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00:00Come with me on a voyage through Spain.
00:06Buenos dias, mi capitán.
00:10As I revealed the secrets.
00:12What an amazing building.
00:14That is magnificent.
00:16Of places you think you know.
00:18Look at the size of this.
00:20And the little known regions.
00:24That is spectacular.
00:26Just waiting to be discovered.
00:28This is very nostalgic for me.
00:30Smell the money.
00:32Sadly we're on the Riviera.
00:34But I'm inside the barrel.
00:36Together we'll go beyond the hot spot.
00:38Absolutely spectacular.
00:40It's so remote.
00:42To the places where the magic is made.
00:45You have to love heat and smoke and flame.
00:48I can't wait to show you.
00:58Today I'll reveal the secrets veiled by Valencia.
01:02I'm getting into my stride.
01:04Whose rich history.
01:06I find this frightening.
01:08And local traditions.
01:10This is the size of a salmon.
01:12Keep an eye to the future.
01:14A river.
01:15And they moved it.
01:16In a city.
01:17This has been absolutely idyllic.
01:18I will never forget this I don't think.
01:20That's full of surprises.
01:22Okay everyone.
01:23Lunch is ready.
01:24So full of flavour.
01:25Oh you're strong.
01:26Off we go.
01:27Orchata.
01:28Our journey through secret Spain leads us to its third largest city.
01:43Welcome to Valencia.
01:46Set on the Mediterranean coast north of the Costa Blanca Valencia should be better known but is often overlooked in favour of Barcelona or Madrid.
01:57I aim to seduce you away from those conurbations.
02:03There's a purity to a neglected city.
02:07Where better to start than from the top of Valencia Cathedral which boasts panoramic views north, south, east and west.
02:18What a superb cityscape Valencia has.
02:21I can see all the way down to the modern port.
02:24And the view is across countless towers and domes of medieval churches.
02:31There are city gates which centuries ago defended Valencia against every kind of attacker.
02:39And then the modern.
02:42The centre of science and arts with its opera house.
02:46Valencia is not just a museum.
02:48It's an exhibition of how a city can define its own future.
02:54Wherever you look in this city there's evidence of that evolution.
03:07Take the two squares either side of the cathedral.
03:11As recently as 2015, a regeneration project spartened up 40 such public spaces, earning Valencia the nickname the City of Squares.
03:24Like the Plaza de la Virgen, built on the site of a Roman Forum north of the cathedral.
03:31And the Plaza de la Reina, so named after the wife of King Alfonso XII, Maria de las Mercedes, from almost 150 years ago.
03:43How pretty is La Reina Square.
03:48Every building is different.
03:50Everyone designed with care and flair.
03:53It makes my little heart sing.
03:56At the heart of the city is one of my favourite buildings in all of Spain.
04:03The eccentric lopsided cathedral, built over many centuries, each update following the fashion of the day.
04:11What a complex building.
04:14It's constructed on the site of a mosque during the Islamic period.
04:19And that was built on the site of a Visigothic church, because they were Christians.
04:23And underneath that is a Roman temple.
04:26So imagine this has been a place of worship for 2,000 years.
04:31But I have to say of this cathedral, what a hodgepodge.
04:36So let's unmask its many faces.
04:45The Palau Gate, the oldest remaining entrance, is on the west side.
04:51Early Middle Ages, Romanesque, rounded arches, beautifully simple.
04:57Just around the corner, we leap forward almost 100 years to the door of the Apostles on the Plaza de la Virgen.
05:11Marvelous, exuberant, joyful Gothic, with its pointy arches and more angels and saints than you can shake a stick at.
05:20Then, as we head to the south side and into the Plaza de la Reyna, we find the most recent addition, the Iron Gate.
05:32Over-elaborate 18th century Baroque.
05:35Chubby babies masquerading as angels.
05:38So, there's no symmetry to this cathedral, no seam.
05:42And yet, you feel for it the affection that you have for a friend with a wonky face.
05:49And Valencia is rightly proud of it.
05:55None is prouder than the man I'm about to meet.
05:59With one eye on the clock, who helps to keep the city apprised of the time.
06:04Francesc, here I am.
06:06Hello, welcome to Valencia.
