Photos: Saint Isidore Festival 15-17 May 2015 / Fotos: Fiesta de San Isidro 15-17 de Mayo 2015

Me

Saint Isidore lived here

Nice folks in traditional costume posed for me

More traditional costumes

A little parade...

...with some big people...

...and big heads

Gypsy lady playing an organ-grinder and giving out prayer cards

 

Food glorious food!

 

 

 

The anti-recession sandwich stand

Homemade stuff

Traditional roscones

Different flavored roscones have different names: Saint Clara, Smart, Stupid, Lemon, etc.

A Father in search of a flock

Goin' to the chapel

My Saint Isidore prayer card, which the gypsy lady gave me

Summer Solstice in Spain: Saint John's Night (Noche de San Juan)

Barceloneta Beach, Barcelona

Read about 10 observances of the summer solstice on the Spanish peninsula, as well as about two on Spain's islands: Summer Solstice in Spain: Fiestas of Fire!

Newsvine Articles & Posts re: Spain on Newsvine, April-June 2014

Two articles:
Spain's lonely King says: 'I don't want my son to wither away waiting like Prince Charles'

Dancing in the streets to celebrate Second Easter in Barcelona

Two posts:
Madrid college dorm bans men from using washing machines, expects females to do it for them

Group sues Spain over decision to give country's top policing award to a statue of Virgin Mary

Saints above, party in the street!

Today is a public holiday in Madrid, as well as a day of festivities in a few other places in Spain. What's it all about?
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Well, it's all supposed to be in honor of Saint Isidore the Laborer or San Isidro el Labrador. Saint Isidore (born in 1070, died on 15 May 1130) was a native of Madrid who became the patron saint of the peasants and laborers. According to legend, he was a poor peasant farmer, who along with his wife Maria (also a saint - Santa María de la Cabeza), was so generous that they shared the little they had with others. Today Saint Isidore is the patron saint of Madrid, as well as of other locations in Spain and around the world.
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Although the 15th is the official holiday, in Madrid the partying starts the Friday before that date and lasts until the the following Sunday when cookouts serving traditional Madrid stew (cocido Madrileño) are held around the region. While most events take place in or near downtown Madrid, all of the Autonomous Region known as The Community of Madrid ("Communidad de Madrid") observes the holiday. So, suburbs, neighboring towns and even small villages have their own special events.
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Back in the city, probably one of the most traditional parts of the of the observance is the pilgrimage to the hermitage erected in the saint's honor in Saint Isidore's Meadow (La pradera de San Isidro) on the banks of the Río Manzanares River. In Plaza de las Vistillas the saint's statue is paraded around while Madrileños wear traditional costumes, enjoy picnics and drink from the plaza's fountain. At night concerts are held there. Plaza Mayor in the city center probably sees the most action, with nightly concerts and one of the biggest cocido cookouts. Another big event is the series of bullfights held at Madrid's iconic Las Ventas bullring. Of course there are many other events all week long: parades, exhibitions, street fairs, and a wide variety of musical performances -- from opera to flamenco pop to Hip-Hop; from local bands to international stars.
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Although only an official holiday in Madrid sine 1947, a picture Goya painted in 1778, La pradera de San Isidro, attests to the importance of this event in the city's past.
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Places outside the Community of Madrid that have events honoring San Isidro as their Patron Saint include:
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Tenerife, Canary Islands
Yecla, Murcia Province
Castalla, Alicante Province
Dueñas, Palencia Province
Medina de Pomar, Burgos Province
Alameda, Estepona and Nerja, Málaga Province
Bujalance and Cañete de las Torres, Córdoba Province
Alcadozo, Cenizate and Zulema, Albacete Province
Mazcuerras, Cantabria
Paterna del Campo, Huelva Province
Cañada Juncosa, Cuenca Province
Santa María del Páramo, León Province
Huétor-Tájar , Granada Province
La Lastrilla, Segovia Province
Villasequilla, ToledoProvince
Torreorgaz, Cáceres Province
and, of course, in the town of San Isidro, Almería Province.
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz

Dancing in the Street at Second Easter Time

Today is a public holiday in Barcelona – Lunes de Pascua Granada, which literally translates as something like, “Fructifying Easter Monday.” However, it is commonly called Lunes de Segunda Pascua, which is more easily translated into, "Second Easter Monday." In the English speaking world it's known as the day after Pentecost, or Whit Monday. Aside from Barcelona, this day is observed as a holiday in a few other parts of Spain, such as Valencia and the Basque Country, as well as in several European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and parts of Austria, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland...

To read more, go to the updated post here. 

