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I've been in the lovely city of Valencia for about two weeks now, and I'm starting to get a real feel of what life here is like. It's a bit of an enigma. There's a relaxed approach to life, yet such fierce passion amongst its inhabitants, and it seems every time I leave my flat that I'm exposed to protests and strikes amassing outside city hall. I can only conclude that their passion is about what really matters in life, and a desire for true justice. 

Valencia is steeped in history, and its local language has often been persecuted. For the past 300 years, the language was persecuted, like other languages spoken in Spain, meaning that only about 20% of the inhabitants speak it. However, the language is everywhere, and many people I speak to are enthusiastic about it, and are very eager to teach me some. Valencian is a dialect of Catalan, which has about 11 million speakers in total, and despite persecution the language is still alive and people are keen to restore its former power. 

As a Welshman, I can relate to the struggle of the Valencian people, and the persecution of the language, and I can understand the desire to learn it. As in Catalonia, where many bands perform in their native tongue, music in the Valencian language is hugely popular. One local band introduced me to a band called Obrint Pas. Their passion and fusion of genres is exactly what makes us tick here at St Pauls Lifestyle. So here they are with their song La Vida Sense Tu (Valencian for Life Without You). Gracies. 

More Songs of the Day HERE