06:08Welcome to the Micalet Tower.
06:12Micalet Tower, why is it so called?
06:15Micalet is the name of the largest bell.
06:18Micalet in Valencian means small Michael.
06:22So, there's a sort of irony to calling it a small Michael.
06:25It's very, very large.
06:27Is it a tall tower?
06:29In this city, it's a small tower, about 50 metres.
06:34But it is our tower, so it is the best bell tower in the world.
06:41Francesc can be forgiven for being a little biased.
06:45He's the cathedral's head bell ringer.
06:49And halfway up the 14th century spiral staircase is the object that has lured me.
06:55Here are the bell ringers.
06:58Hello bell ringers.
06:59Here are the bells.
07:01Whoo!
07:02Here is a musical instrument.
07:04And we are inside the musical instrument.
07:07In a country of historic bell towers, here is one of the largest and most complete sets of Gothic bells in all Spain.
07:17The oldest bell we have is the Katerina, made in 1305.
07:24Oh, my goodness.
07:25Let us say.
07:26The sound of the bell is the same sound as the first day of the bell.
07:36So, we are hearing a sound of seven centuries ago.
07:41Over the years, I've seen many church bells rung.
07:46But in Britain, I've witnessed it from the ringing chamber, well away from the swirling clappers.
07:56Here, it's deafening and deadly.
08:02You must have a special relationship between the bell and you.
08:09And if it goes well, the bell sounds.
08:12If it goes bad, the bell kills you.
08:16That's like this.
08:17Like many bell towers in Spain, this one was automated in the 1960s.
08:23But that wrung out the passion and skill.
08:2620 years later, a group called The Changes, resurrecting the ancient art of bell ringing.
08:32May I ask you, sir, why did you become a bell ringer?
08:36The question is, why not?
08:38It's a universal language.
08:41It transmits the most deepest feelings that we all share.
08:46We all share the grief, the joy.
08:49And it's all saved by the bells.
08:52And I mean, do you need to be religious to want to ring a bell?
08:56Not really.
08:57But you need to be maybe some spiritual.
09:01And to feel that you belong to something bigger than you.
09:06Bell ringing is fighting against individualism.
09:10And it's talking about sharing our lives.
09:15I feel that my life hangs by a thread.
09:18As seven bells are connected to a single rope.
09:24There are two techniques to ring all the bells at the same time.
09:29Like this.
09:30Or like this.
09:34Much better, like this.
09:36I prefer like this.
09:37Try.
09:38With the hands.
09:39I will try.
09:40No, no, no.
09:41Don't touch this.
09:42No, no.
09:43With the hands.
09:44Okay, here goes.
09:45Yes.
09:46That's enough.
09:47Que bueno.
09:48That's very good.
09:49Wow.
09:50Now we are going to prepare the Maria.
09:53Frances La Maria is a tremendous bell.
09:56How much does it weigh?
09:57Maybe 2,500 kilos.
09:58Two and a half tons.
09:59Having survived the seven smaller bells, I'll leave this one to the professionals.
10:06I find this frightening.
10:07I find it intimidating.
10:08Such a massive thing.
10:13And it would seem that they're just getting started.
10:38Being up so close shapes me to my core.
10:51My head is throbbing.
10:58And each year, on special dates, you can buy a ticket and enjoy the vibe.
11:06Next, the size of these things.
11:08I tackle a brunch with a punch.
11:10I'm going to try some horse meat and breadcrumbs.
11:13And a curious drink.
11:15It looks like milk.
11:16I kind of think it's going to be like a yogurt.
11:18It's so interesting, isn't it?
11:19Cheers.
11:29I'm showing you secrets in Valencia, Spain's hugely underrated third city.
11:36I first traveled here as a boy when my parents owned a flat on this Mediterranean coast.
11:45I just love Valencia.
11:46You too can have an unguided voyage of discovery.
11:49You've got architecture from across the centuries.
11:52And I'm constantly finding new things.
11:55Streets and squares which are serene by day and come alive at night.
12:04This morning, I'm following a lead towards a cacophonous tradition that's a big noise in local culture and occurs well before lunch.
12:13It's Valencia's version of brunch called Les Morsais.
