crystal cruises, crystal serenity, valencia

City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia

Our dinner in Prego last night was excellent! Since onboard gratuities only cover the wait staff in the main dining room, Prego suggests a $7 per person tip. And, the tip is well worth it - from excellent menu suggestions, great humor and the non-intrusive service these waiters are among the best onboard.

By 8am this morning we've arrived at the pier in Valencia. As is typical, this isn't a picturesque marina – it's full of cranes, freight carriers and a few large vehicle ferries. It appears that the Crystal Serenity is the only cruise ship in port. We've signed up for the "City of Porcelain" tour which departs the ship at 9am. Our tour starts with about a 20 minute drive through Valencia to the small campus of buildings that is home to the world famous Lladro figurines. On the 1 1/2 hour tour we're introduced to the manufacturing process and many of the artists that sculpt, assemble and paint the figurines. It's surprising to find that all of the figurines are assembled from various pieces or fragments. Arms, legs, heads and other parts are all cast separately and assembled using liquid porcelain for "glue". Even the miniature flowers are painstakingly crafted, petal by petal, and then added to the figures. Once assembled the figurines are hand painted by an small army of very talented artists before being fired in large kilns. One of the largest pieces ever produce, titled "Queen of the Nile" is made up of nearly 400 pieces, takes over 4000 hours to paint and costs a whopping $160,000!

After the very interesting tour, we again board the motor coach for a short drive back into the old city where we are introduced to a local drink called Horchata. Made from a root, this drink is like a very sweet milk. Afterwards we re-board the bus for the short drive back to the ship. Knowing that the Lladro Museum is free to the public, this excursion doesn't seem like a great value. If the factory tour is available (you can check via email on their website) we would recommend a private car or even taxi transfer to the Lladro campus skipping the Horchata tasting.

We're back onboard for a 6pm departure and a relaxing evening before our first day at sea tomorrow. More from Malaga in two days.