Fallas Day 4

We were flagging a bit today. After being woken up at 8am by fireworks that lasted an hour, we went back to sleep til 1pm so we didn't leave the house until 2pm but when we did, we were greeted by our local falleras and falleros, on their way to the flower ceremony in Plaza de la Virgin, exactly where we were heading!

The weather was a lot better today, perfect for wandering around the city and enjoying the flower ceremony.  We couldn't get a perfect view of the front and of the huge Virgin Mary statue made of flowers, but we enjoyed what we saw nonetheless.

The flowers that are offered, get put into a large display to the side of the square. 

It was so warm today!

 

Not a cloud in the sky!

Possibly my favourite part of the day- my frozen yogurt.

A very busy street in El Carmen.

Rich looking dapper in his panuelo, the traditional attire. You wear it like this, but turn it around and cover your mouth when the fallas burn tomorrow night, in the crema. 

 

There seemed to be more of a party atmosphere on the streets today, perhaps because the weather was so gorgeous, but there was a lot of dancing going on as everyone processed through town.

Tiny babies on their float!

Not bad at 5pm.

We've just had dinner and are going to watch a movie before heading out to watch tonight's fireworks.  We're debating a day out somewhere tomorrow, but I suppose that will depend on the time we wake up in the morning!

Fallas Day 3

We ventured out fairly late yesterday, after a slow and relaxed start to the day.  I was very grateful for this, after being warned how little sleep I'd get during Fallas.

We had intended to go and see some of the flower ceremony where the fallereras take flowers to a huge statue of the Virgin Mary.  However huge crowds and rain meant that wasn't really possible, but we got some pictures anyway.  Cue lots of them...

This was taken just as it started to rain more heavily, and I loved this girl's reaction!

I knew a lot of people are involved in Fallas but until you see this procession going on for hours, I don't think you can really comprehend the scale.

I absolutely love the dresses.  The fabrics are so intricate and bright, and I've never seen 2 exactly the same, although I'm sure they must duplicate materials.  I loved seeing the range of people, from older couples, young girls, children and babies, all dressed up in their finery.

Due to the wet weather, we headed home, via one of the main streets which we hadn't walked down yet, to see some other fallas.

These aren't the best pictures, as it was so overcast, but I'm not going back to take more photos in the sunshine!  There are far too many in this city for that!

I think this is my favourite that I've seen so far, partly because it comes across so well in a picture, and partly because I found it amusing. 

Anyone who's visited us knows this is a little busier than the city centre usually is on a Sunday afternoon...

This one is just over the riverbed from us, and I'm not entirely sure why it has a Kung Fu Panda and the Olympics rings.  But it's probably best not to try and understand the fallas.  I'd drive myself crazy.

After a lush dinner at Sorci e Morsi, we went to watch more fireworks to end another fab, Fallasy day.

We had a better vantage point last night, on a bridge over the park, but for tonight's lot (slighter later, at 1.30am), we're going to head further down the park to get even closer.  

I'll get today's pictures up as soon as I can!

Fallas Part 1

So this will be the first of a few posts about Fallas, simply because I took so many pictures last night, that it'll have to be spit up into daily posts.

Nothing from the first day, Friday, I'm afraid, because although we were out and about, I forgot to take my camera.  I was more prepared last night.  After a (much needed) lazy day, we headed out at 10pm ish to see the sights of Russafa, and then went to meet friends for drinks in the centre, before watching the 1am fireworks and then heading to Canovas.

I enjoyed the evening but it was scary at times too.  As people get more drunk and careless with fireworks, it can get very worrying when you're in a busy area.  Nevertheless, we kept our wits about us, and didn't drink much, and we had a good time.  Here's a few pictures...

Our local falla in Montolivet has an Avengers theme.

On the way to Russafa, walking down Peris y Valero.

The lights on Calle Suerca.  Just unbelievable!

A tunnel of light.

Looking back down the street, you get the full impact of it. 

The Calle Suerca falla appears.

Calle Suerca.

I love the humour in the fallas. 

The lights on Calle Cuba, with a very shadowy me!

On Cuba, the lights are supposed to look like Tower Bridge. Pretty impressive.  Last year, they did the Eiffel Tower.

Incredible how they hang over you. 

I loved the "cages" of flowers that hung down, it was a really pretty section.

The Calle Cuba falla.  We weren't on the right side of it really, but it was so busy and we had no chance of getting round to the front at that point. 

So then we headed for the centre of town.  The bull ring looked pretty all lit up.  Fallas marks the start of the bull fighting season, but that's one element of Spanish culture that I won't be savouring.

The lights that wrap around the centre of the street are so beautiful.

There is an "infantile falla" next to all of the much larger ones, in each falla (confusing the area is called a falla and the statue is called a falla, with the celebration being called Fallas) and these are amazing works in their own right, but are quite literally overshadowed by the larger ones.

We then headed into town,and saw the bull ring lit up and looking rather pretty.  Although Fallas marks the start of the bull fighting season, that is one element of Spanish culture that I have no interest in. 

Some of the Fallas are less comical and more subdued, such as this one, not far from Plaza Ayuntamiento.

Traditional dancing on the stage outside the town hall in Plaza Ayuntamiento.

It's quite tricky to get a good photo of some of these fallas with the floodlights, but here is the one in Plaza Ayuntamiento, with a Valencia tourist bus and tourists of different nationalities. 

Photos never do a very good job of capturing fireworks, but it was a great display nonetheless and I'm excited for tonight's already.  We're planing to watch that from along the side of the Riverbed park to get a better view. 

So today the plan is to go and see more of the fallas as we have a map detailing some of the best.  It's important to do it now, because come Tuesday night, they're all being torched!  After that we're heading to Plaza de la Virgin (just behind the cathedral for those of you that know the city) for the flower offering to the Virgin Mary that the Falleras do.  I'll upload more pictures soon!