12:19We slip discreetly from the tourist trail, east of the city centre, to the old fisherman's neighbourhood of Cabañal,
12:28sometimes referred to as Little Havana, due to its colourful tiled houses and relaxed, sunny atmosphere.
12:36Good morning.
12:37Good morning.
12:38Good morning.
12:39Good morning.
12:40Michael.
12:41We're meeting Pelayo, Arnau and Luis, three social media stars with over 300,000 followers
12:48who subscribe to their online reviews of Valencia's cafes.
12:53Let's go.
12:54They promised me a brunch to remember at probably the safest cafe in town.
13:00Wow, this place is popular. Look at it. It's absolutely from a police officer.
13:04I think police officers know where to eat well, don't you think?
13:07They do.
13:10Valencian brunch, deeply embedded in the city's gastronomic habits, is typically served between 10.30 and 11.30.
13:18People take great pride and time over it.
13:22It begins with the appetisers.
13:30This is absolutely amazing because this is just a tapa.
13:35This is just a tapa, yes.
13:37So what do we have here? Did you say this was an ear?
13:40It is ear.
13:41Pig's ear.
13:42The best ear in Valencia, in the whole city.
13:47Very salty, very crisp, very lovely.
13:49And what did you say that was?
13:52This is the torresno, which is pork sized from the belly, fried.
13:56This is very, very hearty food, very substantial food.
13:59Very fatty, very fatty food, yes.
14:01It is.
14:02This is incredible. This is just the tapa.
14:04Yeah.
14:05This is not the main event at all.
14:06With trepidation, I await the main course.
14:11Oh, look, here come the sandwiches.
14:13Here come the sandwiches.
14:14Este es el cachapo.
14:15Este es el cachapo de carne de caballo.
14:16This is astonishing.
14:18Valencian stuffed baguettes, known as entrepans.
14:22Este es el bocadillo de carne de caballo con cebolla caramelizada con crema de gorgonzola.
14:30This is absolutely mad.
14:32And this is the size of these things.
14:35And this is the size of a salmon.
14:38It's absolutely huge.
14:41I'm going to try some horse meat and breadcrumbs.
14:44It's a tradition here, then, to eat horse meat.
14:47Yeah, it's very common to have horse meat in the sandwich.
14:51Especially for a salmon.
14:53It is very, very good.
14:56We're glad you like it.
14:58I love it.
14:59It's just the size that I find daunting.
15:07You get so messy.
15:10These humongous sandwiches originated on the agricultural land surrounding Valencia.
15:16called La Huerta, meaning Market Garden, where the region's famous oranges are still grown.
15:24Once a hearty mid-morning snack to keep the farm laborers going,
15:28they've become an institution in the city.
15:31Of course, I understand that.
15:33If you're a farm worker and you've been working since 6 in the morning,
15:37you get to 10 o'clock, of course you need a hearty snack.
15:40Yeah.
15:41But what's your excuse today?
15:43All the people who can, in Valencia, on Fridays,
15:47they stop at 11 o'clock, more or less, to have their own esmorzar.
15:50Yes.
15:51At the end, the lunch, the esmorzar,
15:54it's very typical to meet with your friends
15:57and tell you how it's going.
16:00That's a lot of food, guys, a lot of food.
16:07To finish, a drink to rival the calorie count of brunch.
16:11A creamy coffee made with sugar, cinnamon, lemon, and more than a dash of rum, of course.
16:25I like that.
16:26So I've got a strong taste of coffee to begin with,
16:28and then I have this sweet liquor coming up through the coffee.
16:31That's great.
16:32Mmm.
16:35How alcoholic is that?
16:36No, no.
16:37Alcoholic is evaporated.
16:38Oh, you think so?
16:39You think the alcohol evaporated?
16:40You think the alcohol evaporated?
16:41Well, I'm not entirely sure about that.
16:46I think so about alcohol.
16:50Fantastic.
16:51Well, guys, I've really enjoyed meeting you.
16:54Thank you so much.
16:55And thank you for teaching me so much about your fantastic Valencian traditions.
16:59Cheers to them.
17:00Back on the streets, I want to show you more of this little Havana neighborhood called Cabañal,
17:12which very few visitors glimpse.
