Highlights-Valencia Day 3

I had a second “at bat” to visit Sagunto today. I skipped the bus and took the regional train (called Cercanías in Spain), which uses different tracks. I didn’t think about this option yesterday until the Renfe rep on the bus pointed out the Cercanías option the first time I tried to exit. When I was planning the visit earlier in the week, I went back and forth with an LLM dispensing “advice” for how long to stay in Sagunto. LLM: “You should stay in Sagunto for 5-6 hours.” Me: “Are you nuts? It’s just a small town, worth a 2-3 hour visit at most.” LLM: “You need more time to climb the hill to explore the ruined fort.” Me: “I don’t want to climb a hill to explore stacks of stone blocks. I’ll just look up at it and think, ‘yup, ruined.’” LLM: “You should stay longer and linger over lunch.” Me: “I’m traveling alone, and I don’t linger over lunch unless AirBnB checkout is 10am and the train leaves at 4pm.” LLM: “You can wander the narrow streets for several hours and marvel over Roman ruins.” Me: “I was in Rome, and those ruins weren’t marvel worthy. The pizza slice I ate was the best part of that visit.” I left Valencia Nord at 12:50p (waiting nearly an hour after just missing the train, sigh) and returned at 5:30p. Subtracting travel time, I was in Sagunto for 3.5 hours. While there, I glanced up at the fort (“Look kids, a ruined fort!”), ate a slice of pizza without lingering (who does that anyway?), appreciated (not marveled at) some stacked Roman stone blocks (“We think this was a section of a temple to the Goddess Diana”), walked partway up the hill to view the controversial Roman theater restoration (construction was probably controversial during the age of Rome, but if you complained you were made a gladiator), and walked, not wandered, through the streets when everything was closed due to Spanish siesta (the “I’m on the verge of AGI so you watch out” LLM didn’t mention this). I was glad I went to Sagunto (honest) and also glad I stayed less than the LLM recommended minimum time. The best part of the visit was the city museum’s detailed explanations of Greek Theater (amidst the Roman Ruins, who saw that coming? Not the LLM).