Fire Festival in Alicante! (Las Hogueras de San Juan 2010)

Six weeks in Alicante had been building up towards the Fire Festival Week of June 2010.

The city was transformed.  All around the city huge wood and paper maché structures (hogueras) were placed around the city center and suburbs, and next to each one an open-air cafe was put up, with tables and a stage where bands play called "barracas". These gorgeous hogueras were all BURNED TO THE GROUND on June 24th as part of the celebration!

All week long they had parades that lasted for hours, Spanish families in traditional dress, amazing food, music, and fireworks.

A group of my friends and I decided to take part in the celebration my dressing up as "Fire fairies", i.e., dress in all fiery red which would not only make us look cool, but would potentially help us meet guys. ;)

On the day of the burning of the hogueras, we made our way down the packed streets in our fire attire with the mission of getting to the beach to see the single huge palm-shape tree firework that would be launched into the sky to commence the evening and the burning of the sculptures.  We missed it.  6 of us screaming and yelling because the streets were too packed and we watched the firework from a skinny alleyway.  BUT, the burning started and we were determined to watch as many hogueras burn as possible.  The first one was amazing.  As soon as the one hoguera is burned up, the mission is to SPRINT to as many as possible and watch another burn to the ground, then another, etc.  

They are placed ALL over Alicante, so you literally have to run AND be strategic because the streets are PACKED so you need to go down small alleys that connect to the larger streets to catch the biggest hogueras burn.  I sprinted like I was being chased by the guy in Scream. 

At one point, I lost my friends because I had ran too far ahead and a group of 5 young Spanish guys started sprinting alongside me screaming "Rubia, rubia!" and "Let's run with the Rubia (blonde girl)" (Said in Spanish of course).

We had a blast.  At the end of each burning, firemen put the fire out and the crowd screams "Agua, agua" (Waaaaater, waaaaater!) and they get drenched with the hoses.

 

After watching about 5 sculptures get burned to the ground,  We made our way to the a packed beach with a pack of Spanish cervezas, sat on the beach and watched some crazed Spanish guy jump through fire pits which is apparently "tradition".   All-in-all, it was a beautiful night.  

The Bullfight: Corrida de Toros

Bullfights.  Brutal, vicious, unreal.  Something we've all heard about, and something that Spain is famous for.  I had to go to one.

I brought along my hesitant friend who hated the idea because of the brutality to animals but she said "If I go and hate it, I can say I've tried it, seen it, and know how horrible it is". 

I just wanted to absorb the culture and see what all the fuss was about!

6 bulls stabbed and killed in each 2 hour long bullfight. More brutal than a Canadian hockey game.

We bought our tickets for 22 Euros each.  Cheap tickets for "the less fortunate".  Seats in the shadows are much more expensive, while the rest of us in the sunny side are frantically waving fans in our faces and squinting as we watch the fight.  

As the first young bull came racing out of where he was penned, I felt my heart stop.  He was beautiful, energetic, and my heart began to race as it dawned to me that this lively creature was about to be stabbed for sport. 

I could barely watch. 

But after the third bull was killed, I won't lie.  I became pretty desensitized.

At one point an older Spanish gentleman in front of me was about to bite his cigar and I pulled my cigar cutter out of my purse and handed it to him.  I felt very cool as he gave me an odd look and muttered "Gracias" and I then lit up my own cigar like a true Spaniard.  Another man came and sat beside me and we spoke in Spanish and he told me all about the "toreros" who are the main performers in the bullfights.  All in all it was a pretty amazing experience.  Seeing people cheer when the torero makes a clean kill and become enraged and heckle the torero when the kill is not clean.  The audience clearly appreciates when the torero is efficient in his kill and despise when it looks like the bull is suffering without need.  Old Spanish women were on their feet chanting and waving their fans.  It was pretty spectacular.  I'm glad I went at least for the cultural aspect and to try to appreciate  and understand what is considered normal and traditional for many people in Spain.

The Hills Are Alive (with Team Austria)

While abroad with my friends, we decided to go on a weekend trip away.  There were two teams.  Team Oslo who would go to Norway, and Team Salzburg for the Sound of Music Tour in Austria.

Naturally, I was on Team Austria and overjoyed by the romantic idea of spinning in large skirts singing my heart out on the beautiful Austrian hills where one of the most beautiful and cherished movies of all time was filmed.

We started off the trip by purchasing traditional Austrian hats and looked ballin':

After we had to scream "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" at the famous Liesl von Trapp Gazebo.

And after a breathtaking ride to some of the most beautiful Austrian mountains...

We sang our hearts out romantically sounding nearly identical to the Von Trapp Family Singers....

Weekend Excursion to Valencia and the Wedding Crashers

On a beautiful weekend trip with my housemates to Valencia, we went to the beautiful "City of the Arts and Sciences" in the day time to check out the beautiful architecture and museum.

If I was to give a review of the City, it was awesome aside from the IMAX film which we watched in the Hemisphere which literally put
me to sleep, but left me well rested for the night's activities.  We were staying at the "Red Nest Hostel", an awesome hostel with really friendly staff. I'd definitely recommend it if you find yourself needing a place to stay in Valencia.  The girls at the reception desk told us where to party that night.  



That evening after drinking buckets of cheap vino, "Tinto de Verano", my favourite, we made our way to several bars and ended up at "The Music Box" in Valencia:  "C/Pintor Zariñena, 16 Barrio del Carmen, 46001 Valencia".  


"Barrio del Carmen" is allegedly "the place to be" at night time in Valencia.  We toured several bars and clubs and The Music Box was likely the best of the lot.  If I were to go again, I would head down to the clubs along the beach and check out "Bananas" which I hear is an awesome time.  


As far as the "day" scene is concerned, the architecture is beautiful.  At one point we came across a church and in our shorts, t-shirts and cameras walked inside past a group of men smoking in their suits.  We opened the doors, bust through, realized a WEDDING CEREMONY was taking place (the bride and groom in front of the altar) and we RAN out of their containing our giggles.  The men smoking in suits looked unfazed. 


For lunch, you just HAVE to go to this cheap and wonderful little fast food place in Valencia.  It is called "100 Montaditos" (Avenida Autopista del Saler (C. Com. Saler), 16,46012 Valencia, Spain
963 730 108).  You can also find one in Madrid.


Basically you go there, grab a menu and a pen, check off all the little tiny sandwich/bun things (montaditos) you want to order.  Some have seafood in the middle, chicken, beef, all done differently.  Basically you have a selection of 100 to choose from and most are 1 euro or 1.50 each.  You hand it in as you pay, and wait for your order.  To the right were ours and at the left is yummy dipping sauces for our fries! 


And lastly is a little video of the Dancing Fountains in the river gardens at Valencia which seemed to dance in sync with the music.  Lovely!