17:15I've arranged to meet Anna, a local ceramicist.
17:19What a privilege.
17:20I've heard so much about you.
17:21Michael, nice to meet you.
17:23Me too.
17:25Which makes her the perfect guide.
17:29These are very pretty designs.
17:30We have in Valencia a lot of ceramics from Muslim culture.
17:36From the Muslim?
17:37Yes.
17:41What was the result of the Islamic occupation of this area?
17:44What did that do to ceramics?
17:46The knowledgement, the colors, the pigments, techniques.
17:52I think they left us all the base.
17:57You can see some mosaics.
17:58And, for example, in this case, there are also floral reasons.
18:04It's very simple.
18:06The colors are blue, cobalt, green, cobalt.
18:10The same ones that the Muslims left us, the same.
18:13But in very simple blue.
18:17It didn't always look like this.
18:19At the end of the 18th century, much of the neighborhood, whose houses were wooden and thatched, was destroyed by fire.
18:26Las casas pasaron de ser de madera y caña a ser de cerámica, porque era, primero, más seguro y también más higiénico.
18:36How fascinating.
18:38So, these facades are generally from, what, around the beginning of the 20th century?
18:43Yeah.
18:47We have a date on this one, 1934, but then we've got VT, which is probably the owners of the house.
18:53Tal vez fueran Vicente y Teresa.
18:55And what a lovely house they had.
18:58Almost a century later, we're fortunate to be able to enjoy it still.
19:04In the 1990s, this neighborhood was very nearly demolished.
19:08The residents had moved away, and it had fallen into ruin.
19:12Porque hubo un intento por el gobierno local de hacer una gran avenida hasta el mar, destruir determinadas casas y hacer una carretera.
19:25Bueno, hubo un movimiento de la comunidad, se llamaba Salvem el Cabañal.
19:31Abrían las casas al resto de ciudadanos de Valencia para demostrar que era un espacio a salvaguardar.
19:40Decir al resto de la ciudadanía, esto es un patrimonio que estamos obligados a defender.
19:47That was the persuasive thing, that's what made people outside Cabañal believe that this was a district that was worth saving.
19:54Yeah, exactly.
20:01A seven-minute cab ride from Cabañal is another of Valencia's best-kept secrets.
20:13It too exists today only thanks to people power, the irresistible will of the Valencianos.
20:22This is the fabulous Turia Gardens, one of Europe's longest urban parks
20:28that stretches through the heart of the city for almost six miles.
20:35For most of its history, however, it was a river.
20:38And when I was a boy, it experienced a series of catastrophic floods that terrorised the city.
20:45As a result, the river was diverted to the south of Valencia in 1969,
20:52and plans were made for a motorway to occupy the empty riverbed.
20:57But a vocal public campaign succeeded in turning the riverbed green.
21:04In 1976, with the end of Spain's dictatorship, the highway project was abandoned, and the park was born.
21:16With the return of democracy to Spain after the death of General Franco,
21:19the regions and the mayors were given very strong autonomous powers,
21:23and the cities competed with each other for the most audacious and eye-catching megastructures.
21:30Here in Valencia, this was a river.
21:33And they moved it, and they created Spain's largest urban park, stretching along the old riverbed.
21:42And then they also built a city of arts and science, including a stunning opera house.
21:49And I admire the Spanish so much for their boldness, because this sort of change transforms the morale of a city
21:59and puts it on the international map.
22:06The city of arts and sciences at the southern end of the park is well worth seeing,
22:11drawing millions of visitors every year.
22:14But in the shadows, beneath the park's leafy boughs,
22:18Valencians discreetly imbibe a locally-made stimulant.
22:22Wow! What a beautiful vehicle!
22:24Yeah, yeah, I love it also because we designed it for keeping our passions together.
22:30Horchata and bicycles.
22:32Horchata. Now, do you have any horchata today?
22:37Yeah, we do have.
22:39I had horchata when I was a child, but I don't think I ever understood what it was.
22:45It looks like milk, but it's no milk.
22:49It has quite a strong smell as well, very pleasant.
22:52Yeah, yeah, quite.
22:53Cheers.
22:54Cheers.
