Date received: Mon Dec 11 2000, 11:30 AM PST
I continue to head northward. I decided to stop for a day in Valencia, since it is a noteworthy stop, and 8 hours in the bus was enough. Valencia is pretty, but the people aren't particularly nice. It seems that the area has an identity crisis; everyone seemed offended by any association with Spain, and often my speaking Spanish received dirty looks. I went into the tourist office to get a map, and they didn't even have one written in Spanish, only Catalonian, French, German, and Italian.
Having done the quick tour of the city, I am taking an early morning train to Barcelona. I plan on staying there for at least a few days, if not more. I have been thinking about where to go for Christmas, but I'm not quite sure. At the rate I'm going, I will probably be near the French/Italian border. I also have to figure out where to spend New Year's.
peter
