Spain Travel―Visiting Valencia

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Video 1.  Spain Travel―Visiting Valencia on 12/23/2019 (YouTube link)

Figure 1.  Valencia Orientation Map

Valencia ⭐⭐is a charming old city and the third Spanish city in terms of importance and population in Spain. It is on the Mediterranean Sea approximately 4 hours to the south of Barcelona and 3 hours to the east of Madrid.

Valencia is famous for the City of Arts and Sciences, the Valencia Cathedral, the Old Town, the Central Market, and being the birthplace of paella. Valencia is also popular for its peculiar museums, quirky festivals, beautiful sunny weather, and fantastic sandy beaches.

 

Figure 2.  City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias)

Top 10 Attractions

Be amazed by these 10 top attractions in Valencia:^[1]

1. City of Arts and Sciences (see Figure 2)
2. Valencia's Central Market (Mercado Central)
3. La Lonja de la Seda
4. L'Oceanografic Aquarium
5. Valencia Cathedral
6. Plaza de Ayuntamiento
7. Turia Gardens
8. Malvarrosa Beach
9. National Ceramic Museum
10. Bioparc Zoo

Special Spanish Dishes

Valencia is home to Spain’s most famous dish (i.e., Paella) as well as six Michelin-starred restaurants.  Tt is a great city to visit as a tourist and not just for the food and wine. There is no shortage of great tapas bars to discover. And here’s a bonus, a glass of wine here is as cheap as any place on the planet.

Here is a list of special Spanish dishes in Valencia:^[5]

• Paella—A Spanish Favorite
• Arros Negre
• Tapas and Pinchos
• Agua de Valencia: A Spanish Cocktail
• Horchata—A Spanish Specialty
• Churros and Hot Chocolate

And, one of the best Valencia tourist attractions, Mercat Central Valencia. It is surely one of the most beautiful, food markets you’ll find anywhere.

Paella Dish (YouTube link)

References

1. 10 Top Tourist Attractions in Valencia
2. The Valencia, Spain bucket list: 10 things to visit and experience (video)
3. Valencia City Map to Download
4. The Coolest Neighbourhoods in Valencia
5. Valencia a Great Place for Special Spanish Dishes
6. Why Gracia is the Perfect Neighbourhood to Stay in Barcelona
7. 12 Magical Christmas Markets to Visit in Spain
8. Eight really cool things to do and see in Valencia

Hungary Travel—Visiting Pécs

Vast Pécs Cathedral towers over Széchenyi Sqaure (Hungarian: Széchenyi tér)

Pécs ⭐⭐is the fifth largest city of Hungary.  It is an ancient city in southern Hungary, close to the Croatian border.  Pécs was historically a multi-ethnic city where many cultures intermingled, creating a melting pot of different values, the rich result of 2000 years of history.^[1]

It features the oldest university in the country, and is one of the major cultural centers. Pécs also has a rich heritage from the age of a 150-year-long Ottoman occupation. 

 

Photo Galleries

Founded by the Romans, Pécs is known for its architectural landmarks such as the Early Christian Mausoleum, which features frescoed tombs. Vast Pécs Cathedral towers over central Széchenyi Sqaure. The below photos were taken on 05/04/2022一a sunny day (76H 51L).

Holy Trinity Statue (Széchenyi Sqaure)

Széchenyi Sqaure with Mosque of pasha Qasim the Victorious in the background

Széchenyi Sqaure with Saint Sebastian's Church in the background

Pécs County house

Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord

Széchenyi Sqaure with Mosque of pasha Qasim the Victorious in the background

City Hall (Pécsi Polgármesteri Hivatal)

Zsolnay Fountain

View of Széchenyi Sqaure from Zsolnay Fountain

References

1. Pécs (Wikipedia)
2. Hungary Travel一Visiting Pécs Cathedral
3. Pécs (Wikivoyage)

Travel Tips—How Do You Protect against Card Skimmers

Card skimming theft can affect anyone who uses their credit or debit cards at ATMs, gas stations, restaurants or retail stores. 

A skimmer is a device installed on card readers that collects card numbers.  Skimmers can usually be spotted by doing quick visual or physical inspections before swiping or inserting a card.

Security tape (or sticker)

How to protect yourself

You can spot a skimmer by watching out for anything that looks like it doesn’t belong on the ATM or card reader. For example, odd or mismatched colors, loose parts, or partially covered pieces could be an indication that a skimming device is present.

Be on the lookout for suspicious devices attached to a card reader and avoid suspicious ATMs:

• Hidden camera
• Sometimes a tiny camera is planted to record cardholders entering a PIN number into an ATM
• One of the simplest things you can do is cover your keystrokes when entering your PIN, which will prevent any hidden cameras from spying on your PIN entry
• Fake PIN keypads 
• Fraudsters are also after your PIN—so many skimming schemes include hidden cameras or fake PIN keypads on the ATM
• If the buttons on an ATM’s keypad are too hard to push, don’t use that ATM and try another one.
• Unlighted card slot
• Many ATMs also have lighted card readers, so an unlighted card slot could mean a skimming device was installed over the top of the lighted slot
• Broken security tap
• Gas pumps should have a security tape or sticker over the cabinet panel (see Figure 1). If the tape looks ripped or broken, avoid using the card reader because a thief may have tampered with it.
• Avoid nonbank ATM
• Try to only use official bank ATMs instead of nonbank ATMs that are often found inside convenience stores or bars. 
• Loosing or misaligned parts 
• Authentic card readers are robustly manufactured, meaning if any part of the card reader can easily move around, then it’s probably been installed illegally by a thief.
• Before using an ATM or gas pump, check for alignment issues between the card reader and the panel underneath it.
• Feel around the reader and try to wiggle it to see if it can easily come out of place.
• Use credit cards instead of debit cards
• Fraudulent charges on a credit card are easier to dispute than charges made using debit card information. 
• Many credit cards have a zero liability policy.

If you ever suspect that there’s a skimmer in a card-reading device, do not perform your transaction. Immediately inform the manager of the store, Credit Union, Bank or call the customer service number of the outlet.

References

1. How To Spot A Credit Card Skimmer - Forbes
2. Watch out for card skimming at the gas pump (FTC)
3. Zero Liability Policy Definition - Credit Cards (Investopedia)