22:55It's so interesting, isn't it?
23:03Yeah.
23:04It looks like milk.
23:05I kind of think it's going to be like a yoghurt.
23:07It's not quite like a yoghurt.
23:08No.
23:09It's not sour, but it's not very sweet either.
23:12What is it?
23:13It's the juice of tiger nuts.
23:17Introduced in the 8th century during Spain's Islamic occupation, tiger nuts have been enjoyed ever since.
23:25In fact, this is not a nut from a tree, but a tuber that grows underground.
23:31Is it possible to eat it like this?
23:33Yeah, of course.
23:34You can eat it raw.
23:35It has good flavors, natural sweetness, and they are really, really healthy.
23:40It has no sodium, but has potassium, magnesium, calcium, antioxidants, e-vitamins, c-vitamins.
23:47Now, keep talking.
23:48As you tell me how healthy it is, I'm enjoying each sip more and more.
23:52For many people, they can drink like two of those like for dinner and then they go to sleep fresh and really happy.
24:00Reinvigorated by Anton's horchata.
24:03Oh, you are strong.
24:04Off we go.
24:05It's really heavy.
24:06It's time to put his claims to the test.
24:09Horchata.
24:11Horchata.
24:12You are doing really well.
24:15Horchata.
24:17Horchata.
24:22Horchata.
24:23Next.
24:24What a beautiful, tranquil landscape.
24:26I reveal a natural paradise.
24:29Be careful, you can fall in love with it.
24:31And learn the art of paella.
24:32If you listen carefully, the sound of the paella has changed.
24:36Our snoop amongst the secrets of Spain leads us on through the intriguing city of Valencia, where the strikingly modern is juxtaposed with fascinating history.
24:59But during the last century, under Spain's dictator General Franco, the city suffered, having been one of the places that held out longest against him during the Spanish Civil War.
25:12At that time, my father was briefly based here.
25:21The Spanish Civil War was a harrowing time for my family.
25:25My father Luis was on the side of the Spanish Republic, and he had five brothers fighting for General Franco, one of whom was killed in the last weeks of the war.
25:35My father was working as a lawyer for the government, and as it lost territory to General Franco, it moved its capital from Madrid to Valencia.
25:44So my father came and worked here.
25:47Then the capital was moved again to Barcelona, and then the Republic lost, and he had to walk over the Pyrenees into France, and from there to exile in Britain.
25:58When Franco had won, he punished the regions that had held out against him, and repressed the regional languages like Basque and Catalan and Valencian.
26:11And so I think this city would have been starved of investment, and Spain was very poor anyway.
26:17And so in the middle of the 20th century, Valencia became a shabby backwater and a very wounded city.
26:30I'm now taking you to the agricultural lands surrounding Valencia, to a backwater, which also suffered during the middle years of the 20th century.
26:40Covering almost 7,000 acres, this is Spain's largest freshwater lagoon, which since 1986 has been designated part of the Albuferra Natural Park.
26:56The region's rural workers endured economic hardship, cultivating the crop most associated with Valencia, rice, the key ingredient in paella.
27:07These fields all around me now are paddy fields.
27:12In fact, this road has been elevated like a causeway, and irrigation systems here go back hundreds of years, and through various civilisations.
27:23Rice farming was introduced here in the 8th century, during the Islamic occupation.
27:29Only after hundreds of years of cultivating rice did the people of Valencia develop what is now Spain's most renowned dish.
27:39Many people think that paella is a Spanish dish.
27:42Well, it is, but it's from Valencia, and although all parts of Spain have rice dishes, only Valencia has paella.
27:50It's thought that paella was born in El Palmar, which sits on the edge of the lagoon.
27:59Hello, Javier.
28:01Local biologist Javier would take me there following the network of channels and waterways that crisscross it.
28:07It's great to see you.
28:09Nice to see you.
28:10What a beautiful, tranquil landscape.
28:13It's an amazing place.
28:14Be careful, you can fall in love with it, as we all did.
28:17It's a very beautiful boat.
28:19It is.
28:20In La Albufera, only traditional boats, with this kind of shape, with materials, can sail in La Albufera.
28:28That's Piña.
28:29Hello, Piña.
