THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (part 3)

The permanent exhibitions are often damaged, their generally educational value is limited:
The science museum has very little of its space for exhibitions, which are generally poor, trying to save with participatory areas (which generally do not work), and workshops for children who are more focused on entertaining than to teach.
The Agora, is permanently closed.
L'Oceanografic is more a water park to see dolphins doing tricks to an aquarium that teaches biology.
L'Umbracle, is only operates as a private club.
The Palau de les Arts (the opera) serves more as a place for conventions, private parties and various presentations, which as opera.
I think in this circus of dubious culturalism, L'Hemisferic is only saves from this poor cultural offerings with its range of 3D planetarium and documentary film.

As generally in Spain there is a certain contempt for energy savings, in which light is wasted (in general lighting, and the citizenship of their workers little because walking around the office areas are lights and computers on, without anyone being used) as if it were free and from inexhaustible sources.


In addition to large pools and artificial rivers treated with products harmful to the environment, to be always "nice", also favor a large evaporation of water must be replenished constantly, in a country and a region that suffers especially severe droughts, and where fresh water is sparse. And while approving municipal regulations to limit the use of private pools of Valencia (which are quite rare in the city) have the luxury of wasting it in artificial landscapes, terribly managed and poorly designed.
To which we must add the great air conditioning consumption as is needed in this large buildings  and with so much wasted space (which increases energy waste and contributes to climate change).

It should be added that the Valencian government, says that the city of arts and sciences is more visited than the "Alhambra" in Granada, which if it were true (which I doubt), has the problem that most people visit the city of science alone outside, so it is not profitable.

The only current profitability of the city of arts and sciences, is the fact that is rented for events and publicity spots.

report of "salvados" Spanish television program of La Sexta on the Spanish cultural bubble. Sorry, only in Spanish

picture from the city of arts &ciencies made by me

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (part 2)

Because conceived on paper their forms, not knowing how to develop in practice, works are delayed and significantly increase the price, to which must be added a lot of millions spent on it is not known which, because they are not justified anywhere. And it has never been sought and judged any responsible for the barbarities of  "disappeared" money

There are buildings like the Ágora that despite the large amount of money invested in only runs for the Valencia Fashion Week, the open tennis, and few acts more during the year.
Or the opera house that almost never fills its capacity, causing many of the artistic companies take months in charge for their performances.

A bridge with the center and curved so high that needs a traffic light in the middle for being one of the major traffic black points in Spain, with a single sidewalk in the middle, impractical for the user. In addition to the under access is cut, to prevent for people to see the empty interior of the Agora.

.The service management usually goes through a pyramid of subcontractors which has grown to ten intermediary companies to reach the final job (myself about 10 years ago working as street entertainer in the science museum in gaining 60 Euros net per 4 hours a day, and the company that hired me had nine more over to reach the City of Arts and Sciences "CAC", which made ​​me wonder how much money I will be costing the public company).


interesting link about "the route of squandering" (in spanish)

picture from the city of arts &cience made by me

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (part 1)

No one doubts the great architectural work that is the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia (another thing is that like it or not).
What if in doubt is its functionality, its price, its usefulness and if it was necessary this waste of vacuous continent.


To begin, despite being a project to open science to the people, ended up being just a policy issue (corrupted by the way).
Conceived by the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Party), who designed and paid for the project. And almost entirely converted to something larger, spectacular and expensive (plus empty of content) upon payment of the new project.

The original budget was 175 million Euros and the end has already cost more than 1,200 million Euros and is still unfinished and has not finished paying for (which increases our deficit and bank interest).

Not to be demagogue, we must recognize that of the three original buildings, now there are many more structures built, but that does not remove the fact that not are practical, have been conducted without limitation of budget, many buildings are underused, its design is not useful, its management is highly inefficient and corrupt, to which must be added the very low cultural and scientific value of most of its buildings and its questionable environmental management.

The structures are both difficult and expensive to clean as to maintain, and were not designed for climbers (who have to clean and repair them, neither have easy access with appropriate security measures.

They have a lot of space that can not be exploited, which forces to improvise custom made options that continue wasting space while they are expensive.

interesting link about the architect (it's in spanish)

picture from city of arts & ciencie made by me

MARATHON & POPULAR RACE OF 10 KM Divina Pastora November 18.

