I hate spring ahead

Today, I lost an hour of my life. Not that that's really a big deal since that one hour of my life would've just consisted of me sitting here, being a big ass bum. But nonetheless, I really hate spring ahead. I know it's good because it means summer is closer, but for some reason, it really annoys me. Because of it, I ended up paying 8 Euros to hang out in a club for only an hour instead of two. Because of it, I am sitting here thinking it's 4 PM when really it's already 8 PM. It's totally screwing with my mind and messing up my life! Ugh!

Disclaimer: Fran is currently PMS-ing, crabby due to hunger yet she's too lazy to cook, annoyed with the crappy weather outside, and bored out of her mind. Please ignore her retardedness.

Ewwww!

So, I've taken a bit of a break from blogging. I've just gotten kind of lazy and running out of ideas. I could talk about my new job but I don't really feel like talking about it yet. But this story I just have to share...

Last night, Sara and I were walking around looking for a discoteca. It was already 4:30 and the lines for all the clubs were super long. As we were walking down one calle to find a less obnoxious line for a club, a man decided to show us his package. And people, this was not a good package! We were totally caught by surprise with this disgustingly lewd act. I mean, there were a bunch of people there! He was walking the opposite direction and as we got closer to him, he just veered a soft right and got closer to us with his hand in his nether regions. Sara and I looked down and just said, EWWWW, loudly to his face (more like his crotch since I didn't even get to look at his face) as we quickly walked pass him with a disgusted/shocked look on our faces. You should have seen this thing! He had this like shriveled up penis with giant balls! It was nothing to show off to people. If it was showoff material, then I would understand a little more. Yes, I would still think it's disgusting, but I would be a little less shocked!

Sara and I were/are so disturbed by this. We can't seem to get it out of our heads. That image will forever haunt me. Sick!!!

Las Fallas 2008 - Images

Here are a few videos and photos from the festival. Now I know some people might think I just got these pictures off the interweb and I didn't actually go since there are no pictures of me at all. Well, there are two pictures I took of myself at the beach - and they are terrible...I totally need longer arms...or a tripod - but that could be any other beach. I really just hate bothering strangers to take pictures of me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them. And I swear, I was there!!!

Photos

Las Fallas

Video #1: A fallero on a parade. Their traditional clothing were so beautiful. I love the colorful, flowery designs.



Video #2: The Mazcleta.



Video #3: The first falla that I saw burn. I tried to capture the entire process from the beginning (when the fallero gathers around the falla) to end (when the firefighters take the fire out).



Video #4: The last falla to burn in Plaza Ayuntamiento.

Las Fallas 2008 - How I almost got smushed

The First Time

As I watched the adult falla burn, the fire all of a sudden got really really big. Everyone started walking backwards away from the fire. It was getting so big that people started getting nervous and were trying to move away a little bit faster. For a second there I thought, "Oh shit, this can potentially get really bad and everyone would start running away causing a stampede". But luckily, it didn't. The firemen were there to keep it under control. We were all safe and happily enjoyed seeing a giant fire.

The Second Time

It was almost impossible to see the last falla burn. Everyone in town was pretty much in Plaza Ayuntamiento, which is not big by any means. So everyone was trying to find a good spot. Some people went as far as climbing on top of kiosks...I still don't know how those guys got up there. Some decided to sit on large garbage bins. All over the city were large industrial garbage bins. The lids are like a semi circle, so people can still sit comfortably on the peak of the semi circle. I, unfortunately, was standing next to one of these garbages. There was just no other place for me to go. The garbage was at full capacity, seating-wise. This dumb kid (who seem to be on something) was determined to place himself on this garbage bin. And somehow he did. Throughout this whole drama, you can tell everyone was just annoyed with him. He was pretty obnoxious. Three minutes before the burning was going to start, all of a sudden the garbage lid started sliding towards my way. Down goes the people sitting on the garbage, including the jackass. It was pretty ridiculous but pretty hilarious at the same time. Everyone around me started clapping. We hated that kid.

Las Fallas 2008 - Highlights

During my trip, I took notes on my little book about anything and everything. Here they are:

• I made it!...on the 7 AM bus. I didn't get to the bus terminal until 6:50 and I had no idea where anything was. I've never been there before! Fortunately, everything went painlessly well: the ticket window was easy to find, my Spanish didn't fail me when I was buying my tickets, and the bus was parked not too far away. And the bus stopped for a 15 minute break at a rest stop and I got to eat breakfast. I just didn't have enough time in the morning and I didn't think I would last on Digestives.
  
