It’s Father’s Day today here in Spain and a national holiday but the festivites started at the weekend with the Las Fallas fiesta.
What started as a feast day for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, has evolved into a 5-day, celebration ending with firework displays and “the fires”.
How the Spanish like their fiestas!
Las Fallas is the tradition of creating and erecting huge Spitting Image style statues of political figures, celebrities and royalty then burning them in a ritual known as La Crema.
Can you believe that they spend a year creating these figures only to erect them for a few days and burn them down? Reminds me of that churn and burn listbuilding method that some ruthless internet marketers use to make money online .
Sounds like a complete waste of time, money and effort to me not to mention the dangers associated with burning them but the locals insist it is great fun and something not to be missed.
The biggest statues are apparently found in Valencia which is about an hours drive from where we are on the Costa Blance but we saw them erecting some in Denia, about 15 minute from us, on Saturday evening.
Children were having great fun letting off loud fireworks in the streets.
Here are some pictures we took.
Yes, that’s me bundled up! It was cold and windy that day but back to 20 C and sunny today.
St Patricks Day falls just two days before this so of course it’s a great excuse for the Irish to celebrate in style too. We popped down to Moriara on Sunday for the music festival they put on over the weekend but I think we missed the best of it on Saturday. The bands that were on Sunday were mainly rock bands with the bass so lound that it goes right through you. Not my type of music at all.
We enjoyed watching the two girls performance of the Irish Step Dancing.
Watch out for my update on the Turn $100 into $2000 Challenge very soon.
Hi Sandy,
I hope you’re having a great time! The pictures are beautiful.
Just curious, what kind of music do you enjoy?
I hope the weather warms up for you.
Thanks, Sandy. – Steve
Hi Steven,
Yes, we are having a good time and enjoying the sunshine. It’s been sunny and reached 20C the last couple of days. Better weather than they are having in England at the moment that’s for sure.
I like trad jazz best and we are going to Calpe tomorrow to listen to the Hot Dogs Jazz Band.
Sandy
Ok Sandy, you’re having too much fun in Spain. I’m seriously jealous that you are over there having all that fun, while we’re here enduring this pollen. I guess someone has to have a good time. Hope you make it back soon so you can get back to work. lol
Actually Jerry, sad as it may seem, when we are out and about I am sometimes wanting to be back at the computer working. I’m seriously thinking I may be addicted and getting withdrawal symtoms! Lol 🙂
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
wow those pictures of the sculptors are really beautiful.
It’s amazing what artisans can produce.
Are you living in Spain and are you a surfer?
I’ll have to read the about section to learn more.
Very nice blog.
Tonya
Hi Tonya,
Good to see you here on my blog.
The figures used to be made out of papier mache but these days they are made with styrofoam I believe. I dread to think what toxins fumes they give off when they are burned!
I am not living in Spain, just here on a 4 week break. We would like to spend longer here though and that is the aim now my husband has retired.
All the best
Sandy
I think some of the above images are made using 3d software.
Hi Karnima,
The pictures were taken with a Sony Cybershot camera.
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
Sounds like you’re having fun 🙂
Those statues look impressive don’t they, so much work must go into them. i know you said it takes a year but until you see them you just don’t realise.
The Spanish do love their fireworks don’t they. I took part in a sponsored push across Spain back in the 90 and we were in Pamplona for the bull run. After the run they have a huge party and during it they have a wooden bull, clad in fireworks, on a wheeled trolley. They light the tail and push it through the crowd with everyone diving out the way.
Of course the locals know it’s coming but us visitors…. Let’s just say it came as a shock when i saw this raging bull bearing down on me and i had to get my wheelchair out the way PDQ, which i only just managed.
Apparently the bloke pushing the bull can’t see a thing with all the fireworks going off.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday Sandy
barry
Hay Barry,
It’s great to see you here. Hope you are fully recovered now from your op.
I’ve heard about the bull run in Pamplona but I didn’t know about the wooden bull event. Must have been very scary.
The health and safetly people in the UK would never allow that sort of thing would they? They would have a heart attack if they saw what goes on here.
The fire brigadea are standing ready at Las Fallas fiestas and they even hose down the buildings near the burning statues to prevent them catching fire!
We are certainly in the right place here as I hear there is sleet in London and my son has 4 inches of snow up in Stoke-on-Trent.
All the very best.
Sandy
Father’s day celebration is really a good idea.There is alot of day’s celebration for women , but i never heared about celebrating the day of father’s or men.This is really great news.IT IS VERY GOOD TO CELEBRATE THE DAY OF OUR PARENTS IN GENERAL.tHEY DESERVE REALLY OUR ATTENTION.Celebrating days of that kind brings relief to our life and our lovers: either our parents , sisters and brothers or any one.It is really good enough to solve problems and make relationships strong.
Hi Nabil,
don’t know where you live but Father’s day is celebrated in a lot of other countries but in Spain they make a really big thing of it and not so much of Mother’s day. You are right, our parents deserve recognition for what they do for us.
Sandy
Hi Las Vegas,
I would always suggest going with your own hosted blog and not a free site because of the restrictions they imposes. It can present problems if you ever change your mind and want to transfer to a self hosted blog.
Good luck
Sandy