Cultural Events
Showing posts with label Cultural Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cultural Events. Show all posts

La Tomatina Festival (Bunol, Spain)

La Tomatina is a food fight festival held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Bunol near to Valencia in Spain. Thousands upon thousands of people make their way from all corners of the world to fight in this 'World's Biggest Food Fight' where more than one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets.

 The week-long festival features music, parades, dancing, and fireworks. On the night before the tomato fight, participants of the festival compete in a paella cooking contest.

 The actual throwing of tomatoes begins around 11am, with the firing of a canon. Trucks proceed to drive down through the packed streets, while the locals in the back of the trucks are throwing tomatoes at all of the festivalgoers. As soon as the truck passes, everyone dives on the ground scooping for tomatoes to get themselves armed for the battle…that’s when the fun begins! The following hour will be one of the most intense and hilarious experiences of your life.

 Following the tomato fight, the town of erupts into a festival like atmosphere with drinks flowing and music pumping! As a general rule, the people that are in any condition to party at this stage did not actually attend the fight and were drinking outside the festival. Take care not to get too distracted by this, as you will miss your bus back to Valencia! After such a wicked start to your day, there is only one way to finish it off – The La Tomatina After Party!! So in proper Spanish tradition, get yourself home for a siesta and get your batteries recharged for one of the greatest nights of your life.
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Running of the Bull (Spain)

At Noon on the 6th Day of July every year the party begins with the “Chupinazo” on the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona, Spain where thousands gather to await the mayor’s official proclamation that the fiesta in honor of Saint Fermin is officially underway. A rocket is fired and the celebration commences. The first running of the bulls begins at precisely 8 a.m. the following morning and continues for the next 8 days. The tradition of running along with the bulls, which in actuality are headed to the bullfighting ring in Pamplona for that evening’s fights, is thought to have begun as long ago as the 14th century but it was Ernest Hemingway in his novel “The Sun Also Rises” that popularized the event outside of Spain and prompted significant numbers of foreigners to participate.

 The hearty souls that have chosen to run along with the bulls must be in attendance no later than 7:30 a.m. in the assigned holding area. At precisely 8:00 a rocket is fired, the pen is opened, then a second rocket is fired to warn the runners of the onslaught and the 6 fighting bulls and 2 herds of bullocks make the 825 meter sprint to the bullring along with the runners, clad in white with red handkerchiefs around their necks, all the while praying to Saint Fermin for protection. At the end of the approximately 3 minute jaunt the bulls come to the terminus of a dead end street that leads into the bull ring and 2 additional rockets are fired; one as the bulls begin to enter the ring and the 4th and final explosion when the animals have all been penned up and that day’s run is officially concluded.

 Experience one of the world's most iconic and exciting festivals—Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls. Immortalized in literature by Ernest Hemingway, this explosive, passionate and occasionally gory festival is an important element of Spanish heritage. Witness all the mayhem from a coveted private balcony with a view of the famous run. Encounter Basque culture and stunning coastal scenery before continuing on to Bilbao, home of the magnificent Guggenheim Museum. From vibrant Catalan nightlife in Barcelona to the regional wines and pintxos (tapas) in San Sebastián, feel the Spanish culture.

 All of Ryan's advice was right on the money and ensured that I got live to tell about all my adventures. In addition, Spyns ensured that the less adventurous half of my family had a spectacular time watching the action. They were treated to first class balcony spots close to the action, a breakfast banquet fit for a king and an unbelievable dinner feast while overlooking the fireworks. Everyone on the team was super friendly, well informed and ready to solve problems often before we realized they were happening. 
When you think about how much money it costs to get to Pamplona, the extra money for the Spyns royal treatment is a small price to pay to make a good trip into a trip of a lifetime! 
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