Barcelona's April Fair - Feria de Abril

Today is the last day of the 37th edition of Barcelona's April Fair. Some of you may be thinking, “Why does a so-called April fair happen in May?” – and those of you who know Spain may be asking, “Isn't the April Fair held in Seville each year?”
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Well, the original April Fair, which was first held in 1847, is the one that occurs in Seville each year. It usually starts two weeks after Semana Santa (Holy Week). There are also smaller April Fairs held in several Andalusian cities and towns at around the same time.
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In 1971 immigrants to Barcelona from Andalusia, and their descendants, began their own version of this rite of spring. Today Barcelona's is the second largest April Fair in Spain, rivaled only by the one in Seville. This fair typically runs from the last week of April through the first week of May.
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So, just what is an April Fair? Well, first and foremost, it is fun. Secondly, it's an opportunity to revel in Spanish, especially Andalusian, culture – flamenco, sevillianas, rumbas, boleros, pienetas, mantillas, shawls, riding jackets, castanets, cantaores, bailaoras, Jerez sherry, manzanilla wine, tapas, gazpacho, ham, and, my favorite, the Spanish confection churrrrrrrrros!
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In Barcelona's version, the April Fair is also a celebration of multiculturalism. This is in recognition of the fact that Catalonia absorbed hundreds of thousands of “internal immigrants”from Andalusia, Murcia and Extremadura during the 50s, 60s and 70s and is now absorbing a new wave of immigrants, but this time from Latin America, Morocco, Pakistan and Eastern Europe. Indeed the current President of the Catalan government, José Montilla, was one of these “immigrants” from Andalusia, having relocated with his family to Catalonia when he was 16.
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Because of all this, aside from the typical pavilions (casetas) dedicated to towns in Andalusia, you can find others like the Casita Latina, the Centro Cultural Gitano La Mina (The Gypsy Cultural Center of La Mina) and the Moroccan pavilion, with food, drink and gifts on sale in support of El Colectivo para la Defensa y la Protección de las Constantes Sagradas del Reino de Marruecos (The Collective for the Defense and Protection of the Sacred Attributes of the Kingdom of Morocco). In addition, visitors to the festival are a mosaic of people from around Spain and the world. However, there are usually not very many tourists. For that last reason, I find it a particularly authentic experience.
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Another difference between the events in Seville and Barcelona is that in Seville the pavilions are privately owned and one must be an insider of sorts (e.g., a family member or friend, a member of an organization or willing to pay a lot of money) to gain entry. While in Seville members of the public can walk around and “press ones nose to the glass,” metaphorically speaking, at Barcelona's more egalitarian event anyone can walk into a pavilion, sit down and, if they dare, dance! In Seville, the pavilions are decorated, but tend to all look similar from the outside. In Barcelona pavilion interiors and facades are colorfully, often cleverly, decorated -- and in Barcelona, there is a even a contest for best decor!
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Each year the sponsoring organization, FECAC (Federación de Entidades Culturales Andaluzas en Cataluña = Federation of Andalusian Cultural Groups in Catalonia), chooses the top three pavilions, as well as the best interior and best facade. This year there were 58 pavilions and the prizes went to:

• 1st Prize – La Casa de Andalucía de Cerdanyola
  
• 2nd Prize and Best Facade - La Hermandad Nuestra Señora del Rocío-Los Romeros de Barcelona
  
• 3rd Prize & Best Facade - Centro Cultural Colonia Egabrense de Santa Coloma de Gramenet
  
• Best Interior - La Hermandad Nuestra Señora del Rocío de Rubí

All the pavilions of Barcelona's Feria de Abril are welcoming places where members of the public can rest from walking around the fairgrounds, buy a drink, eat a meal, snack on tapas, listen to music, watch dancers, or get up and dance. Most of the pavilions are sponsored by cultural associations created by and for Andalusian immigrants and their descendants. There are also pavilions sponsored by political parties from just about the entire spectrum. In addition to pavilions, there are stalls selling clothing, arts, crafts, and food items from around Spain. There is also a fun-fair for kids, with a Ferris wheel and other rides, as well as little stands selling hot dogs, ice-cream, cotton candy, drinks and, of course, churrrrrrrrros!
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Admission to the fairgrounds is free. Prices in the pavilions are regulated by the fair organizers, but prices in the stands and stalls are not. So, the best deals are on food and drink often in the pavilions.
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The entire thing is an 11 day feast of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. And the joy is contagious – whether its that of the professional dancers on the stages, the colorfully costumed bands of singers & dancers who roam around the grounds or the civilians strutting their stuff on the pavilion dance floors.
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¡Viva la feria de abril!
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Carloz
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P.D. Y, ¡viva los churrrrrrrrros!