On Sunday 18 will be closed most of Valencia for the marathon and 10K course Organized with start and end at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.
Both the marathon and the popular career path share (the race will have a shorter distance of course) but have separate lanes, not itself frustrated.
Courses will begin at 9 am and will finish at 15 PM.
The inscriptions on the two sports events are still open.
The numbers are given in expodeporte, assembled in the City of Arts and Sciences.
The end of the race will be made by a walkway, mounted on the lake of the science museum.

image taken from internet

EXPODEPORTE 16 to 17 November 2012 Valencia

During the 16th and 17th of November, as being held the marathon and 10K course "Divina Pastora", held in the City of Sciences (Prince Felipe Museum and L'Hemisferic) Expodeporte the second fair, where be undertaken sporting exhibitions, conferences, activities for children and adults, live music, exhibitions, sports physiotherapy, "paella party" among other activities and promotions.

I have no idea of the timetable, because I don't find it  in any place.

image taken from internet

INTRODUCING THE NEW VOLKSWAGEN GOLF IN VALENCIA

Today at 20:30 am, was presented the new Golf in Spain, with very few changes (mainly because the possibility of having one car with lower CO2 emissions and a more environmentally friendly engine. Volkswagen decided not to do it. Link GREENPEACE campaign).
The site chosen for the presentation, is the Palau de les Arts (City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia).
The presentation is in the artificial pond at the Palau de les Arts, and although there is one VIP area, you can see up close.

the video of the countercampaing of GREENPEACE (there are some episodes)

picture of the GREENPEACE campaing against Wolkswagen

Golf VII picture taken from es.autoblog.com

Co2 emissions graphic estimated by sales in 2009, taken from www.greenbang.com

CITY OF ARTS & CIENCE (enclosure)

The City of Arts and Sciences is composed of several buildings:

L'Hemispheric (planetarium and 3D cinema).
The Museu de les Science Princep Felip (museum of science and congress center).
L'l'Oceanografic (aquarium, dolphinarium, underwater restaurant, oceanographic park)
The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia (Opera, Theatre, Exhibition Hall, Performing concerts and other events).
The Agora (well, the truth is that it is a very expensive building that nobody knows for that serves)
L'Umbracle (semi covered garden and nightclub)

2 bridges:

The Pont de l'Assud de l'Or.
The pont de Montolivet.

Garden area which includes a Mediterranean forest Parkway.
Several artificial ponds and an artificial river.

metapicture of the exposition in the City of Arts & Cience taken by Ewe Polska

CITY OF ARTS & CIENCE (history part 2)

In May 1991 the Consell approves the transfer of land, four months after Calatrava presented his draft and later that year, was created a company to manage public works that began in late 1994.


With the works awarded and the foundations of the towers built, the PP (Partido Popular) and paralyzes access to government works, for wanting to redesign the project to give a "different philosophy" after months of controversy, is canceled but the Radiocommunication Tower preserving the other two buildings from Calatrava (Museum of Science and l'Hemisferic), adding l'Oceanografic (oceanographic park) and substituting the socialist icon of the Tower, by an Opera (Palace of Arts).
Calatrava redesign the project including the Palau de les Arts.

The Spanish-Mexican Felix Candela (one of the masters from Calatrava), Developes  L'Oceanografic.
After two years from l'stops at the l'Oceanografic, the works were completed by engineers Alberto Domingo and Carlos Lázaro (responsible for the cover from L'Oceanografic underwater restaurant.


The Palau de les Arts, lost its condition of Valencian Cinematheque for the Opera.

Subsequently added to the project two bridges, and the Agora Building.

aerial view of the city of arts and sciences, taken from Wikipedia

CITY OF ARTS & CIENCE (history part 1)

The City of Arts and Sciences, is a cultural and architectural complex located in the old riverbed of Turia in Valencia.
Designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava of international prestige and Felix Candela.
On 16 April 1998 the complex was inaugurated by opening doors from the L'Hemisferic (eye-shaped building, which contains a 3D cinema and planetarium), followed in time the other buildings until the inauguration of the Agora the October 31, 2009.


Today it is one of the biggest attractions of the city.

In 2007 it was one of the winners of the National Treasury organized by Cadena COPE (Spanish radio station) and Antena 3 (national television).

The original project began in 1989 when the professor of history at the University of Valencia José Maria López Piñeiro, raised the need for a science museum in the old riverbed of Turia. The then President of the Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian government) Joan Lerma (from Spanish Socialist Party PSOE) request to create a team to develop a project with educational purpose. That revolved around a half complex cultural, tourist half.