28:30Should we go aboard?
28:31Yes, please.
28:32This wetland takes its name from the Arabic word albuaira, meaning a small sea.
28:42And some poems dating to the Islamic era describe it as the mirror of the sun.
28:48This was a Muslim area.
28:50This was under the Muslim rule.
28:52But then the Chaume I, the king of Spain, conquered all the area, and he decided that the whole Albufera
29:00was going to be his private property.
29:02So it remained so for many, many years, being like a royal property.
29:07And then in 1911, the king of Spain sold this to the municipality of Valencia.
29:15But with one condition.
29:17It should be for the amusement and so that the people from Valencia could enjoy.
29:22Yeah.
29:23During its 1,200 years of rice farming, the lagoon has turned from salt to fresh water.
29:31It's a fascinating place to visit.
29:34All along the Spanish seaside of the Mediterranean, it was full of this kind of wetlands.
29:39But because of the touristic development, most of them were lost or were dry or were built up.
29:45And La Albufera is one of the few ones that we still have.
29:47And these are key points in the migratory routes of the birds, which go from north to south.
29:52As a biologist with a huge concern for nature preservation, how is that compatible with the farming activity?
30:00It must be compatible with farming, with hunting, also with fishing, also with tourism.
30:06So if you can see these fishing nets that you see there with the sticks and the nets under the water.
30:12This same technique has been used in La Albufera in the last 700 years.
30:17All around is evidence of the Islamic civilization that brought advanced irrigation systems
30:24and sophisticated agricultural and fishing techniques to Spain.
30:29Look, that's a barraca, the traditional building in La Albufera.
30:33And some of them have crosses on the top.
30:36That's the Muslims who lived there, that when the Christians came, they put this cross saying,
30:41OK, we become Christians, no problem with us, don't kick us out.
30:49Ahead is our destination, El Palmar, which for centuries lived from fishing.
30:59This has been absolutely idyllic for me, really special.
31:05I'll never forget this, I don't think.
31:07But now, having seen all that rice, it's time to experience paella, don't you think?
31:12That's the best idea you could have.
31:15Especially as I've been invited to a family restaurant established more than 40 years ago.
31:21My hosts are Chef Raul and his nephew Borja, who's of the family's third generation in the business.
31:28Hello Raul.
31:29Hello, how are you?
31:30I'm delighted.
31:31I'm delighted.
31:32Again.
31:33Borja.
31:34Rice is often cooked in the open air.
31:36And amongst the paddy fields, they've set up their giant paella pan.
31:40What do we have already?
31:42We have the meat.
31:43We've got rabbit and chicken today.
31:46Well, so we're already going to put the rice.
31:50But first, we've got a bit of a saffron.
31:53Ah, the saffron.
31:54We've got to put the saffron in first.
31:55The carrots.
31:56Oh!
31:57The snails as well, okay.
31:59One ingredient's missing, though.
32:01You don't put marisco in the paella valenciana.
32:04There are paellas that are from marisco, but they don't call them valencianas.
32:08This, the paella valenciana auténtica, the people put in it what they had.
32:13So, snails, and beans, and rabbits, and chickens, but not seafood, because that's from over
32:20there.
32:21Y eso te pone negro?
32:23Me pone diferente.
32:26It's rather irritating that people get this wrong, and they use the word paella valenciana
32:32from Valencia for all sorts of paellas that are not.
32:35Muy bien.
32:37Fundamental to paella are threads of saffron, the world's most expensive spice.
32:42Known as red gold, it turns the rice yellow.
32:46Extraordinary that such a tiny quantity will make all of this go a wonderful yellow colour
32:52and add flavour too.
32:55Finally, locally grown paella rice is added.
32:59And we're putting in the rice in the traditional way, which means that a fistful is a portion.
33:12Thank you very much.
33:13Thank you very much.
33:14Now, I believe that we have a reason to celebrate, because you have won a paella prize, and you
33:23have won a paella prize.
33:25Correcto.
33:26What has yours been?
33:27What has yours been?
33:28It was the third prize to the best paella in the world.
33:33Wow.
33:34And what was your prize?
33:35My first prize in the world.
33:37And he got the first prize in the paella of the world.