May 2nd: The birthday of "Spain" or simply a rebellion against France?

That's the big debate this Dos de Mayo. In fact, aside from the events of this date being the inspiration for two of Goya's best known paintings, probably the only other things about this holiday that everyone in Spain can agree on is that this year's is the bicentennial of the Madrid Uprising, and that this act of insurrection led to the 1808-1814 Spanish War of Independence, or Peninsular War -- a war that saw Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom fighting the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte. Just about everything else is up for debate.
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First, let me give a brief chronology of events:

• October 1807 – French troops invade Portugal, after passing through Spain, which at the time was an ally of France.


• February 1808 – French troops invade Spain. (So much for alliances!)


• March 17 – King Charles IV of Spain abdicates.


• April 1808 – Napoleon announces that his brother, Joseph, will be crowned King of Spain.


• May 2, 1808 – An insurrection against the French, today known as the Madrid Uprising, begins in the streets of the Spanish capital.


• May 3 – In retaliation French troops kill hundreds of people in Madrid, an action which only adds fuel to the fire and helps the revolt to spread throughout the country.


• June 6 – Joseph Bonaparte is proclaimed King of Spain.


• August – Full blown war rages across the Iberian Peninsula.


• March 12, 1812 - The first Spanish Constitution is adopted by the Cortes Generales, the national legislature operating in refuge at Cádiz.


• March 1814 – King Charles' son, Ferdinand VII, returns to Spain as King, with a promise to uphold the constitution.


• April – Napoleon abdicates and the Treaty of Paris is signed.


• May – Ferdinand reneges on his promise, suspends the constitution and arrests many involved in its creation. (So much for promises!)

As you can see from this bare-bones outline, during this seven year period one absolute monarch (Charles IV) abdicated , the people rose up against a foreign absolute monarch (Bonaparte), the first Spanish constitution was written, and a constitutional monarch (Ferdinand VII) came to the throne, who then dissolved the constitution and proclaimed himself absolute monarch.
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And this they call the Spanish War of Independence?! Well, not all Spaniards do. For example, here in Catalunya some refer to it as the French War. However, disagreement isn't limited to Catalunya, nor does it only focus on what the war should be called.
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No, the big debate today seems to be about whether or not a sense of Spain as a unified nation began to take shape on May 2, 1808. Some people see the events of that day and the war that followed as a point of reference for the development, for the first time, of a Spanish national identity. Others view it as simply a revolt against French cruelty and not something rising out of a common feeling of Spanishness.
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Historians, journalists, politicians and people on the street argue about which version of events is “true.” Indeed, it seems to me that Spanish newspapers have been covering this debate much more than commemorative events, such as the reenactment of the uprising or the Goya exhibition at the Prado, which includes the recent restorations of his masterpieces on the subject, 2 de Mayo and 3 de Mayo.
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To give you an idea of what I mean, below are snippets based on what I've read lately, mostly in El País, El Periódico and Público.
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One of the most vocal, and controversial, proponents of the “birth of Spain” point of view is Esperanza Aguirre, President of the Autonomous Community of Madrid. She has said, "If Spaniards rebelled against Napoleon, it was because they already had a sense of Spain as a great nation and therefore wouldn't tolerate anyone imposing their will on it."
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Some see positions like hers as hearkening back to the popular interpretation of May 2nd in the Franco era. Novelist Arturo Pérez-Reverte has described, “the myth that Spaniards of my generation were taught at school in the 50s and 60s: resistance to the last; defense of homeland and religion; unified feelings of collective loyalty to a Spain united in all its diversity, and so on.”
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Others go so far as to say the war was actually “the first Spanish civil war.” Although this notion seems to be shot down by most historians, Rafael Torres, author of 1808 - 1814 España contra España (Spain vs Spain), definitely seems to be of this opinion. He has even claimed that the seeds of the Carlist Wars and the Spanish Civil War were sown in this so-called Spanish War of Independence.
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Another interesting take on the meaning of it all was also from Arturo Pérez-Revert, when he said that what really came after the seven years of war was, "the return of the most infamous king in Spanish history, Fernando VII, the abolition of constitutional rights, and crushing proof that Spaniards got their enemies confused in 1808 – or a few years earlier when it was perhaps still possible to set up a guillotine in Madrid's Puerta del Sol. It was a mistake we are still paying for 200 years later."
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And he might have added that after all those years, Spaniards are still arguing about it -- and probably will be for the next 200 years, too!
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz
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P.S. For a more thorough, but still brief, synopsis of May 2nd and the subsequent war, click here.
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P.P.S. The painting in the photo above is "Malasaña y su Hija" (Malasaña and his Daughter) by Eugenio Álvarez Dumont. Manuela Malasaña, a young seamstress, was one of the people killed in the uprising. Today she is considered a Spanish heroine, with streets, plazas, schools, and a lively Madrid neighborhood named after her. (I lived in that neighborhood for one year and, so, my description of it as lively is from first-hand experience!)