2 years after a project was presented under the name City of Science, which would include a telecommunications tower height of 370 meters (would have been the third highest in the world at that time), a planetarium and a science museum, estimated at 150 million Euros.

picture of the view of the City of Arts & Cience from the Miguelete, taken from the Wikipedia

VALENCIA OPEN 500 DE TENIS October 20-28 2012

From this Saturday 20 to Sunday October 28 held at the Agora building (in the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia) Valencia Open 500 the tenth.
The matches begin each day at 11 AM, (having 25-26 night session at 20 am and on the 27th at 18 pm)
As prices vary widely depending on the area or if bonus, here's the link.
The tournament is in favor of UNICEF.
It also has the Fun Park, an entertainment area, shopping and dining, (also performed activities and workshops for children) in free admission to the public. Located in the enclosure of the City of Arts and Sciences.

Curiously enough, it is not recommended for people suffering from vertigo climbing into the stands, as the Agora was not designed for this type of event and have a very sharp slope.

poster from the valencia open 500 taken from internet

TENNIS VALENCIA OPEN 500 (hystory)

The ATP tennis tournament in Valencia, was first held in 1995 (the 1996-97 moved to Marbella, and was held in Mallorca from 1998 to 2002), until 2008 its category was of ATP International Series and was played in clay at the Valencia Tennis Club ..
By restructuring the schedule in 2009 became ATP Open  500 and change to hard court be performing at The Agora in Valencia (in the City of Arts and Sciences).

A distinguishing feature of the Valencia Open 500 is the creation of FUN PARK, a shopping, entertainment and dining free entry to all the public (usually an area generally accessible only to those who have entry), located in the enclosure of the city ​​of Arts and Sciences.

Picture from the Valencia Open 500 in the Ägora building taken from Wikipedia 

WORLD TOURISM DAY (Free Activities in Valencia )

The truth is that I had never heard of this day, but as we host it  this year, there are many promotional activities, with the motto: "Be a tourist in your city." Although it seems very poor the number of places per tour.
To join, you must contact the Tourist Info Calle  La Paz, 48.

Activities include guided tours around Valencia (and in several towns).
tours will be made 2 per Route  (1 of them led by the Federation of the Deaf of Valencia FESORD)

To not repeat what is in the link, I will only mention the routes:


SEPTEMBER 27:



1 cycle route through the historic center and Science City (15 people).

2 Walking on foot through the vegetable garden of Valencia (20 people).

3 Travel by boat on the Albufera. (15 people).

4 Tourist train by the Turia riverbed (60 people).

5 guided tour Ipads in electric cars (4 couples, one with driving license B1).

6 Route guided walk through the center of Valencia (20 people).

7 Route guided walk through the historic center (three routes English-Russian, Spanish and Valenciano 20 people per group).



SEPTEMBER 28:


Guided tour through the neighborhood and the Market Cabañal (20 people).


There are other activities in this link

Tourism Day poster taken from the Web of Tourism

THE TURIA RIVER after the flood of 1957

After the last flood of 1957, which marks can be seen on plates of various streets in Valencia, it was decided to divert the final stretch of its course to prevent new flooding.
There were several plans for the deviation:
-The plan north near Alboraya down the ravine of Carraixet.
-By the Albufera
-Another option was to make his mouth wider and enhance its margins.
-Finally it was decided to do the so-called the South Plan, creating a major new channel that led up near Pinedo. With dimensions that ensure that no overflow again (as it has been so far).
In 1958 the project was approved by the government of Spain, in 1961 established funding guidelines and in February 1965 was the beginnig of the works.
As a curiosity that water can be seen at the end of the plan South is sea water and no from the river.

This created a new problem, what to do with the old riverbed of the Turia?

As the brilliant original idea was to make it an urban highway that crossed the city, fortunately the people of Valencia went to the streets en masse to claim it as green space for the entire city. It was one of The biggest ever protests (in Valencia) that more people gathered, along the protests made ​​against building in the Albufera and against the war in Iraq.
The park of Turia, has about 10 kilometers long with about 110 hectares of space and its central section was inaugurated in 1986.
The park of Turia, going from the current Bioparc zooin the park de Cabecera (built a few years ago) to the City of Arts and Sciences. From there, the passage is closed and turned into a zone of highly contaminated wastewater. Until enter into the Port of Valencia where it disappears.
The area around the Palau de la musica was designed by renowned architect Ricardo Bofill (father), where most of the budget were spending thankfully, as later, instead of following urbanizing in modernistic way, that area is also recognized for having palm and orange trees, it was decided to create a Mediterranean forest (cheaper than the other) where pines predominate. Gradually all areas have been overhauled.
Parks currently exceeds others parcs in Paris or Madrid and from another cities.

