The last day did not end on a high note for me.
After seeing colored Mascleta the first day. I had been expected it again every day. There was still no color on the final day. I'm getting demanding here....
The Fire Parade in the evening was erroneously publicized to be 6pm, instead of 7pm - a lot of wasted time standing around, good thing it was not raining.
The Fire Parade is really Corre Foc, but a rather measly version. On the other hand, being a sucker for Corre Foc, I should be happy to see any.
Our dumb luck had it that our apartment is half a block from the #1 falla in the whole of Valencia. There were so many people all the time, we had started to walk around the block to avoid traffic. The payoff came at burning (la crema) - our front door was in the controlled zone.
Maybe because we got close, I didn't like the burning. There was fuel poured on the falla, chemical smell from burning paint, black smoke, falling debris & soot, too much heat to enjoy... It seemed brutal, not the dancing/singing around the bonfire as I had imagined.
It is not obvious when each of the fallas actually is set on fire. There is a theoretical schedule. Our two fallas burned exactly on time, but they are #1 and #2 in their categories. Also, this year they are trying to burn the fallas on a new schedule. Can one only burn when the fire department shows up?! It certainly was a very busy evening for the fire department.
Now that we checked Las Fallas off our list, I am not sure we would bother to repeat. It actually made me wonder whether we should return to Saint Eulalia celebrations in Barcelona some time....
Although the final Mascleta had "no color", the large crowd of spectators was exuberant (see short video below) despite a rain shower just before the explosions.
Here are two short videos of the Fire Parade.
The small falla (lower right) near our apartment is about to be burned.
And there it goes!
And in a dramatic turn, a change in the wind sends an unexpected plume of toxic black smoke our way forcing a retreat into our apartment buidiing.
Thirty minutes later we have front seats (see short video below) to the main event of the festival; the burning of the #1 Special Falla. The falla is surrounded by firemen who alternate streaming water on the falla and the nearby buildings.
Again, after a few minutes the heat, soot, and falling embers force us to retreat (see this short video).
3 comments:
I think that goes in the "sooner you than me" category. In Kolkata the equivalent constructions for Durga Puja end up in the river, which is less spectacular but safer.
That 2nd from last photo looks like a fantasy movie poster. Great shots John!
-weiqing
@Kathy, John was apprehensive all along. I was the one that was super excited. I love fires. At no point it was remotely unsafe - the firefighter hoses were going most of the time, at the fire or at the nearby buildings.
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