• Mazcleta = awesome! It was loud and kinda pointless since you can't see the firework display with bright sunny skies in the background. But somehow it was still super cool. It went on for about 5 minutes. I've never had so much joy watching fireworks. Everyone was so into it that you can't help but get into it too. I just had this permanent smile on my face. Nothing could make me sad at that moment.
• Buñuelos, or bunyols. In Filipino, they are called bichukoy or buñuelos (maybe a different spelling), depending on the shape. They are basically fried dough covered in sugar (Awesome!). It totally brought me back to my childhood. You could only get them in a dozen or half a dozen. So I got half thinking I won't even be able to finish it. Oh but I did! No wonder I'm becoming Chubs McGhee!
• The fallas. Just seeing one of them made me sad to think they would all be ashes in less than 12 hours. They are beautiful, grand and elaborate. If I made one of those thing and someone set it on fire, I'd probably kill them. But I guess this festival wouldn't be as cool and interesting if they didn't do anything to the fallas.
  
• People. They are everywhere!!! On my way to the city center from the bus station, Valencia felt like a ghost town. For a second, I thought maybe this isn't as cool as it's hyped up to be. Then suddenly, I hear explosions and they get increasingly louder and numerous as I get closer to Plaza Ayuntamiento. I gradually get greeted by herds of people, and soon enough, there was no where for me to go. So, I just stayed where I was until the Mazcleta.
  
• Fireworks. Also everywhere! I'm constantly paranoid that one's going to explode on me and I'm going to lose a limb. As I was walking on the sidewalk, I was forced to stop suddenly because a family was blocking the way. As I stood on the side waiting for them to pass, I notice one of the adults give this little girl (no more than 2 years) a lit fire cracker. The little girl then threw it on the ground. It wasn't far enough from her so the dad kicked it and kicked it in my direction. Of course, I'm dumb and just stood there, panicked! It finally popped and luckily did not hurt me. Who gives firecrackers to 2 year olds??!!
  
• To kill some time, I went to the beach. I have so much time until La Crema. Everything is closed except restaurants since this day is technically a holiday. And I can't really hang out at a restaurant for 6 hours. I could but I don't have that kind of money or that much room in my stomach even if I am Chubs McGhee. It was nice to have the beach but it was so freaking cold. I was freezing my ass off, but I had nowhere else to go. So, I stayed there for 2 hours and got sporadic temporary relief from the sun.
  
• Valencia, the city, is beautiful. I really like the architecture. I don't even know what kind it is but I like the way the buildings look. They're pretty. I'm definitely coming back here!
• La Crema also equals awesome! The first children's falla I saw burn was quite sad. It was too pretty to be destroyed. The second one, I started getting into it. It was pretty exciting seeing something so grand burn. After I saw my second falla burn, I decided to stay with the same fallero so I can get a good spot for the burning of the adult falla. Even though it was one of the smaller fallas, I'm glad I decided to stay there. I got a really good view of the whole thing. About an hour before the burning, the falleros started preparing by stringing fireworks and strategically placing flammable agents all over the falla. Five minutes before midnight, the members of the fallero march in with a band and gather around the falla. Then a lady in traditional clothing, who I assume is like the "queen" of the fallero, lights the falla on fire. After 10 minutes, the falla is dead :(
• People seem to get really attached to the falla. I know I thought I would shoot someone if they destroyed my falla, but I was semi-joking. I mean, these guys should be used to it by now. They've been warned about the ending of the story. But I guess there's some kind of emotional attachment to it that I will never understand. When I was watching the children's falla burn, members of the fallero carried on their shoulders a little girl in traditional clothing around the fire. I assume she is the "princess" of the group. She was bawling her eyes out. The crowd tried to make her feel better by shouting "gwapa", but there was no stopping those tears. It was so sad watching her cry. I wanted to give her a hug.
• With thousands of people distracted by great fires, this festival was a pickpocketers heaven. I had expected this so I took precautions. I put my important stuff in my travel waist wallet, I had my backpack in front of me at all times, and no important things in my jean and coat pockets. During La Crema, I felt someone get very close to me from behind. I looked behind me and noticed a very old man. So I ignored him thinking he's just some old senile man. A few minutes later, I noticed there was commotion behind me. A couple of older Americans caught him in the act and told me he tried to rob me. I just thought WTF! He's old! And he looked like one of those old classy Spanish men. I guess you just never know...
• Bombers! In Valencia, people speak Valenciana, one of the many languages in Spain. In Castellano, the word for firefighter is bombero. In Valenciana, the word for firefighters is bombers. How awesome is that? Call me immature but that made me chuckle every time I saw the word on the back of the firefighters uniform.
  