Saint George - dragon + roses + books = Saint George's Day!

Today is Saint George's Day in several parts of Spain (Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia), as well as in England and Portugal. (Saint George also has commemorative days in other countries and cities, including the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and the city of Moscow, but those observations are at different times of the year.)
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Here in Barcelona el Día de San Jorge (Spanish) / la Diada de Sant Jordi (Catalan) is a sort of Valentines-like celebration involving roses and books. Apparently roses have been associated with this day since medieval times, and it is believed that it was in the 15th century that the local tradition began of giving a rose your loved one on this date. A slightly newer tradition is that of giving a book along with the rose. Apparently in 1923 a Barcelona book publisher got the idea to combine the commemoration of the death of Saint George with that of two writers who also died on April 23rd -- Miguel Cervantes and William Shakespeare.
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Nowadays the book and rose are accompanied by a little Catalan flag (la senyera) and a wheat stem. The rose represents passion; the wheat, fertility; the flag, the patron saint of Catalonia -- Saint George! And the book -- well, one could say it represents intellect, but perhaps commerce would be equally accurate. Since Barcelona is the publishing capital of both the Catalan and Spanish languages, it is promoted very heavily by all publishing houses, as well as bookstores, libraries, schools and such. Indeed, it is probably the biggest day for book sales in Catalonia.
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Stalls are set up all over the city to sell books and roses to passers by. Bookstores and libraries host special events, including book signings. This year's hottest seller will probably be "El Juego del Ángel" (The Angel's Game), local writer Carlos Ruíz Zafón's prequel to "La Sombra del Viento," (The Shadow of the Wind) which was published in time to coincide with the festivities. As a matter of fact, he is in town to personally autograph copies.

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Of course there's also a special food tradition -- the Saint George's Day cake, designed to represent the Catalonian Flag. (See photo above.)
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This year's observance has an interesting twist since many Brits are in town to attend the Manchester United vs Barça soccer Champions League semi final at Camp Nou stadium. Thousands of them have been walking around waving red and white flags on a day that honors Catalonia's and England's patron saint.
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As a matter of fact, the city government was a little worried about the possibility of inebriated fans running loose all over the city, so a "ManUn fan village" has been set up in the Olympic Port near my house. Thousands of visitors spent the afternoon drinking and singing beside the marina, while local police quietly patrolled the area. I didn't see too many bookstalls around there.
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Happy Saint George's Day, amig@s,
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Carloz

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P.S. If you haven't read "The Shadow of the Wind", I highly recommend it. It's a good story set in post-civil war Barcelona. The new book, "El Juego del Ángel" (The Angel's Game), is being translated by Lucia Graves, poet Robert Graves' daughter, for publication in spring 2009. This prequel takes place in 1920s and 30s Barcelona.

Click here to see a few photos I took on Saint George's Day. 

Mercy, mercy me, it's La Merce!

Today has been another public holiday in Barcelona. The last one was September 11th, which is sort of "Catalonia Day" and is called the Diada. Today, September 24th, is a holiday in the city of Barcelona, not in all of Catalonia nor anywhere else in Spain. It's called "La Mercè" which means The Mercy and which refers to Our Lady of Mercy. It's Barcelona's "Fiesta Mayor" or "Main Festival."
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Every city, town and village in Spain has a "fiesta mayor" and many were originally based on saints and such. In big cities, in addition to the official ones which are public holidays, every neighborhood has it's own little "fiesta mayor" which, while not official holidays, involve such things as parades, street parties, communal meals, concerts, carnivals for children, etc. I suppose one of the reasons for these little fiestas is that many big city neighborhoods were once separate towns. Anyway, just about every week in Barcelona there is a neighborhood "fiesta mayor" somewhere. But La Merce is the whopper of 'em all.
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Nearly every corner of the city has had something going on this weekend, including parades, firework displays, food tents, arts and crafts booths, outdoor concerts, etc. I just came in from the final parade of day, the Parade of the Giants. The giants, known as "gigantes y cabezudos" in Spanish, are made of paper mache and are worn like a costume by marhers. Cartoonish and imposing at the same time, they are representative of Kings, Queens, Pirates, Fishmongers, Laborers, Dragons and more. There was one of a woman with a breast exposed who was holding a platter with a stingray on it. I couldn't quite figure that one out. There was also a pair of giants dressed like a priest and a showgirl that seemed to resemble Prime Minister Zapatero and his wife. Hmmmm.

