The Mestalla!!

*hyperventilates like crazy* Yes, I went there. Yes, I loved it. And while watching the Valencia game I recorded yesterday, I noticed 3 things. #1 - I sat where the injured/suspended players sit in the stands. #2 - I sat where Dahveed sat yesterday on the subs bench after he was subbed off. #3 - Chente sat there a few weeks ago. Yeah, excuse me while I go die. In the mean time, enjoy some pics I took while at the Mestalla. Please do not steal these, and if you do borrow them, please credit me. And let me know you're taking them. I will hunt you down and hurt you otherwise. Ok, I kid about the last part, I won't really hurt you. But the rest still applies.

Here is me sat on the bench. Literally about 5 minutes after I hit my head on the metal post bit above it. I'm surprised I don't look dazed in that pic, my head hurt like crazy after that. But at least I got bruised by the Mestalla. Yay!

There's about 20 pics similar to this one. Again if you want to see the rest, don't hesistate to ask.

Yeah, manlove is a big part of the Valencia CF culture. In fact, they have this pic above the players tunnel. I guess it's there to inspire them and remind then what the fangirls want to see.

The Valencia bat. I am only a little bit obsessed with it, and I only have about 50 pics of various bats in the collection of pics from Valencia.

And then there's the Mestalla from the outside. I'll be honest, it's not the most attractive of stadiums, but honest to god, I couldn't care less. It's not like I look at it from the outside when watching a game, and the football played there is, for the most part, beautiful. And it's still magical. I got the same shiver down my spine walking out through the players tunnel and out to the pitch as I did at Anfield. There's nothing like that feeling. Well, apart from being part of the crowd at a game.

That's all the pics I'm going to post on here because I don't want to have to narrow the rest down, but there's still plenty more for those who are interested. Just let me know.

Anywhoo, the weather was once again gorgeous. It was really sunny and really hot and my sunburn just got worse and worse. Before we went to do the tour, we went to the VCF shop just opposite, and I managed to get my dad to buy me the home shirt. Typical of my luck there there was no E or I so I couldn't get Alexis' name on the back. Pft. Pffffft. Still, I can do that here, I managed fine with my Vicente shirt ktnx. He also got me the Asindown calendar, and that STILL makes my ovaries explode with cute every time. While we were paying, he spotted that they have tickets to do a tour of the Mestalla for €6 per person, which I hadn't even noticed. He could totally have got away with it, but he pointed them out, and that was that, he simply HAD to buy them after that. Future lesson for him - when in doubt, keep your mouth shut. It works out cheaper that way.

So, we finally got in about an hour later, but in the mean time, we were just waiting around outside the store because that was where the tour started. And there, they were totally filming this:

No, I'm not in it. Thankfully. I looked a very unnattractive shade of lobster that particular day and I highly doubt I would have looked good on camera.

Anyway, the first place they took us on the tour was one of the executive boxes right in the centre of the pitch, and you could pretty much see all the way across to both goals. It was pretty much amaze, and it was all air conditioned and everything. I wish I was rich enough to afford to be able to go. Having said that, I'd want to be as close to the pitch as possible. After that, we walked down to see the press area, where Unai does his press conferences before games and that led onto the area where they interview players after the end of the game. It was all pretty surreal, there was posters of the La Liga winning team on 2003/04 and all sorts. After that, the next stop was the home changing room. No, I did not make a beeline for Vicente's place to take a pic. *innocent expression*
It amused me no end that Silva and Alexis are next to each other, because seriously people, do you want to give us any more hints that those two are totally best friends? I even giggled to the point that the tour lady had to stop talking to ask if I was ok. Er, embarassing much? Still, depsite how happy this made me, I miss the Davids :(

After we'd done the tour of the indoors bit (and no, I did not almost collapse and die when I saw the showers. They are NAKEY in there!!!!) we went out through the player tunnel and onto the pitch. Well, the bench and the touchline anyway, we weren't allowed onto the pitch. Boo. I got a bit snap happy there again, because it's the Mestalla and I was there. I don't even need an excuse really, do I? It was a totally awesome experience being there, I don't even remember the last time I was so excited over anything.

Then we were shown the chapel bit indoors where the players go to pray. I didn't get much of what was being explained during the tour because it was all in Spanish and I don't really speak any Spanish, but I understood that part. Er, it may have had something to do with the fact that Alexis was the first name mentioned. I actually paid enough attention to be able to figure it out LOL.

It was seriously pretty. It led onto the referee's room, where there was pics of every ref in La Liga this season. I just saw the pic of Alfonso Perez Burrull and got all mad, because why would you even have him in there? Freaking 8 yellows and a red in one game and only 3 of those were deserved. Pft.

Next stop was the trophy room which was also too many different levels of amazing. They had the club crest on almost every surface and there was loads of pretty shiny things. I love how they had mirrors behind the trophies to make it look like there was more of them. Oh bbs, I love you and I love your fail, please don't ever change. From there, we went out onto the posher part of the stands where all the important people sit. You know, the club president, the injured players etc etc.
That was what was above the steps leading out onto that part of the stand. No really, I don't have an obsession with the bat. I promise.

And after all those pics and all that touring around, it was finally time to say goodbye to the Mestalla. We went out through these doors:
It was probably my favourite day of the entire holiday, just because I finally got to see where they play and it made me feel that little bit closer to them. One of these days, when I'm rich enough and I don't work weekends, I am going to go back there and watch a game. It has to happen.

I did go back a few days later with Sarah, but we just saw it from the outside this time, because the rest of our schedule was pretty packed. She has the pics from the front of the stadium on her camera and I had this one on mine.

Honestly, I would say to anyone, if you can get to the Mestalla and do the tour, then do it. It's not an overly extravagant stadium like some others, in fact, it's quite simple in comparison, but I loved every second and I wish I could have stayed for longer.