Las Fallas 2008 - The "Plan"

I originally heard about Las Fallas from Amanda. I didn't really know much about it, except for the fact that people party and watch massive statues on fire. I knew I had to see this. I had a discussion about this festival with my students in my last class. They said it would be almost impossible for me to get accommodation...everything is booked several months before. Then someone suggested that I take the train to Valencia early in the morning, party all night, then take the train home early the next morning. That sounded a lot more fun to me.

As I was looking at my transportation choices, I noticed taking the bus would be way cheaper...actually not even half of what I would pay for the train. I've heard the National Spanish bus system is pretty awesome. It ain't no Greyhound. So I decided to do that instead.

Then this past weekend, Sara told me that when she went to Fallas, she went with a tour group and it's usually a bunch of students. I thought this might be better so then I can potentially make friends on the bus and tag along with them around Valencia. I really wanted to get Paella Valenciana (supposedly the best in Spain) and you can't get paella for one person! I definitely needed a friend.

So I found a bus tour, who I contacted on Sunday...pretty last minute. It only cost 56 Euros - 15 Euros more than if I took the bus on my own - and it included a bottle of alcohol, breakfast and a T-Shirt! They would also leave early Wednesday morning and come back early Thursday. It was an awesome deal! Well, They kept me in suspense until past midnight on Tuesday night. I just wanted confirmation but they finally said that they had to cancel the tour because they didn't have enough people...boo!

So back to the original plan. Late Tuesday night, I started researching Valencia. I had no books and knew nothing about it. I wanted to at least familiarize myself since I will be all alone. I wanted to make sure I knew how to get from the city center to the bus station, in case the Metro was closed or I couldn't get a map from the tourist office because it's closed also. It was like cramming for a test! It got me so nervous that I couldn't fall asleep.

In the end, the plan was to wake up at 5:30, leave the house at 6 to take the bus to the Metro, take the Metro to the bus terminal, and catch the 7 AM bus to Valencia. After arriving in Valencia at 11-ish, I would first track my way from the bus station to the city center so I would know how to get home 15 hours later. After I enjoy the festivities, I would take the 3 AM bus back to Madrid.

Next on Hola, Madrid: Does Fran make it out of Valencia alive, or does she get thrown in with the fallas???

Las Fallas

There's so much to write about what I've experienced yesterday that I decided to break it down to a few different posts. Before I describe my trip to you, I will first try the best I can to explain the great Las Fallas Festival.

Las Fallas is an annual festival held from March 15th to the 19th in Valencia, Spain. This festival has been a tradition since the 18th century and it has grown so much that it has attracted international spectators as well. The custom came from the fact that every year, Valencians would throw away and burn old junk to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of Spring. It was a way for them to purify anything and everything negative so they can start anew. The tradition eventually evolved to creating massive, elaborate fallas (paper mache statues) that represent anything negative. Thus, it is no surprise that these fallas are often political or satirical.

Valencia consists of about 400 falleros (falla groups). Falleros are an organized group that have fundraising events, parties, etc. During the festival, the falleros compete by creating the best falla in the city. I'm not sure if I have this right but I got the impression that each fallero creates two fallas, an adult and children version. Obviously, the falleros with the biggest budget create the best, most elaborate fallas.

Various events are held between March 15th to March 19th. Within these fours days, the falleros celebrate all throughout the day. The fallas are kept on display after March 15th, when the falleros unveil their fallas for the first time, and the falleros party around their falla. On March 16th, the fallas get judged. The falleros all dress in traditional clothing. I'm not sure if they wear them all five days or just on the last day. I'm assuming they wear them every time they have a parade, which I believe is constant during the festival.

At 2 PM everyday, the mazcleta takes place in Plaza Ayuntamiento. The Mazcleta is basically a fireworks show. On the 19th, the feast of San Jose, the festival ends with the burning of all the fallas, with the first prize winner being the last to burn. The burning event is called, La Crema. From 10 to 10:30 of La Crema, all the children fallas are set on fire. At 10:30, the first place children's falla is burnt. From 12 to 12:30, all adult fallas are burnt. AT 1 AM, the last adult falla is burned in Plaza Ayuntamiento. The burning process takes about five to ten minutes to finish. The next day, the falleros start planning for the next year. A whole year's worth of work gone in minutes!