Why Would Anyone Want to go to Valencia?!?

Because it is freakin’ awesome!  That’s why!  Yes, Las Fallas was really snazzy and may I say the Spaniards really dedicate themselves to celebrating.  The city was full to the brim with local folk as well as tourists and everyone was partying it up, even me in my own little way.  🙂

We ended up not taking the bus because by the time we were ready to purchase tickets they were sold out (awww too bad…mwah-hahahahha) so we rented a car.  The ride was super nice – and expensive!  Gas here is about $7/gallon and the tolls for this 3.5 hour drive were over 50 EU.  I don’t think I will ever drive on the turnpike again and complain about the fees.  I do have to say, they charge more but the roads look MUCH better.  Beautiful roads with gardening and whatnot.  Even with the extra cost I was happy to be on a road adventure with my Dimchik.  That is how it usually is when we travel and this was the first time since we have been here that we have hit the road in this way – so I was happy.

Valencia was much prettier than I thought it would be.  I am not sure where along the way I formed my opinion but I was wrong.   The first organized event of the day was an audio fireworks show.  What the heck is that you ask?  Yeah, my thoughts as well.  It is a series of loud explosions that create a song, like a drum band.  I was once again ready to be unimpressed (the more I write this out the more bitchy I sound!!!  LOL) but it was pretty cool.  I tried to record the event but I am not sure if it was captured to its fullest.

Las Fallas Audio Fireworks – Click to Watch & listen
Ha, I just re-watched it and I see a palm tree I thought was pretty and flipped the camera sideways…doh!  I need to try to refrain from doing that again in my future videos.  One thing I noticed when looking at this is the number of people in every direction.  This place was PACKED.  We were about a block and a half out from the sound display (not sure what the “display” was for something you hear… anyway…) and it was packed for blocks behind us as well.  It definitely felt tighter than these types of events would be in the states, mostly I think because of the lack of personal space over here.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Las Fallas festival the city of Valencia is full of large paper mache figurines and scenes that teams build throughout the year.  Then on the last day of the festival the figures are burned.  It is cool because the figures are not just in one location, they are random places.  So what we ended up doing was just wandering around and we would turn a corner and find something cool.  It is funny because even without the statues I would have been impressed with the architecture and cool courtyards so the figures were an added bonus.

Besides the burning of the figures there is also another tradition that is a big part of the celebration – explosives!  Not anything too harmful but cherry bombs /petards (hehe- petard)/etc. – not sure exactly what they are called but basically it sounded like a war zone.  Everyone, and I mean everyone, was setting off the explosives.  We would see little kids, seriously 3 and up with lighters and lit cigarettes that their parents gave them to light the bombs.  Then the kids would light the bombs and throw them in the street or in any crevice they could find.  Talk about laid back!  I think I would be too uptight to allow this but it was the norm and totally cool here.  It was nice to see them all having so much fun with it, so I put aside my uptightness and just found it funny.  But I have to say I don’t think I would give my kid more than these little white gunpowder snaps that you throw on the ground… Dima and I took a recording of the background noise while we were sitting for a break in a pretty courtyard.  It is pretty funny to listen to.  While we were sitting there and listening to our surroundings it makes you think how much these people give into celebrating.

Las Fallas Bombs and Scenery – Click to Watch & Listen

 

There are beverage and churro stands on every corner (yes, you guessed right I did indulge) there is music, paella, dancing and explosions/fireworks going off left and right and it lasted all day and al night.  If there is one way to summarize this celebration it would be that they did NOT phone it in.  They were celebrating for real.  So many times you go to a city party and people are zombie walking around and sort-of having a good time, this was a good example of throwing a party and meaning it.  Oh and the city had hoards of trash and street cleaners out on the streets cleaning up non-stop.  I liked that.  🙂

 

At the end of the night it was time to burn the figures but there was no schedule of the burnings so we had to try and wonder and find one while they were burning it.  We were lucky enough to stumble across a figure that was actually the #1 prize winner (of course we stumbled to it – it was right next to the market/shopping and we all know how I likes me some shopping!) and we noticed that there were police and firemen surrounding it.  That was our clue that they were going to burn it…2.5 hours later!  You saw the crowds from the sound fireworks, imagine it for a burning.  Once we were lodged into our spot (yes, literally lodged) it was nearly impossible to go anywhere so we sat tight, well actually stood, and kept our spot up front with a view.  I am happy we did even though I think I bruised my bladder from holding “it in” for so long…

Las Fallas : Fire It Up – Click to Watch & Listen

We came, we saw, we conquered…and then we needed to get home…at 3:30am (argh).

By the time the figure was burned and we got back to our car it was super late and we had to drive back to Barcelona.  Silly me thought we would leave at like 11pm and get back at around 2-3am.  Nope.  After dropping off the car at the rental place and getting home it was about 7:30am.   It was funny, we took the metro from the rental place and we were sitting there smelling “special” and looking like we have had a time of it the night before sitting across from the peeps that were on their way to work…and I am obviously preggers.  They were probably like “really, WTF!?!”.

Yeah, so it has taken a few days to recover and I don’t think I am going to push it like that again any time in the near future.  Getting a room for sure.

This weekend we are on our way to Seville and Grenada in the south of Spain.  This is the first of our air-travel adventures with the discount airline.  I hope it is not scary.  I am super excited!  The south of Spain is supposed to have a middle eastern vibe, which I am totally into.   We plan to explore Grenada from Sat to Sunday and see Alhambra as well as see a gypsy flamenco show in a cave (wooOOOOoooo) and then Seville on Sunday to Monday.  I will scoop you all when we come back – hopefully earlier in the week…

Oh, and then on Tuesday we have our ultrasound (21 weeks!!!).  Get to see the baby, which I am excited for AND find out the sex!  I always thought I would want to keep it as a surprise but the truth is I want to know that shit asap!  Not sure what I will do with the info, but I think it is fun to know and it will be a new level of “OMG I am really having a baby” to think of it as a boy or girl.  I am totally huge right now and I can’t even imagine how I will get bigger, as I am just at the halfway point.  Maybe it will slow down or something…somehow I doubt that though.  I am pretty flexible but I am having trouble bending to tie up my sneakers so I am happy that sandal weather is on its way over here.  Dima has been a champ and has been helping me with taking them on-off but I am excited to get some shoes with no laces.  Today I am actually going to go get a pedicure in anticipation.

Okay, I will get going now.  I am sorry I have not posted any pic albums but I am waiting on Dima and he seems to only work on pictures for Anya and Kasia, so ladies please help me out by giving him a hard time.  🙂

Much love to you guys, we really miss you really bad.  I love it here but would love it more if you were here as well…

 

Xoxoxo!!

 

Jen