Surprise on the Sea: A Valencia Yacht Experience

Arrival and a Secret Surprise

Finally, we were at our destination.

We were bursting to tell the girls what surprise we had in store for them. I am amazed we had both kept it a secret for so long. We had left our apartment and crossed the road, heading towards the beach. The girls were looking confused as we turned away from the beach area and headed towards the harbour, passing just a couple of bars and not a lot else in terms of accommodation. They asked us again, “Where is our hotel?”

A Yacht Revealed

As we walked up to meet the gentleman we had met the day before, unbeknown to the girls, it was now time to tell them.

“Girls, tonight we are staying overnight on a yacht!”

They stood there speechless and then said, “A yacht?” Their faces were a picture. They were so surprised. Standing on the quayside, we introduced them to the gentleman who owned it. He was also smiling at the girls’ reaction. They were so intrigued to see what it was like as we all followed him as he led the way to his beautiful yacht.

The Valero Monica stood out, pride of place in the harbour, floating calmly on the waves, enticing us in. I think it took us back to when we were little children and your parents took you to a new toy shop and you just wanted to explore all of it but didn’t know where to start. The excitement was building as the gentleman climbed on board to put the walkway in place.

A Birthday to Remember

We were so eager to see the interior. We had never slept on a yacht before. He handed the key to our youngest daughter to open the roof of the cabin and wished her a happy birthday — she was coming up 25.

As he led her down the steps into the cabin, she looked around to see he had decorated all the cabin with Happy Birthday balloons and banners. She was so overwhelmed she burst out crying. What a fantastic birthday surprise!

Wow, we did not expect this at all. There was a kitchen and seating area with a table, and four double bedrooms with a toilet each and a shower. The owner helped us with our suitcases on board and did look a bit shocked how big they were, as we were only staying one night.

He showed us around and explained to us where things were and how they worked. As he left, he started to laugh and told our daughter, holding onto the keys, not to start her up and take her out of the harbour. He turned and smiled as he left.

The Hunt for the Valero Monica

Going back to the day before, my husband and I decided to go in search of the yacht we had booked for our last evening in Valencia. We left the girls on the beach and headed across the road to the harbour.

It was a big harbour. We wandered up and down with the picture of the Valero Monica on the phone — now this may be harder to find than we thought. What if we could not find it?

The problem was, we could not read the names of many of the yachts, as you had to have a private pass to get on to the walkway where they were moored. There was a bar/café with a few people gathered, so we decided to ask the barman if he knew where to find it.

He said, “The picture you have is not taken in this harbour, so I’m unsure.” He asked another man sitting having a drink at one of the tables, who was a local man, if he had seen the yacht.

He said, “I think I saw it over there,” as he pointed ahead of us. “Come with me,” he added, as he jumped out of his seat and got his pass out to take us to have a closer look.

After walking up and down, we could not spot it. We were now getting worried it would take us ages to search the whole harbour. I shouted to my husband, “Here it is — Monia,” as I pointed to it.

Wow, it was captivating. We stood admiring it as the owner popped his head out of the cabin and, in his broken English, shouted our youngest daughter’s name and 25th birthday.

Hallelujah, we had found it. He told us to meet him at the harbour the next morning, and we agreed a time. Now I had seen how beautiful she was, I was buzzing with excitement.

What Shall We Do First?

It was our yacht for the night. What shall we do first?

We climbed back up on deck, trying to take in all the lovely views of the harbour. It had rained when we first got here, but now the sun was breaking through the clouds, painting the sky with so many bright yellow and orange colours against the grey and white clouds, reflecting off the sea — an amazing backdrop, just in time for photos later, of course!

We asked her if she would like to go for a meal later for her birthday, and she replied, “I am not leaving my yacht tonight,” with a huge grin on her face, standing behind the captain’s wheel.

A little later, it was time to get her evening outfit on, makeup and hair done in time for some cheeky birthday photos on deck too! Even her sister joined in, who does not like that many photos.

Sunset, Smiles & Pizza on Deck

Standing on the bow of the yacht, looking out over the harbour, watching people relaxing, sitting, having drinks, sailing past us and watching the world go by. Faint music from the bar opposite filled the air, giving the evening a nice relaxed feel.

My husband and I went to get some drinks and pizzas from the nearby shops. We had invited the newlyweds for drinks on board later in the afternoon. What a lovely way to celebrate her birthday and celebrate our amazing holiday adventure with great friends.

A Gentle Night on the Waves

I do normally feel seasick on boats, but the sea was calm in the harbour, and this did not affect me at all.

After a lovely evening, it was time to put our heads down for the night, as we drifted off to sleep with a gentle sway from the sea — a perfect way to end an amazing day.

Good night.

Farewell to the Valero Monica

It was time to say goodbye. We handed the keys back and left the harbour behind as we jumped in our taxi to the airport.

A Holiday to Remember

I would definitely recommend this holiday. It was an amazing adventure — three different cities and very different accommodation in each city, with a beautiful wedding and, of course, our night on the waves to end this holiday on a high!

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