I also thought Valencia was located somewhere south of the U.S. growing up, but I was thinking more Caribbean (and yes, all I knew of it was the oranges). Fortunately, I figured that error out and visited the city myself a couple years ago - it is gorgeous! I didn't get the sense of disjointedness you did, however - rather, I felt like it was a relaxing follow-up after visiting Barcelona. Or maybe it was just the distinct lack of fellow tourists (as compared to Barca) I noticed! I also thought the architecture of the city was amazing if a little jarring at times due the juxtaposition of modern design and significantly older styles, and I remember having the greatest simple seafood meal at one of the cafes in the older part of the city. Like lagramiere, I do think of paella when I think of Valencia, along with oranges, of course!
