As always, you’ve seduced all the senses with photos and descriptions! It’s inspiring that you looked more than superficially. Also shows that it’s really possible to connect with people meaningfully. All these photos reveal people who are deeply proud of their culture and willing to share it! Sadly many tourists are in too much of a hurry or too focused on the instagramable to deeply consider their experiences. Thanks for sharing this experience from so many angles!
I'm glad the community gets such joy out of this, but I'm perfectly happy to experience it via your post. Three weeks of mascleta sounds like pure misery to me, and big flames make me nervous!
Wow this was incredible to discover. Isn't it so amazing the sheer number of unique events happening out there in the world? It's one of the many reasons I love traveling so much. I'm adding this to my bucket list! Thanks for the read!
I had never heard of Las Fallas, and what an amazing display it is! Your pictures at the end are especially incredible. I'd be curious to know what they do to keep the flames from spreading? It looks like they put the fallas on sand and stone, but I hope they have lots of firefighters standing by, just in case 😂
Thanks for the photos and information! The people and the artwork of you pictures is really inspiring. Community, eh? What a novel concept about a celebration of this magnitude! Maybe our country could learn a lesson or two from the Valencians. The closest we have, in my opinion, is the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, CA. Take care.
What a wonderful experience! I love traveling and learning about these ancient traditions. I come home realizing how young and juvenile my own country is. America is so huge, diverse and young we haven’t established many inclusive traditions. I wonder if it’s even possible.
Wow, how lucky that you happened to be there at the right time! Those art works are amazing! I think the fireworks would drive me nuts though, haha, I can't even stand them for one night here in July.
Thanks for the great story, and (from a fellow obsessor) doing the deep dive to understand it.
While in the area, you may enjoy a side trip to the pilgrimage town of El Rocio. When we visited Donaña nature reserve in November, it appeared to be only a tiny town that looked straight out of an Old West movie. In May, it becomes the destination of thousands of pilgrims, all on horseback, horse carriage, or on foot.
Those artworks are superb! I bet there's something quite freeing in creating something that you know will be destroyed as part of a community coming together. Thanks Michael, this was a lovely post.
So glad you got to experience Fallas! I also stumbled randomly upon it way back in 2006 during a trip to Spain. I couchsurfed with a local guy and he showed us all the haunts. One of my favorite travel experiences by far! What a fabulous, uniting effort by the city...easy to see how it builds community and binds the people together.
As always, you’ve seduced all the senses with photos and descriptions! It’s inspiring that you looked more than superficially. Also shows that it’s really possible to connect with people meaningfully. All these photos reveal people who are deeply proud of their culture and willing to share it! Sadly many tourists are in too much of a hurry or too focused on the instagramable to deeply consider their experiences. Thanks for sharing this experience from so many angles!
I'm glad the community gets such joy out of this, but I'm perfectly happy to experience it via your post. Three weeks of mascleta sounds like pure misery to me, and big flames make me nervous!
Wow this was incredible to discover. Isn't it so amazing the sheer number of unique events happening out there in the world? It's one of the many reasons I love traveling so much. I'm adding this to my bucket list! Thanks for the read!
Love, love, love the deep dive! The community aspect of festivities like this is so moving ❤️
I had never heard of Las Fallas, and what an amazing display it is! Your pictures at the end are especially incredible. I'd be curious to know what they do to keep the flames from spreading? It looks like they put the fallas on sand and stone, but I hope they have lots of firefighters standing by, just in case 😂
I would enjoy the processions but not the bonfires. Thanks for sharing your obsession with us!
Simply incredible! And how lucky you just happened to be there during the festivities. Like Burning Man on Steroids!!!!!
Dear Michael:
Thanks for the photos and information! The people and the artwork of you pictures is really inspiring. Community, eh? What a novel concept about a celebration of this magnitude! Maybe our country could learn a lesson or two from the Valencians. The closest we have, in my opinion, is the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, CA. Take care.
Wow! You're right, this is the most amazing festival that I never heard about before! How is the weather in March cuz now I really really want to go,
What a wonderful experience! I love traveling and learning about these ancient traditions. I come home realizing how young and juvenile my own country is. America is so huge, diverse and young we haven’t established many inclusive traditions. I wonder if it’s even possible.
"Mostly, I saw joy" - love that ! looks and sounds awesome!
Wow, how lucky that you happened to be there at the right time! Those art works are amazing! I think the fireworks would drive me nuts though, haha, I can't even stand them for one night here in July.
Thanks for the great story, and (from a fellow obsessor) doing the deep dive to understand it.
While in the area, you may enjoy a side trip to the pilgrimage town of El Rocio. When we visited Donaña nature reserve in November, it appeared to be only a tiny town that looked straight out of an Old West movie. In May, it becomes the destination of thousands of pilgrims, all on horseback, horse carriage, or on foot.
Interesting festival.
I guess these are the sorts of activities you can explore when you slow down and immerse yourself in a region.
Thanks for sharing.
Those artworks are superb! I bet there's something quite freeing in creating something that you know will be destroyed as part of a community coming together. Thanks Michael, this was a lovely post.
So glad you got to experience Fallas! I also stumbled randomly upon it way back in 2006 during a trip to Spain. I couchsurfed with a local guy and he showed us all the haunts. One of my favorite travel experiences by far! What a fabulous, uniting effort by the city...easy to see how it builds community and binds the people together.