GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 50 - August 2021

Well, my favorite pastime when I am not working, is to relax in nature. Getting away from the comfort of the city is like winning the jackpot! Just 10 minutes by car from Valencia are the beaches where the fusion of nature and recreation reaches its maximum expression. To the south of the port are those that delve into the heart of The Valencian Albufera Nature Park, a protected clean natural area with fabulous sunsets, boat rides on Lake Albufera and the opportunity to completely disconnect for a while. It’s like an oasis surrounded by rice paddies and forests. On the other side of this natural park, 17 kilometers of beach of fine golden sand, protected by dunes and with all the attractions of a picturesque nature. If someone were visiting you for 24 hours and had never been to the area where you live, where would you bring them and why? This is exactly the question that I was asked by my compatriots when I worked as a tourist guide. In recent years, the government of Valencia and the people of this city have done a great job in attracting tourism. Of course, the global pandemic has had a very negative impact on the tourism industry, one of the worst-hit sectors. But as we all know, nothing lasts forever and everything changes. As the massive vaccination of the population continues, the Valencia region (as of June) has the lowest percentage of infected people in all of Europe. So I believe tourists will visit Valencia this summer with complete confidence and safety. To answer the question, Valencia is a city that must be visited at least once in your lifetime, even if you only have 24 hours. It is definitely worth the effort to do and learn as much as possible about the city. You’ll be surprised by its incredibly rich culture, with influences from all civilizations, from the Romans and Moors to the Christians, thanks to its prominent location on the Mediterranean coast. Whatever you do during your short visit to Valencia, you will definitely want to come back here again. If you could invite any five people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be? If I had the opportunity, I would invite my four late grandparents and my late father and express my great gratitude to them for what I am and what I have become. By the way, one of my websites in Russian, CasinoIvan.com, was named in honor of my father. His name was Ivan. Name three things that people reading this magazine don’t know about you. 1. As a child, I dreamt of becoming a pilot. At the age of 15, I finished courses on flying a glider and had three individual (not tandem) parachute jumps. 2. I served in the Army for almost two years. Retired with the rank of Junior Sergeant, Air Defense Forces. This rank is comparable to OR-5 in NATO rank system. 3. I lived almost 10 years in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am also a citizen of this South American country. casinoduende 49 G P W A t i m e s . o r g