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One of my favorite parts of the close of the festivities is the ability to walk in the middle of Via Laietana at dusk with hundreds of other people. This street, normally full of vehicular traffic, is converted into a pedestrian walkway after the parade. Walking in the middle of it allows for a different perspective of the architecture.
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On my way home tonight I also walked through the street carnival that has been set up near the Barceloneta Yacht Basin. To be honest I had one thing in mind -- to buy fresh, hot, sugar-coated churros! My objective was easily reached, so now I will say goodbye and enjoy the treat. (OK, OK... I admit I ate a few before I got home. However, more await!)
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz

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P.S. I was inspired this weekend to translate/adapt the articles about La Merce that appear in the Spanish and Catalan versions of Wikipedia for the English version, since it had contained nothing about the holiday previously. If you want to read about its history, click the following link: La Merce on Wiki.

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P.S. The photo above is from Larry&Flo's postings on Flickr. For more great photos of the event visit their pages.

Spain's Saturday News: The bulls, nudes and politicians are running!

The running of the toros begins in Pamplona. The bulls were after the crowds in the streets of Pamplona today for the first 'encierro' (bull run) of the Festival of San Fermin. Of course injuries are inevitable as throngs make a mad dash ahead of the two ton animals charging down the narrow streets, but only seven people have been treated for minor injuries so far.
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Last year, more than 200,000 people traveled to Pamplona, according to the city government, and even more are expected this year because the start of the festival fell on the beginning of a weekend. The major day of the festival is always July 7th, when thousands march and dance through the streets of Pamplona with an effigy of Saint Fermin.
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Every day of the festival has a carnival atmosphere, with rides, dancing and lots of wine and sangria. At night the partying intensifies, with street entertainers and large puppet-like 'giants' roaming around. Then in the morning, the encierro begins again.

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Click here for photos of the fiesta.
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The running of the desnudos, too. This past Thursday Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) organized a nude march through Pamplona. Animal rights activists wearing red scarves, fake horns and not much else chanted slogans such as, ''Bulls yes! Bullfighters no!'' and ''Torture isn't culture.''
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A statement on PETA’s website reads: “The Running of the Bulls and bullfighting are often justified as culture and tradition, but some traditions – like child labour and slavery – are bad and need to end.”

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Click here for photos of the event.
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Then there's the running of the politicos. El Pais reported today that according to a survey conducted by CIS (Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas), 45% of those surveyed who sRunning of theaw or listened to the debate thought Prime Minister Zapatero won, while only 16.5% thought opposition leader Rajoy did. In addition, 60% responded that Zapatero seemed knowledgeable about the problems facing the country, 70% that he demonstrated moderation during the debate and 63% that he handled criticism well. Rajoy scored 56%, 34% and 34% respectively on the same questions.
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Click here to see more of the results.

Verbena Tranquila: Commentary on BCN’s Summer Solstice Celebration (Saint John’s Night)

Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 26 June, 2007

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Below is my translation of a major part of an editorial in Monday’s El Periodico de Catalunya regarding Saint John’s Night (La Noche de San Juan / La Nit de Sant Joan):

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“A Tranquil Festival”

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“Another year has produced the traditional images of Saint John’s Night. In a world daily growing more globalized and lacking in references, this festival connects us to a culture, to a way of celebrating the passing of time, to the ancient rites of our civilization. Belonging to this manner of observing the shortest night are: bonfires, fireworks, fire worship, and the urge to celebrate associated with the solstice and heat.

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There are other images, too, although not always so edifying. The hangover of a night measured by kilos of trash accumulated on the beach or a few episodes of antisocial behavior do not manage to mar the natural, desirable and deserved public joy.

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Sadly, there were accidents. Certainly a single tragedy dampens a celebration. At the same time, this year we can be generally pleased with the tranquility that reigned over 2007’s festivities.

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Government warnings regarding the handling of fireworks had their desired effect, although such precautions should be maximized to result in zero risk. We should congratulate ourselves on the normality of it all; which is to say that even in the most crowded of festivals, we are able to behave as a mature society.”

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I couldn’t agree more! There was such a mix of people, too: children, adults, senior citizens, families, couples, neighbors, natives, immigrants, tourists, straights, gays… And as exciting and action-packed as it all was, there was such a feeling of community, peace and, yes, tranquility.

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Here is a link to the original article: Verbena tranquila

Barceloneta and beyond (well, a little) during the summer solstice celebration

Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 24 June, 2007

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It’s just after 4:30am and I’m back home for a little break, so here’s another update. The fantasticness (Merriam-Webster lists it) of this night has continued. My fellow carrefoc spectator decided to go home, so I walked over to Pl. del Mar to meet some friends. On the way over, I joined a few people (strangers) jumping over a little bonfire for good luck — emphasis on “little.”

