Sunday 23rd April will be Dragon Day in Valencia as a new concept in tourism is launched in the city.
The project consists of a bi-lingual book (English and Spanish), a video, a photographic exhibition and a walk-talk, (a guided tour of Valencia’s dragons). It will take place at Valencia’s prestigious L’Iber Museum in calle Caballeros 22 between 11 am and 2 pm.
At this time anyone who wants to can enter the gothic patio free to see the video, the photos and the book, and talk to the authors.
And at 4 pm, dragon seekers can participate in the Dragon Walk Talk around the historic centre visiting the main dragon lairs.
Official guides and teachers are especially welcome as the creators of the project intend to give away the tour to any guide or teacher who would like to make use of it.
The book costs 15€ paperback, the e-book 9.99€, and there is a discount of 1 euro for anyone showing an admission ticket to the museum on the 23rd.
The book is published by the Valencian publishing company Obrapropia:
http://www.obrapropia.com/Obras/1741/VALENCIA–HERE-BE-DRAGONS
The project supposes another addition to Valencia’s wide cultural offer for tourists and follows the trend of ‘fantasy/conspiracy tourism,’ using real locations or history to fabricate tourist attractions, Loch Ness and the Da Vinci Code being the notorious examples.
The creators of the project are Bob Yareham, English and History teacher resident in Valencia since 1981 and Mark Sicon, an Anglo-Spanish photographer, trained at a well-known photography school in Valencia.
Mr Yareham is known in Valencia for his work with schools, where he has undertaken many projects such as 2,000 years of history through an underground map and a collaboration with the L’Iber Museum called ‘Hollywood & History,’ and he is also the author of the book Movies Made in Spain, the story of 720 English language films shot in Spain. Furthermore, he is President of ‘España de Cine,’ a non-profit making association that promotes cinema tourism initiatives.
The book explains why there are so many dragons in the architecture of Valencia, relating the history of dragons from the points of view of architecture, anthropology, history and legend, with a few carefully chosen fibs thrown in to add a bit of spice.
Contact: 637061508 (after 15.30 workdays please),
bobyareham@gmail.com
