Home from home

We were back on the beach in Valencia today and we sizzled in the sun. It's great how you can be in a great city and a seaside resort at the same time - just like Barcelona further up the coast.

Later on, after a siesta, we visited the old town once again to sample a non-alcoholic drink that is a big favourite with the locals at this time of year.

It is called horchata and is made from chufa - the root of a grass-like plant. It has a delicious sweet, slightly earthy and almondy flavour and is very more-ish. Pity it can't be exported to good old Blighty.

We walked off its calorific effects by touring the slightly edgier - and as a Bristol resident, I'd say slightly more Stokes Croft-like - part of the old town, called the barrio del Carmen.

It even came equiped with its own extensive graffiti, which made us feel right at home. This piece is entitled 'Stop war - victim's wall'.