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At Pl. del Mar there was a stage set up with a pretty good Spanish rock group called Electronico playing. However, my interest in them waned as my curiosity grew about what was going on further up along the seaside. My friends were enjoying dancing, so I decided to head up the coast on my own. (You see, Pl. del Mar is at one end of the Barcelona beachfront. The other end is about 6.5 ks, or 4 miles, away, at the Rio Besos — Kisses River. The distance is only an estimate, but it shouldn’t bee too far off.)

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The crowd was thicker than on Sundays when the tourists are joined by all the locals taking their Sunday seaside stroll. The place was packed! The beach was completely full as well as the “paseo” that runs along it. People were walking, sitting, dancing, drinking ,eating, playing games and, of course, throwing fireworks.

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At the first chiringuito (the name given to the small bars located directly on the beach) I passed, the music was blaring electronic dance music. The next one had a DJ playing old disco music. (For example, Fly, Robin, Fly.)

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Then I passed the Restaurante Salamanca, a seaside institution in Barcelona, which had a very lively crowd beside it. This eatery, which is a block from my apartment building, is well known for its paella and seafood dishes, not for music or dancing. So, imagine my surprise when I realized Salamanca had a DJ playing music on its beachfront terrace. He was about 70 years old, dressed in dark blue slacks, a crisp blue shirt, blue suspenders and a bright green tie. This fellow was wowing the crowd with hot salsa music and Spanish dance hits. Unable to resist, I stopped and danced until the restaurant management made him close down around 2 am, despite cries of “Otra! Otra! Otra!”(or ”More! More! More!”) from the ecstatic crowd. Everyone around me was disappointed to see him fold up his equipment.

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Then I thought, “Hey, I always stay here in La Barceloneta for San Juan. I wonder what’s happening even further up the beach? Even to the other end?” All of a sudden I knew how to find out first hand exactly how folks spend San Juan outside of my barrio — Bicing! (Bicing is the Barcelona public transit system’s bicycle lending service. See June 17th post, Biking with Bicing in Barcelona for more details.)

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Just a few feet / meters away was a Bicing bike stand, so I walked on over and used my magnetized membership card to get a bicycle. Then I was off on a wonderful night “madrugada” ride to Besos.

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Between Barceloneta and the Puerto Olímpico (aka Port Olímpic) night-life area, the paseo and beach were full of people enjoying the night. In fact the beach was as crowded then as it normally is during the daytime! Only, now there were ”moon-bathers” who were gathered around torches and bonfires.

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The Puerto Olímpico area, where Northeners and Southerners "meat", was even more intense than usual. The outdoors was as stuffed as the scores of discos in the area usually are. Despite the large number of people, other cyclers and I didn’t have much trouble getting through.

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Next was Nova Icaria Beach, which is usually a lot quieter than Puerto Olímpico at night. Tonight it certainly wasn’t! The chiringuitos were rocking, people were lying on the beach and walking up and down the paseo. The next two areas, Bogatell Beach and Mar Bella Beach, had similar scenes. As I was riding along Bogatell, the lights went out on a section of the paseo, which led to lots of oohs and ahhs from the crowds around me and on the sand below, as this improved the view of the fireworks blasting in the skies above us. I believe the outage was an accident, however, because the next area, Mar Bella, had lights ablaze.

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As Mar Bella gave way to Nova Mar Bella Beach the crush of people continued to increase. Then as I passed the only sand dunes on BCN’s beaches I saw an incredible sight: the beachfront, from there until practically the end of the access to Nova Mar Bella Beach about a half a kilometer beyond, was chock-full of people dancing to the music of the four chiringuitos that are spaced out along the sea. It was just about standing room only — and people were still arriving! All of the bars had DJs playing similar dance music so that there was a semblance of musical continuity as I sailed by.

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The next area was broken up by construction that is underway for Barcelona’s new aquatic zoo. Therefore, in that section there was no one on the beach, as people are not allowed on the seafront there. The area that follows is the remnant of Barcelona’s Universal Forum of Cultures held in 2004. It is a 18,000 square meter fairground, similar to an Olympic Games site or a World’s Fair site. People were going to and coming from the giant tents that serve as dance areas along the sea.

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After a quick glide across the bridge that spans the Forum yacht basin, I ended up at Barcelona’s newest beach. The crowds were much thinner there, but judging from the burnt out sparklers and spent rocket shells, the area must have been jammed with revelers earlier on. When I was riding by there were groups of people scattered around little fires in the sand, while they drank, talked, sang and watched the concentration of fireworks in the skies above the area I’d just ridden over from. Next, I basically retraced my ride.

