The locals get dressed up in their Fallas Finest and spend the whole weekend parading around the city streets in their Fallas groups.
Saturday, 22 April 2017
Las Fallas - The Final Weekend
Then the grand weekend comes and Valencia explodes. They say there is one million in Valencia for the last weekend of Las Fallas and I can believe it.
The locals get dressed up in their Fallas Finest and spend the whole weekend parading around the city streets in their Fallas groups.
The locals get dressed up in their Fallas Finest and spend the whole weekend parading around the city streets in their Fallas groups.
The Ninots
The Ninots
There is a huge industry in Spain for making huge models and in Valencia it is at it's peak. Hoards of artisans work all year building the Las Fallas Ninots, and each barrio has a main one and one for the children. Bigger more wealthy barrios have huge one, with other having smaller more local ones, but all brilliant.
Some of them are 40 feet high and costs hundreds of thousands. Each Barrio displays them, and then they are judged, the winner goes into the Fallas Museum, and all the others are burnt on the final night of Fallas in a ceremony called the Crema. It seems such a shame with all the work that goes into creating them. But suppose where would they all be kept.
Our understanding is that the history comes out of the original fiesta where are the rubbish was piled into the streets and burnt each Spring. Then came the Fallas.
Here are some of them.
There is a huge industry in Spain for making huge models and in Valencia it is at it's peak. Hoards of artisans work all year building the Las Fallas Ninots, and each barrio has a main one and one for the children. Bigger more wealthy barrios have huge one, with other having smaller more local ones, but all brilliant.
Some of them are 40 feet high and costs hundreds of thousands. Each Barrio displays them, and then they are judged, the winner goes into the Fallas Museum, and all the others are burnt on the final night of Fallas in a ceremony called the Crema. It seems such a shame with all the work that goes into creating them. But suppose where would they all be kept.
Our understanding is that the history comes out of the original fiesta where are the rubbish was piled into the streets and burnt each Spring. Then came the Fallas.
Here are some of them.
Las Fallas 1
Las Fallas is a huge fiesta held every year in Valencia and starts on the 1st March building up to a grande finale at the weekend of the 19th March or so.
On the first of March is started with a welcme festival by the Serrano Gate, where the people of Valencia announce the Fiesta and invite all the people from over the bridges to come and join them. The streets were heaving so we decided to stay on our balcony and hopefully see something. The fireworks at midnight were brilliant and were followed by dressed up people and marching bands.
This was going to be the norm from this day.
All over the city there were crews setting up lights and marquees on ever corner. Las Fallas is a fiesta for the people of Valencia. It was never intended as a tourist spectacule. Each of the Barrios (districts of the city), have Fallas committees which spend the year raising money and designing their own Fallas Ninots (more of that later. It is a real community effort, from children to grown ups.
This year the theme was Unesco.
Ninots
Throughout the week more statues go up, the lights go on and you see more ladies dressed up.
On the first of March is started with a welcme festival by the Serrano Gate, where the people of Valencia announce the Fiesta and invite all the people from over the bridges to come and join them. The streets were heaving so we decided to stay on our balcony and hopefully see something. The fireworks at midnight were brilliant and were followed by dressed up people and marching bands.
This was going to be the norm from this day.
All over the city there were crews setting up lights and marquees on ever corner. Las Fallas is a fiesta for the people of Valencia. It was never intended as a tourist spectacule. Each of the Barrios (districts of the city), have Fallas committees which spend the year raising money and designing their own Fallas Ninots (more of that later. It is a real community effort, from children to grown ups.
This year the theme was Unesco.
The Mascleta is held every lunch time in Plaza Ajustamente. The central square is fenced off and at 2pm an artillery barrage occurs. It is sponsored by different organisations and builds up to a crescendo on the last time. At the beginning of the March you can easily walk into the plaza to feel the display, by the mid March there are so many people you cannot get near it.
They reckon that 1 million people are in Valencia for the final weekend.
They reckon that 1 million people are in Valencia for the final weekend.
The childrens parades go on for a few days and the Ninot competition is held to find the finest childrens Ninot in the city.
Throughout the week more statues go up, the lights go on and you see more ladies dressed up.
Monday, 10 April 2017
Completely Unrelated Things
Wine Tasting
Lots of unrelated things that we have done
We had another another wine tasting at Gastrotechnik. This time fizz from a trendy wine maker in the region. Very nice it was too... hic!
On Sunday we walked across the Turia to the Belles Artes. Museum of Fine Art.
Lots of religious art, a bit too much but the early stuff was stunning, the 18c boring and the more modern stuff interesting.
While we were walking around the gallery it was apparent something was going on and about to leave this modern flamenco dance troupe performed in the entrance. What a treat, they were fabulous.
Janette and Carole were accosted by Johnny Depp (well not really, but he was very good)
Lots of unrelated things that we have done
We had another another wine tasting at Gastrotechnik. This time fizz from a trendy wine maker in the region. Very nice it was too... hic!
On Sunday we walked across the Turia to the Belles Artes. Museum of Fine Art.
Lots of religious art, a bit too much but the early stuff was stunning, the 18c boring and the more modern stuff interesting.
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| Janette has taken on a second career |
Janette and Carole were accosted by Johnny Depp (well not really, but he was very good)
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| OMG |
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| Lost Cat |
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| Painted Bins |
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