33:41That is amazing.
33:42Congratulations to you guys.
33:43Thank you very much.
33:44Felicidades.
33:45Meanwhile, our world-class paella is almost ready.
33:48If you listen carefully, the sound of the paella has changed.
33:56It's now a frying sound.
34:00Le llamamos socarrat.
34:01Socarrat.
34:02Socarrat.
34:03Socarrat.
34:04Es la caramelización del arroz junto con el hierro de la paella, que da un sabor intenso
34:13que es una maravilla.
34:15All three generations await us outside the restaurant.
34:20OK, everyone.
34:21Lunch is ready.
34:22La paella.
34:24Including Raul's father-in-law, Don Paco, who founded the business in 1982.
34:31Si le parece bien.
34:33Aquí manda usted.
34:35And it appears that the art of creating excellent paella doesn't stop at the stove.
34:41This is entirely new to me.
34:43We're eating straight out of the paella pan.
34:46And we've got our wooden spoons.
34:48And we squeeze it against the side of the pan.
34:52And then we have a lovely serving on the spoon.
34:54And that goes straight in the mouth.
34:59Qué bueno está.
35:00Buena.
35:01Qué bueno.
35:03Felicidades.
35:04Es maravilla.
35:06This is so full of flavor.
35:11Don Paco.
35:12Don Paco.
35:13Quería preguntarle.
35:14¿Cómo inauguró usted el restaurante?
35:17¿Cómo fue?
35:18Yo no tenía nada.
35:20Y yo lo veía.
35:22Compré el solar.
35:24Terreno.
35:25Y lo defiqué en algo allí río.
35:28¿Y cómo lo ve usted ahora?
35:30Pues...
35:31Es fantástico, ¿no?
35:32Muy contento de ver que lo lleva a morir.
35:36Y eso estoy satisfecho.
35:40De verlo.
35:42Y puede tener mucho orgullo de su familia.
35:45Mucho.
35:46Mucho.
35:47Lo aprecio mucho.
35:48Bueno, es un privilegio para mí comer con usted.
35:52Se lo agradezco mucho.
35:54Le deseo muy buena salud, don Paco.
35:57Y yo también.
35:58Gracias.
35:59A ver si nos volvemos a ver otra vez.
36:01Salud.
36:04Next, let me paint an orange.
36:06My inner artist is unleashed.
36:08I'm getting into my stride and I practice the language of love.
36:12How do you do that?
36:13Practica.
36:14Uy.
36:15Casi.
36:16Es practica.
36:27Our quest for the unexpected continues on Spain's Mediterranean coast amidst the splendors
36:33of Valencia, where the new and the old rub shoulders, adding vibrancy to our visit.
36:44Many beautiful buildings date to Spain's golden age.
36:48It began in 1492, when Christopher Columbus set sail and claimed the Americas.
36:57Over the next two centuries, gold and silver from the new world made Spain the world's richest
37:03and most powerful country.
37:05olive oil, wine, spices and textiles were exported while the treasure flooded in.
37:15The impact on Valencia can still be read in the buildings of its old town, where the riches originated
37:22with, of all things, a caterpillar.
37:25On the fertile terrain outside the city, where today there are oranges, there used to be mulberry
37:34trees.
37:35And they were grown for the purpose of cultivating silk worms.
37:39And the city became enormously rich on silk, which could be exported from the port all across
37:45the Mediterranean.
37:46And with that vast amount of wealth, they built this silk exchange and many personal mansions
37:52too.
37:53And the monarchs of Spain recognised the rights and autonomy of Valencia.
37:58And for those who'd made their fortunes, life in those days was indeed golden.
38:03That world trade also brought the arrival from Japan of the folding fan.
38:13It became a fashion necessity for the nobility.
38:17And Valencia flourished, producing magnificent specimens in silk.
38:23Most handmade Spanish fans are still produced here.
38:26Hola, Noemi.
38:27Hola.
38:28Hola.
38:29Hola.
38:30Hola.
38:31Hola.
38:32Hola.
38:33What a beautiful shop.
38:34Muchas gracias.
38:35Si, si, si.
38:36Noemi is the third generation to join her family business, selling fans in a backstreet
38:42of the old town.