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In both directions, there were people who greeted me (”¡Hola hombre!” ; “¡Que pasa bien!” which means, ”May good things happen to you!”), cheered me on when they saw the type of bike I was riding (”Bicing! Bicing! Bicing!”) and stopped to chat with me. I even met a nice couple from Leeds who are in town for a medical conference.

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Well, now it’s about 5:30am and the sun will be rising soon. It’s quieter — no more fireworks at a rat-tat-tat speed, but just an occasional whistle followed by a blast. I’m going to head out to Barceloneta beach, plant myself in the sand and thank old sol as I watch another of its grand appearances.

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Good night and good morning…

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Responses

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By: Colin on June 24th, 2007 at 2:34 pm

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Wow! it sounds amazing! The only comparison I have is last New Year in Gran Canaria. The fireworks were pretty amazing and the party went on all night - sadly I had to get a plane home at 2.00pm on New Years Day so I couldn’t stop out too late. BTW… I checked the Cambridge dictionary and there is no ‘fantasticness’ in it… methinks this is one reason why the language is still called ‘English’!!!

The Night of Fire - La Noche del Fuego - La Nit de la Foc

Incredible, so far! I just came home for a break in-between the correfoc in Pl. de la Barceloneta and the corretillada until dawn in Pl. del Mar. I went to the correfoc with a friend after eating dinner and desert (coca de nueces) at my place. We watched some of the smaller fireworks from my terrace then walked over to Pl. de la Barceloneta. My friend had never seen the Barceloneta carrefoc before, and he thought he was only in store for more of the spattering of fireworks that was going on (and is still going on!) in the streets.

Then as we got a few blocks from my apartment he noticed that Barceloneta’s little lanes were becoming more and more packed. Gradually we began to hear drumbeats and, as we turned a corner, to see flashes of light coming from a couple of streets ahead. Round one more corner and we saw a throng of people leading up to the plaza - young people, senior citizens, families, tourists, couples, groups of friends, etc.

I was a little braver than usual and eventually made my way right up to the edge of the square where all the fireworks were going off from the revelers costumes. My friend elected to watch from a little further behind. From my vantage point I could see, hear, feel, smell and practically touch what was happening before us.

The sparklers and firecrackers were carried by the performers in heavily gloved hands, attached to decorated helmets, spewing from knee-pads, literally jumping off of shoes, etc. The costumes were mostly red and black, although one group wore white clothes covered with hand-painted twists and twirls. Some of of my favorite participants were:

- the guy who had a back-piece that looked like a crude pair of wings, which in fact was a launching pad for a thunderstorm of pyrotechnics that went off as he ran like hell around the plaza;

- the person on roller skates, whose skates shot off sizzling sparklers in front and behind as he whizzed by the crowd;

- the two human flamethrowers.

- the giant wire-mesh fish on wheels that was rolled out near the finale to shoot Roman candles high into the sky.

All of this took place with live music in the background — percussive and wind instruments to provide the rhythm to an impressive spectacle.

Wow!

P.S. I’ll try to come back by in a few hours to write an update! If not, tomorrow at some point I’ll write more.

Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 23 June, 2007

In Today’s News: Tonight Won’t Be Just Any Night

The Flame Has Arrived! I learned a bit more about local traditons today from an El Periodico article entitled, “Hogueras y verbenas festejan la noche de San Juan.” (Bonfires and festivals celebrate Saint John's Night.)

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It seems that a flame called La Flama del Canigo is transported from the Catalan area of France to Barcelona. It arrives in the city via Ave. Meridiana in the morning. After being recevied in the Catalan Parliament building it is carried down Ave. Diagonal to Pl. Sant Jaume, where the City Hall and the Generalitat stand across from one another. There representatives of Barcelona’s neighborhoods and of towns and cities throughout Catalunya collect a part of the flame to take to their respective communities to light bonfires.

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The article then went on to highlight the festivals in the city of Sabadell (about 75ks north of Barcelona) and my neighborhood, Barceloneta. Speaking of which, I’ve got to go as the carrefoc will start soon.