If I have not discounted, the stretch of the old river bed has 23 bridges (between for pedestrians and for traffic)

picture from the inside of the old riverbed of the Turia made by me

THE TURIA RIVER

The river Turia born in Teruel Universal Mounts, near the town of Guadalaviar (for this reason received its name until pass Teruel). The word Guadalaviar comes from the Arab and means "White River" (because often, in its floods, clear rolling rocks of limestone). Near it born other rivers like the Jucar and the Tajo
Since Titaguas changes its name to Túria eventually arriving at the Mediterranean Sea in Valencia. Its approximate distance is 280 kilometers.
As it approaches the sea, the Mediterranean climate apears with their autumns rainy and its extremely dry summers, this makes the flow change with the seasons of the year, making severe floods occur in autumn.
Despite the frequent floods, humans settled next to it because for millions of years the river brings great amount of sediment and fertile land. Which created a thriving garden around.

The Turia is one of the few rivers that contrary to logic, takes less water, the closer to the mouth of this. The Valencian government is proud that not a single drop arrives the sea, because we know "harness" all (regardless of the serious environmental damage that this implies).

On their way through Valencia, Turia river created a small island, where was established the city of Valencia.

We do not know exactly since when, and why is named Turia. Although there are several theories:

1 says that when the Phoenicians arrived from Ibiza, when they see the large number of cows around it, they called it TUR or TURBO (which in that language means cow).

2 Another option is that the Phocians (former inhabitant of a Greek island, which currently belongs to Turkey) was called Turia by the word be equivalent to slightly or torn.

3 It is also said that the Tyrians (Phoenicians of Tyre) called the city of Valencia with the name of Tyris And Tyrio to its river. That is finaly translated to Turia.

picture of the large bridge over the Turia passing through Las Rinconadas in Santa Cruz de Moya, by Joselupr and taken from the wikipedia

SERARTE (1 st party music, art and culture Valencia 2012)

First of all I apologize for posting this post with so little time, but even in Valencia, there's always plenty of interesting thing to do, the problem is that the information and diffusion given, it is usually crap.

6 and 7 July 2012 from 18 hours to 1 am in the City of Arts and Sciences (between the Science Museum and the Bridge of Azud del Hort, "El jamonero"), the cadena Ser radio has organized the first festival of music, culture and art of Valencia 2012.

There we will find several stages (unfortunately too close together)where there dance show, a mini School of Rock for children, gigs, Magic and others (they also have an outdoor bar).

This is the information from the stage that I could find ( I don't know who they are or anything like them, but here's the information):

Saturday 7 July:

Blue stage (I do not know what it is, but are close by each other):

Automatic + Oscar Trasoyeres (Frescultura) + serie B * Asociación Dnza Joven + David torres + Mai ming + Locos de Atar + Dam 732 + Spirit Rhytme Band + Lülla + Mentiras a werndy * Equirlas del Ganges + The Kojals.

Red stage:

Dance Center + Coro Europa + Toni Pons (Frescultura) + Juanjo Perez + Mari Lamant + Arcana + Nada que Decir + Los Radiadores + Thaïs Morell + Limbotheque * Nacho Pereda + Silencio a Voces + Moonflower.

picture of the dance stage made by me

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE MIX ALCOHOL AND SOCCER? (the Italian sweet disappears

picture of the sweets exposition taken by me

when you mix alcohol and soccer, what usually happens happens almost everywhere, especially when this equation is bound to some brainless who thinks, that are funny.people That is, few good things could happens.
In the city of the arts and sciences, Umbracle area, there is an outdoor exposure of a French artist of "Pop Art" and "Nouveau Realisme" named Lawrence Jenkell called "sweet", which you can see some "giants" sweets with the flags of different countries, and under there are a metal plate counting technical data about the country.
Normally would not mention this show because art is subjective and what some consider art, others consider it .... (or not consider it).
But today something happened that caught my attention:
After Sunday's final July 1, 2012 Eurocup between Spain and Italy, today the candy from Italy, there was not in it's place. I don't know if somebody removed it as a precaution (by the Vandals),or has been removed to repair a barbarity or simply a "funny guy" decided that "the sweet" (as a metaphor for the victory) would be a nice souvenir to take into home , recalling the team's victory of Spain, when they made history winning three consecutive finals (Eurocup World Cup Eurocup).

So personally I don't know where was the sweet from Italy, I just hope that a funny joke, does not cost money to public coffers, which have already wasted too much (cutting social rights), for paying a grace of a moron.

picture from the empty italian pedestal taken by me