Some travel experiences are about the places, some are about the food you eat, and others are about the people you share them with. Our trip to Valencia to watch the solar eclipse was all of the above.

Our daughter Janice and our son-in-law Scott came for a visit from Canada. We were thrilled to have them here, and it coincide with the full solar eclipse, so we knew we had to make an event of it.

So, off we went to Valencia for a few days to visit that great city and then to see the full eclipse. The day of the eclipse we went to an event at the Albufera Natural Park which is just outside the city. We had booked tickets to an eclipse party there which had been organized.

The weather was perfect, the skies were clear, the sun was shining, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight.

The event was fantastic. There was live music, food, drinks and plenty of tables and shade for everyone. It felt less like we were waiting for a scientific phenomenon and more like we were attending a big outdoor BBQ celebration.

We found our spot and settled in and of course, we weren’t going to sit around waiting on an empty stomach.

We enjoyed some drinks, food, and listened to the live music and, more importantly, we spent time together. Having Janice and Scott with us made the whole experience more special.

As the time of the eclipse approached, the atmosphere changed. Everyone became a little more focused on the sky. Glasses and eclipse viewing equipment came out, cameras were ready, and people started looking upward.

Watching the moon slowly move across the face of the sun was absolutely incredible. As more of the sun disappeared, the light around us changed and dimmed and the whole atmosphere became almost surreal.

We were standing there in Albufera, surrounded by other people enjoying the same incredible sight. It felt very personal for us, especially having Janice and Scott there to share in this experience.

What an amazing feeling, watching the eclipse as it transformed. The sense of something bigger and almost magical as the air cooled and darkness fell quickly on us, only to transform into an amazing sunset of sorts. As the moon passed by the sun the sunset was occurring which made the views spectacular.,

This rare experience was the perfect alignment of having family beside us, perfect weather,  music, food, and it all came together to make it an adventure that we won’t soon forget.

“El eclipse nos recordó que, aunque la luz se oculte por un momento, siempre vuelve a aparecer. Al igual que los momentos especiales y las personas que iluminan nuestras vidas.”