Living here this past year has been a challenge on so many levels. But I have to admit I’m enjoying this summer month-long fiesta-thon going on all day and all night here in what seems like the pyrotechnic capitol of Spain.  I say that as I’m in the Valencia region where I’ve been told they are known to love fire more than their firstborn. And they mean business. I’ve seen more fireworks and heard more firecrackers around me in two weeks than in my entire life in the US. There are even street signs warning” danger falling rockets on your head” around the city…. ok, since liability is on the recipient, why not give out hard hats instead of paper fans?

Before this fiesta finishes I sure as hell hope nothing falls on me. But if it does, I’m sure it wouldn’t stop anything except the news release: American speared by falling rocket, party goes on.

First off, each region has its own schedule of summer (and other) seasonal fiestas and celebrations. They love their traditions here and it’s hardcore everything. They hold back nothing. Just stop, close up.. a parade or procession or fireworks are in order. Step aside world. It’s summer in Spain.

This explains why closing a whole month is necessary, how could one city of over 200K people do this unless nearly everything is closed? They have to. The streets are full of people and parades. Then watch your feet, a contest of local folks with miniature plastic “bombs” on their hats are out shooting firecrackers off trying to outdo each other at 2 pm every day this week. Despite seeing very calm policemen and firemen nearby I didn’t see any standby ambulances, hmm… seems there should be a few. I wonder what the stats are on missing fingers and toes around here. And if hand surgeons are on call or are they all off for the month too?

In fact, I didn’t know fireworks could even be shot off in broad daylight.  Radiant colors streaking the blue sky along with the flashes of lights despite the daytime hours are pretty cool. But now I know. Fireworks truly can be a 24-hour event, sleep be damned.

Turns out that here in Elche where I live there is also one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in Europe. “La nit de l’Albà the “night of fire” or the “night of dawn” where they shoot off over 70,000 rockets in a coordinated fashion all over the whole city starting at 11 pm one night this week. Then at midnight all lights go off and they shoot a  light of the palm of the virgin into the blackness of the night sky;  A huge palm will be represented by a white light directed from the roof of the  Basilica Santa Maria while everyone is silent to hear the “ Mistereid’Elx ;” Gloria Patri” playing in the background.   After the emotional moment all lights will come back on and a small virgin of fire appears on the roof as they play “aromas Ilicitanos” and everyone joins in and sings from the balconies and streets.

I can’t wait to see it as I live a three-minute walk from the Basilica…what are the odds I ended up here in my life to see such a thing? As long asno rockets fall on me first.

Anyway,  

This morning I went to a local coffee shop for my usual toasta and cafe con leche and on the way I saw one of the hundreds of marching bands in the city coming out of a small hotel. They were playing loudly as some of the members were still in full costumes from the all night marching. One of them then strung a 50-foot length of firecrackers down the street like they owned the place.  So, the street sweeper-truck, a car, and a guy on a scooter stopped and waited like it was just another day. Then the band started, and the firecrackers were lit, exploding down the street 20 feet from where I was standing.

So the band kept playing through the smoke and the ear-rattling explosions shooting down the street. Then the others bowed as if the street was their stage. Is this like the band playing as the titanic sinks? If the music is loud enough, does it drown out any disasters, like clothes on fire and screaming people? I just don’t want to play nurse before my coffee that’s all.

Either way, I saw no fingers lost and everyone clapped and hollered. Safety is up to the bystander I suppose, so mind yourself, and you too can plan to live long and get hearing aids before the age of 30.

Then the sweeper continued and cleaned up the blown bits of paper. I continued onto the café glad I had two hands intact to drink my cup of coffee even if I couldn’t hear the waitress talk. The little things in life.

Then today amongst a thousand people I watched another firework event off the square near my apartment. It was one of those 2 pm firecracker contests. Now this one really did make me near deaf from the explosions as it was a big one, not that tiny spectacle on the street by some band playing before breakfast. So I was there with hundreds of people in pink hats holding their beers dancing waiting on the start. So we all stood hovered close to the barricades about 200 feet from a chain link fenced area where the explosions would take place.

A speaker announced the start, fireworks shot into the sky in multiple rainbows of color for about five minutes then holy moly batman, suddenly what sounded like a thousand firecrackers were all shot off at once. There were shooting bolts of fire exploding out from the chain link fence in all directions like lightning. The explosion was so loud the air vibrated, and the white smoke filled the air 100 feet up and the smell of firecrackers burned your nose hairs.   The police just stood nearby never flinching or covering their ears while I grabbed my ears wincing and instantly wanted to hit the ground afraid for my life. It was THAT close and THAT loud, and I near wet my pants.

Then the smoke cleared and everyone clapped and roared.  Pieces of blown firecracker papers floated all around us from the sky and the surrounding palm trees. It was surreal I’ll tell you. I felt shocked at the closeness of an explosion like that. Holy shit is all I can say.

Then some older guys in bright yellow t-shirts in a tent next to the crowd with 3-D models of firecrackers molded on their hats just danced, laughed and gave out cups of a neon yellow anise-tasting drink to all of us in the crowd… not sure the connection of anise and bombs but since I’m still alive with all body parts intact, albeit with ringing in my ears, I took two.

Anyway, I see why closing a whole month and everyone being off is pretty much mandatory. I understand it now.  There is no way one could run a business with almost 24-hour music, parades, singing, dancing and firework contests going on all around you. And if everyone is on holiday at the same time as you then being kept up all night isn’t as painful as a normal night. Although now I understand why there are no gas stations or hospitals in the city center… sick people need rest, and gas stations? That goes without saying.

Tonight, at 10 pm was yet another parade dancing down my street. This time the parade was the “funny one” with hundreds of people in wild colorful costumes dressed up as fruits and vegetables, and street cleaners, and all sorts of characters and throwing cans of beer at the crowds and crackers for the kids. Everyone is dancing and the music was loud. And of course, firecrackers that sound like bombs were being intermittently shot off from the roofs of the buildings all over, including kids and their parents shooting firecrackers off in the streets and plaza. As much as I try to blend in, its obvious I look like a tourist as Im constantly flynching and ducking. But I can’t help it, avoiding death is instinctual.

Well, there is a method to their madness; having hundreds of parades in the early morning before it gets too hot then more parades at 9 pm… it’s so hot here its the only way I can see they can have thousands of people in the streets and avoid heat stroke. I get it.

One thing I can say is no matter where in the city I have been in the last two weeks everyone is happy. Dancing, laughing hugging… everywhere. No one is really drunk despite the open alcohol everywhere from what I can see. Except the 5am people still dancing under my bedroom window keeping me up all night, thanks for that.

They truly seem to just relax like no American Ive ever met, but again, having a month off Ide be happy too. Their life really really is different absolutely.  But not in a bad way, they just trade long work hours and a more material life for fun, family and fiestas.

Watching it all I kind of wish I could be in the parade dancing too. Maybe they could have a group of all the ex-pats that live here have their own dancing float. We could wave all our flags from around the world and throw bags of Harbu gummy bears at the crowd; they are softer than beer cans and come with no liability.

Somewhere in Spain losing sleep..