crystalcazzie | Worlds Part Four: Exploring Valladolid

Untitled

Part Four: Exploring Valladolid

One of the extras the WJPA put on was a guided walking tour of Valladolid. I signed up for the Wednesday tour cos I wasn't puzzling that day, and Irene switched from Tuesday to Wednesday too for the same reason.

Our guide was a lovely young man who told us all about the city. I love tours like these but the trouble is that I get so much information in such a short space of time that I don't remember most of it!

For example, I can't remember the significance of this building. But it is very pretty!

This used to be the old bull ring. Then it became a police station. And now it's housing. It also contains a poisonous tree I think.

This would have been a lovely picture without the vehicle parked in front!

I think the significance of this church is that the top level was added after it was originally built and the triangular bit used to be directly above the round window.

This is a museum that the guide highly recommended we return to and visit, but there was too much puzzling going on for me to find the time.

I was intrigued by what appeared to be a door knocker positioned up where only a literal giant could reach it, though.

Moving on to a different area of the city.

Our guide took pains to make it very clear that this depicts a Spanish religious tradition and has absolutely no link to certain groups in the US!

This is a church which was going to have a car park in front of it but when they started digging they found an old burial ground, so the car park had to be moved to the side.

Valladolid Cathedral. Our guide told us it used to have a wooden spire on the other side, but it was deemed unsafe and a prisoner was tasked with removing it in exchange for his freedom. The guide seemed a bit put out by this and kept saying "he killed people and they just let him go!"

This statue represents... Mercury I think. And the statues on the plinths around him represent the seasons.

We finished the tour in the town square. Here he told us about a fire that devastated the area. And also that the reason the top floors of some of the buildings are white is because they were added later. I'm not sure if the two things are linked.

Irene went to get breakfast and I went to the dome in time to wish Lynn luck before her round.

She had a choice between Little Sun Feel and Scandinavian Idyll. She went for the latter and came 108th with 1:18:39.

Since neither of us had to worry about the semi-finals later that day we were free to walk around to the cafe attached to the dome and do another practice puzzle:

Again, not a bad time, and Lynn said she hoped we might get this puzzle in our round. Spoiler alert, we don't, but one of the other rounds do. We were so annoyed since we had just practiced it!

I went back into the dome to watch Allison's semi final. She didn't qualify for the finals but she finished the puzzle with 35 seconds to spare!

Lynn and I then did another practice puzzle, this time across the road:

We broke the hour!

One of the fun things about Worlds is the way that so many people bring things to share with each other.

The Canada magnet came from my teammates. The duck came from a stranger at the Puzzle Party who was giving them out to anyone who wanted one!

I must remember to bring things myself to hand out next year. This time I did bring some London bear keyrings for my team cos I thought they looked just like the logo on our team shirts (just without the hockey skates and stick!) but nothing to give out in general.

Untitled

I got this mini badge puzzle from the Chinese delegation. I started putting it together before thinking I should take a picture. And realising that I should put the back in first!

Untitled

Finished product!

Untitled

Added to my lanyard. I think I got the badges underneath from Donna Louise. The panda came from a Chinese lady. The Texas badge came from an American at the group meal. And the Speed Puzzling badge and pin came in the greeting bag.

Untitled

A group called PieceRelax had a strong presence and their own pop up shop. They were handing out this puzzle in a bag that you were supposed to complete then show to them in order to claim a gift.

I did complete the puzzle, but for some reason didn't take a photo!

Untitled

Lynn and I had sangrias.

Untitled

And stayed chatting until it got quite late. I like places lit up at night. The tables on the right of this picture are where I sat with the other UK people the night before. And the boxes at the back are where the Ole Puzzles pop up shop set up. I bought three puzzles from them, including one designed by Alejandro. I haven't done that one yet!