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P.S. Another great photo taken in Barceloneta by Greg Gladman. Here is a link to a Flickr page with more of his fantastic photos of the fiesta: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ggladman/sets/72157594175614703/

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Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 23 June, 2007

In Friday’s News: Solstice Beach Celebrations; Immigration Trends; EU Response to Spain’s Construction Boom; A Weather Prediction

Not only in Barcelona! La nit més curta també es viu a les platges catalanes. (The shortest night is lively on Catalan beaches, too.) Although I will enjoy Saint John's Night in my little neighborhood of Barceloneta, there are, of course a wide variety of celebrations throughout the city as well as throughout the Autonomous Region of Catalonia. Communities up and down the coast, as well as in the interior of the region, have special festivities. Coastal areas have fireworks displays, bonfires and all night dances on the beaches.
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For example, one of BCN’s next door neighbors, Badalona, will host Summersand, an outdoor electronic music festival with several well known DJs. Further north in Mataró, local bands will perform on the city’s beaches. Meanwhile down south in Tarragona, American ska band, The Toasters, will be appearing on Miracle beach. And the photo above is from an invitation I received to a beach party in Gava Mar.

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From one extreme to another: According to the daily newspaper-ito Que!, the neighborhoods in Barcelona with the most Saint John’s Night festivals are Horta and Sant Martí, with 12 each, followed by Sants with 11 and Gracia with 10. The most tranquil are Sant Andreu with 1, Ciutat Vella (this one's actually in my neighborhood, Barceloneta), Les Corts and Sarriá-Sant Gervasi with 2 and Nou Barris with 3.

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Well, Ciutat Vella may only have one neighborhood festival, but it is in Barceloneta and it is definitely a ¡FIESTA! I’m sure all of those neighborhoods with multiple street festivals will be fun to party in but they all lack one thing we are blessed with – A BEACH! ¡Viva la Barceloneta!

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1 in 4 in 2015: Another daily freebie, Metro, reported that if the current trend remains the same, 14.2% of the population of Spain will be immigrant by the year 2015. This was in a report by the Grupo de Estudios de Tendencias Sociales-Fundación Sistema, which also included a profile of today’s typical immigrant: an individual between 30 and 40 years old (49.6%), who rents (82%), holds a temporary job (49%) and who came to Spain without a work permit (72.4%).

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This report reminded me of an interesting article I read recently in Business Week: How Spain Thrives on Immigration. Click on the title to read the article online.

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EU scolds Spain: Today several papers reported on the fact that yesterday the European Parliament passed a motion critical of the unchecked urban development in Madrid and along the Mediterranean. The body apparently agrees with those who claim that poor regulation has combined with corruption and greed to result in a “disastrous effect” on the environment. Parliament claims that the “massive development projects do not respond to real needs.”

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Next week the European Commission plans to take the government of the Autonomous Region of Valencia to the European Court of Justice on a related matter.

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It will be interesting to see how all of this develops and what effect it may have on the construction boom in Spain.

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Surprise, surprise - good weather in Spain: The National Meteorological Institute predicts clement weather in Spain this summer. What a relief!

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Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 22 June, 2007

ANNUAL SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION IN BARCELONA THIS WEEKEND

Barcelona’s observation of the summer solstice is a fiesta called Saint John’s Night. (La Noche de Sant Juan in Spanish; La Nit de Sant Joan in Catalan.) The event involves an all nighter of fireworks, moonlight swimming, bonfires on the beach, eating a special pan like pastry called coca (it can be either sweet or salty, e.g. made with candied fruits or with pine nuts) and drinking, of course — usually lots of the Catalan sparkling wine known as cava. This year’s fiesta starts at sunset on Saturday June 23rd and lasts until sunrise on Sunday.
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The fiesta’s roots stretch back to the time when Mediterranean people worshipped nature. At that time one tradition was the building of bonfires on the summer solstice in order to shed light on the shortest night of the year. In the 7th century the church forbad the ritual as pagan. However, the people kept the tradition alive by Christianizing it as a homage to Saint John the Baptist.
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During the Middle Ages it was believed that on this night witches and demons came out and that by jumping over a bonfire was purifying. Today some people still jump over bonfires, but the idea now is to say goodbye to the old, welcome the new and make a wish.

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The fireworks are actually pretty intimidating. There don’t seem to be many governmental controls on the sale or use of fireworks here, so on Saint John’s Night it’s a case of sparklers, firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets, etc. going off all around you. So, if you’re out and about, you need to take care.

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The City of Barcelona has a special web page devoted to Saint John’s Night. It is full of information about the traditions and foods, including recipes for things like Coca with Fruit and Pine Nuts and Coca with Pork Craklin. It also has a lisiting of the various festivites by neighborhood. (If you want to see where I’ll be, click on Ciutat Vella on the map of Barcelona.) http://www.bcn.es/santjoan/en/

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P.S. The photo above was taken in my neighborhood in 2006 by Greg Gladman. Here is a link to a Flickr page with more of his fantastic photos of the fiesta: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ggladman/sets/72157594175614703/

Related: Summer Solstice in Spain: Fiestas of Fire!