38:45So, you paint many of the fans, do you?
38:48Si.
38:49Algunos de los que tenemos ahí, si que son pintados por mi.
38:52When did you begin to do that?
38:54Bueno, a mí siempre me ha gustado desde pequeña.
38:56Pero a pintar abanicos empecé a pintar con 16 años.
39:00Hace 10 años.
39:04Noemi can also help you paint your own.
39:07¿Qué prefieres pintar, naranjas o hojitas?
39:09Uh, let me paint an orange.
39:10Ok.
39:11Yeah.
39:14And now, I'm going to go around this little outline.
39:17Sin miedo.
39:18Sin miedo.
39:19Don't be scared.
39:20Get on with it.
39:21Right.
39:22Me animo.
39:23I'm getting into my stride.
39:26I love this colour.
39:27Wow.
39:29Para mí Valencia es de color naranja.
39:31Y por el sol.
39:32Ehh.
39:33¿Qué?
39:34¿Qué?
39:35¿Qué?
39:36Uy, qué?
39:37¿Qué?
39:38Depende del modelo del abanico.
39:39¿Qué?
39:40Say one of these.
39:41¿Qué?
39:42Ten minutes.
39:43Ten minutes.
39:44Yeah.
39:46I clearly have a way to go, especially when you see some of the most delicately patterned
39:51patterned fans, sold by Noemi's father, Daniel.
39:56Daniel, tell me about some of your finest fans.
39:59I mean, for example, this is magnificent.
40:01In this case, this one here is from a turtle's tail.
40:05What we do is cut it and cut it in hand, and it paints it in hand.
40:08So all this beautiful lacy work has been carved into the bone.
40:13By the way, Noemi's grandfather used to do that work.
40:17May I ask you, a beautiful piece like that, how much would it cost?
40:23The price. The price of this is about 3,000 euros, if I remember correctly.
40:273,000 euros as well.
40:31The fan is important in Spanish culture, and its use is governed by art and etiquette.
40:39Here they have a lot of custom to open and close and give a lot of importance to the sound of the fan.
40:47But that movement, how do you do that movement?
40:50With the knife.
40:51Uy, almost.
40:52Almost.
40:53It's practical.
40:56Can one use a fan to communicate? Is that a language of fans?
41:00Yes, well, for example, when a woman took the face with a fan, it was that she was interested in the man.
41:08Or if she didn't interested, she took the fan with the two hands, because she didn't want to know anything about it.
41:13Then, it's also interesting, when women were in the church, they used it as a car retrovisor, to see what men were looking at them.
41:26And then, I could give them a signal to interact with them.
41:32Marvellous. What a beautiful language.
41:35Naomi, the fan is a very old thing, and it's a beautiful balance of utility and fashion.
41:44And, let's face it, it's only getting hotter and hotter, especially here in Spain.
41:49So, long live the fan.
41:51Long live the fan.
41:51Our investigation of this city has resulted in discoveries that surprise and delight.
42:02I leave here impressed by great architecture and by energetic people who envelop you with their welcome.
42:14A city with pride in its past that's making a brilliant future.
42:19Back in history, Valencia enjoyed a golden age.
42:24And then in the middle of the 20th century, it fell by the wayside.
42:29But even then, they couldn't suppress its sense of pride in being different.
42:36And now, in recent years, with stunning works of urban regeneration, it has come roaring back.
42:45You'll absolutely love its elegant squares and its lively streets.
42:53And close to the city, surrounded by wildlife and orange groves and paddy fields, is the home of the paella, whose principal ingredients are love, family and friendship.
43:05Next time, ready for the fight, man versus almond, we'll travel to Mallorca.
43:15Isn't that the most wonderfully tempting water?
43:18This is the most wonderful smell.
43:20I see things that I've never seen before.
43:22After trudging through the wilderness, an oasis.
43:25It's guisito.
43:26Now they go by in a flash of color.
43:28Come on, Coloma!
43:52Go Cali!
43:56Go Cali!
43:57Go Cali!
44:06Go Cali!
44:09Go Cali!
44:11Happy New Year!
44:13Go Cali!
44:16Go Cali!
44:17Ooh!
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