Fallas, 16-18 Mars, 2007

How could you stay away from Spain when they have festivals like these? Last time it was La Tomatina, now the lively citizens of Valencia just finished Las Fallas, the Spring festival of noise and smoke. It started back in the days of Spring cleaning, without the council pickups. So everybody just burned everything they were throwing out instead. In order to build the biggest bonfire, they started putting less useless things on the fire, then making things specially for the fire, then making figures of people, and so on until in 2007 they construct huge statues in papier mâché, often as political satire, and burn them all over the city! They are seriously enormous, and only one is built by the council: the rest are all paid for by the cultural clubs (not your regular RSL).
















As well as the burning, which has a lead-up of almost all of March until the 20th, there's a huge beauty competition. All the entrants come from those same cultural clubs, who take it in turns to parade down the main streets. It goes for two days, this parade, and it is impossible to get around the city because of it. Half the locals leave Valencia each year because of Las Fallas, but the rest of Spain moves in.















The place is PACKED 24 hours, and there are crowds at every corner, inspecting the year's artwork. The city has a good arts scene because they need so many artists to build the Fallas, and they need the, every year because they are all burned.















All the competitors in the parade/competition carry bunches of flowers which they take to a big placa in front of the cathredral where they are put into a wooden structure resembling a giant woman in the traditional clothes the contestants themselves are wearing.
















There are three firework shows each day. 8 am, to wake you up. 2pm to send you deaf. 1 am to make you dizzy. Three firework displays a day for a week! Also, they've constructed a church facade out of coloured lights, a sort of prolonged firework display.
















All the really traditional parts of Fallas are done in the streets, with really really cool street parties














And fireworks that everybody throws all day and night. They tried to forbid under twelves from throwing them, but then repealed the law in the face of public appall.















Sam went to Fallas; and stayed with our good friend Karina, you ,ight recognise her from previous episodes, such as La Tomatina... She has family there who are really into the FAllas spirit, from dressing up to throwing fire crackers, if you need any tips just give them a call: Belen, Jordi, Belen, Karina















Unfortunately, someone started Spring during uni semester, and Sam had to get back for class on Monday. So two overnight buses, and one overnight festival later, he popped into Aix at 6am, via Barcelona once more, and fell into bed.