Valencia, Spain: Day 2

I awoke at 10:00 in the morning to the smell of gunpowder in the air. I went down to the lobby of the hotel and ate a simple meal of toast and fresh fruit. I was fortunate enough to be in Valencia the day of the Saint Donis Marzipan Confectionery (www.tripadvisor.com). This Valencian festivial is the Spanish equivalent of Valentine's day. It celebrates King Jaime I's victory over the Moorish forces. During the festival, it is customary for the men to give marzipan sweets to their sweethearts.

After the receptionist at the hotel had finished telling me all this, I made my way to the nearest marzipan store and bought $40 worth of marzipan. After acquiring that much sugar, I did what Hemingway would've done; I traveled the streets looking for not just one sweetheart, but a great number of them. After wooing a number of potential sweethearts, I gave them all the slip and made it back to the hotel. I was in bed by 11:00 pm.