Que divertido!
Fondly referred to as the place where Paella originated, Valencia is also known for its annual Las Fallas Festival. Miss Iggy partied day and night (and by the sound of mascletas (fireworks) at 2pm and 2am everyday, who wouldn't? it's literally a whole 24 hour affair), sight seeing and going to the beach during day time and watching parades (and more fireworks) at night.
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Cuidad de las artes y las ciencias, by Valencia's native son
(and world renowed architect/ structural engineer/ sculptor) Santiago de Calatrava. |
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| Miss Iggy inside La Lonja de la Seda, a UNESCO world heritage site |
The streets of Valencia were filled by revelers and these bigger than life Ninots (pictured below are the adult category Ninots. there are also smaller Ninots, or Ninot le Petit under the children's category). Almost all districts participate in creating these different master pieces that will (wait for it...) have to be collected, displayed in Plaza de Ayuntamiento and burnt at the end of the festival (if it will make you feel better, one ninot from each category will be spared/preserved, to be kept in the Museo de Fallas). The burning process, called La Crema finalises the entire celebration, symbolising the end of winter and a start to a new beginning.
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| Ninot construction almost done at L'Antigua. |
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| ishdatyou, lolo? :) |
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the Falleras, young women and children from the community they represent, were like the 'muses' of the Ninots.
I think we've solved the Princess Leia mystery. |
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| Paella country. |
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| We were walking around in this area, only to find out that we've chanced upon the Annual MTV Winter Festival. Miss Iggy's baby sister Mari (yes, that small child she's carrying has a name) almost jumped for joy (see picture) upon hearing the artist lineup: Sum 41, My Chemical Romance, Orbital, Groove Armada. Yay, we super love Valencia na. :) |
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Feeling a bit of Fallas--er mascleta burn out, Miss Iggy thought a little sun at the beach wouldn't hurt.
Especially if it's the Mediterranean. |
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5 comments:
what a waste to see such gigantic artworks burst into flames and reduced to ashes!
and those ladies look like a cross between star wars and the victorian era.
they say "pa-EYA" right? not pa-ELYA like we pinoys are used to? :P
i would love to have some paella right now. buti pa si miss iggy :)
@connie-pae-ya: yeh, that's the correct pronunciation, apparently. :) Re: the burning ceremony, jay and i were watching past footage on youtube and thought it was OA that some of them Falleras (the princess Leias) were crying during the ceremonies. Well, with all those effort and such intricate master pieces we've seen, it's hard not to feel sad.
@kayni- im craving for one right now, too. too bad I'm in Bilbao (you can only get a regular paella in bars/restaurants/ markets in Valencia and Catalan. this is a startling revelation to some, as Paella is thought of as a general spanish staple). Will prolly cook later. :)
Maybe they're really just elaborately-dressed Crying Ladies!
I'm craving for paella!
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