino Valdepeñas” – the wine museum. Unfortunately it was closed at the middle of the day and I had to wait until 5pm. Therefore I went to the bus station and tried to buy a ticket to Granada for the next day. I found out, that there is a direct bus to Granada, what I was happy about, of course, but I did not find the clerk even the sign told me, that the ticket counter should be open. I asked in the restaurant, what was a good idea, even a teenage girl had to be my interpreter. I was happy about her!

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The Typical Colours of the County.

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The clerk was not really willing to help me and ask me to come back the following day, but I told her, I will buy my ticket in advance and I was happy to do so, because the next day there would not be time enough to do so. Furthermore these tickets one only can purchase by a debit or credit card – with a secure code. I did not remember the code and not, that I have had it with me, but the clerk did help me now with her own credit card instead and I gave the amount in cash to her. After this new experience I was sitting on a bench in the sun on the “Paseo de la Estación”, because I still had to wait for the re-opening of the wine museum. By the way I also have seen another church while looking for the wine museum.

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Inner Yard of the Wine Museum

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When time had passed and I was entering the museum I have got a ticket for retired people (just 1,50 EUR) – that was the most expensive place this day because the other were for free!. I walked around in the museum for around one and a half hour, but missed the cave (cellar), because I thought it was not allowed to go in there. On my way back I was into a supermarket, buying something for my little hunger and a bottle of water. Around 8 o’clock I was back at my host’s place. Unfortunately Consoli was late about an hour and her husband not at home because a course. I was waiting outside and it was windy and chilly, though I was getting quite cold as soon as the sun was going down. Anyway time passed by and Consoli was coming home – so did her husband. We have had a nice evening with salad, wine, ham and cheese.

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Another Part of the Town

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It was a really interesting visit at their lovely home with lots of space. She is speaking English very well meanwhile he has to exercise and improve it. Though it was a win – win situation for all of us. Furthermore I was their first couch surfer, because the most CSs are asking for the weekends, but my host usually is occupied at the weekends and only take CSs during week days. I learned about the area and the wine and was happy to widen my horizon. I also was told, that I should buy an online ticket for the “Alhambra” in Granada, because there it is always crowded and often it is not possible to come in there without a pre-booked ticket. When I followed their advice I only could book a guided tour, because the other tickets were all sold out.

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For more photos of Valdepeñas, please follow the link for the pictures.

For following me to the next place, please tick the link for Granada.