Photo Adventures with Curiosity and Learning

How we got there

Quite amazing - Here is the altitude plot. Clearly we were in the hill country

After lunch - we walked about the property, inspecting this and that. Here is our hour walk after lunch and altitude plot

Here we are at Pobleta - and amazing history from Bea's great grandfather. Her uncle Alex is the source of all history of this place - from 12 - 13th century when the Catholic Church owned much property in Spain til the time his grandfather purchased the land in the early 20th century - followed by takeover of the property by the President of Spain during the Spanish Civil War - and then recovery of the property. Its an amazing place - with many buildings, a wonderful water system (from a mountain source) to the swimming pool, orange grove and private chapel. Here is a picture story of the place - starting with the initial presentation

Bea's family and colleagues from UPV gathered for paella - and here is the initial setup for tables

TO the side were rows of jugs - water or wine?

Looking through the door of one of the buildings between the paella place and the main house

Courtyard dining is possible

Taking a walk with uncle Alex - we past many statues and structures

Reflections in a holding pool for water

Then up to a silo and place for drying grain

Looking out across the valley (see Google map above)

Bent trees at the top of one of the hills (mountains?)

Water towers - for maintaining water pressure for the house and other buildings

The orange grove. I was presented with a large back of these amazing Valencia oranges - impossible to find in grocery stores

The monastery off in the distance. The monastery folks are part owners

The front of the main house

The side

A view of the hill on which Pobleta is hiding

Our team - Javier and his family, Bea and her family, Sofie and Alex

The chapel

Another view

Inside is a small stone baptismal - and a door on the wall

On the ceiling is painted another door

The chapel from the left

and from the right

Meanwhile back at the courtyard - the paella production is in full swing. Prepared over fire.

Stephan was a master at regulating the temperature

Bea's kitchen

Paella and fire

I don't have the beginning (Alex and I were walking) but here is the middle. Artichokes are about to be added

Watch Stefan adjust the cooking temperature

Listen to Paella in the making

and last - serving this amazing dinner

Paella Boiling

Bring to a boil

Then stir and simmer

Meanwhile, in parallel with Maribel's chef work, some dinner prep

Pretreatment and conditioning

Then Maribel and Alex deliver the paella while Stefan conducts

Presentation is what its all about

Javier serving

Our feast

Not much left over

Desert starts with a valencia orange

Eating of course

Bea cutting cake

Cutting

Stefan and Maribel cleaning

while a quiet olive tree watches

After dinner - a long walk to reverse the over-filling effect - Afternoon chapel. Nice light

The side of the house

The front of the house

Afternoon shadows

A lion statue

A statue of a Valencian's lady in typical dress, fallera

Evening path (now about 6pm)

Evening chapel

And of course, in almost every group of flowers is a jumping spider

After paella

Weather vain against the late afternoon sun

Evening castle

C. Frank Starmer

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