Fabulous Museums

I forgot to say in the last blog that the Cathedral is the home of the Holy Grail, yes the cup of Christ and I love the idea of it, but feel that somehow Christ wouldn't have had a solid gold cup, being a carpenter and such. Call me a heathen. Also the mummified arm of St Vincent which was a bit gruesome, but fairly armless!!!

Valencia does museums really well and hopefully we will get to see them all before we go.  The one problem is that they don't seem to advertise them.  Yes the big ones are in the all the guidebooks there are loads hidden away and you just stumble over them.  I suppose it is because most people are here for a couple of days only and wouldn't have the time.

Today we stumbled over two of them.  The first was the Museo de la Cuidad in a former palacio and the Banos del Almirants, both in a small square hidden behind the Cathedral.

The ground floor contained oils and older works set in the Palacio, and then glass stairs ways led up to two floors of modern art and sculpture. Wonderful modern architecture.

The top floor was completely bonkers housing and exhibition of measuring instruments! bizarre.

Next was advertised as the Arab baths and you must come here if you ever visit Valencia.  Only a doorway opposite the museum it was in fact the burial place of St Vincent the patron saint of Valencia and is considered a holy place.  When the Moor invaded, they turned the building into Baths and when the Christians came back it became sanctuary and place of pilgrimage.  With so little inside, Valencia has again excelled, and it gives you a picture of the beginning of Valencia with video and voices. 

Roman painting of Hermes (I think).