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| San Juan : Bakers in celebratory mode |
Spare a
thought for
the BigBarcelonaBlog's ears tonight.
They may
not be
the most
attractive ears.
They may
be slightly
waxy. They
may even
have the
odd hair
growing out
of them.
But whatever
their faults
they do
not deserve
what is
about to
happen to
them as
darkness falls
on Barcelona. For tonight
is the
festival of
Sant Joan.
Actually, strictly
speaking, it's
not. It's
actually the
revetlla (night before)
de Sant Joan
but that
isn't particularly
important. What's
important is
the impending
perforation of
the Blog's
eardrums.
The festival
dates back
to the
pagan celebration
of the
summer solstice
and it
is still
technically supposed
to celebrate
the longest
day of
the year. Demonstrating
the much
mocked laid-back
Spanish regard
for punctuality
it is
actually held
two days
after the
actual longest
day but
what the
Spanish lack
in time-keeping
they certainly
make up
for in
enthusiasm.
As I
said, the
festival dates
back to
Pagan times
but when
Christianity became
the dominant
religion it
simply hijacked
all the
ancient festivals
and gave
them different
names much
to the
annoyance of
the few
remaining Castillian
druids who
didn't even
have Stonehenge
as a
memento after
all those
long hard
years of
sun worship
and human
sacrifice.
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| San Juan 1 : Picture of baked goods due to unavailability of image of human sacrifice |
The traditional
method of
celebrating the
night of
Sant Joan
is a
rowdy combination
of fire
and explosives.
Why this
is deemed
an appropriate
commemoration of
a man
who spent
much of
his life
knee deep
in the
River Jordan
baptising people
and the
end of
it having
his head
chopped off
because a
young woman
did a
sexy dance
is beyond
me. At
least you
kind of
get why
there are
bonfires and
fireworks in
the UK on
November 5th. Guy Fawkes
was going
to blow
stuff up
so they
burnt him
to death.
Nobody is
saying it
was nice
but at
least the
celebration makes
thematic sense.
On the
other hand
going for
true Sant
Joan authenticity
and giving
young women
the right
to request
the decapitation
of those
who've irritated
them if
they demonstrate
sufficient aptitude
at shaking
their bootie
is probably
not the
way to
go either.
So we'll
stick with
what we've
got.
As evening
turns into
night bonfires
are lit
all over
the country
(but especially
in Catalunya
where the
festival is
bigger than
in other
parts of
Spain apart from
Alicante where
it's superbig)
and then
fireworks are
set off
at countless
private parties. Catalans
seems to
prefer brute
noise over
pretty light
when it
comes to
their incendiaries
so don't
expect too
many pretty
Catherine wheels.
Do expect
to have
your nerves
shattered and
your pets
traumatised.
It is
said by
some that
the most
authentic and
traditional place
to gather
to witness
the orgy
of incenidaries is
the beach.
This is
complete nonsense
because the
beach has
only been
there since
1992 and
according to
the arbitary
rules of
BigBarcelonaBlog things
have to
at least
be older
than him
to count
as traditional.
So Sant
Joan at
the beach
- no.
England winning an
international football
tournament – yes.
But even
though it's
nonsense to
go vast
crowds do
and there
is scarcely
an inch
of sand
left spare
by the
time the
cacophony reaches
its climax.
The BigBarcelonaBlog has emphasised
the noise
but I
should also
say that
it accompanies
stupendously impressive
light show
and because
the main
source of
the fireworks
is private
rather than
organised parties
it has
a rather
wonderful higgledy-piggledy chaotic unpredictability and the
city is
filled with
a euphoric
air of
anarchic celebration
which hints
at its
primitive roots.
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| San Juan 3 : Cocas |
The actual
day of
Sant Joan
(the 24th)
is a
much more
sedate affair.
People go
to the
bakers and
by cocas
– a traditional
(older than
45) cake
which is
a kind
of broiche
with colourful
dried fruit
on and
take it
round to
their families
where they
sit around
eating it
and drinkling
cava and
discussing who
woke up
with the
worst case
of tinnitus.
Cocas do
look very
good but
The BigBarcelonaBlog isn't much
of a
one for
cakes so
cannot provide
you with
accurate information
about how
tasty they
are (and
we know
the BigBarcelonaBlog is all
about the
truth. Doubtless,
you too,
like truth.
Who doesn't?
If you
would like
to show
your appreciation
of truth
take one
second to
click on
one of
the many
tempting adverts
which accompany
this blog.
Truth and
indeed I
thank you.)
Back to
the bakers.
The BigBarcelonaBlog can give
you this
tip – it
is an
appalling mistake
to arrive
at a
Catalan bakers
wanting to
buy a
baguette just
after someone
has ordered
a Coca.
The wrapping
of these
cakes is
like a
religious rite
in itself.
Nuclear waste
has been
stored with
less care
(and not
just in
Russia).
Suffice it
to say
that the
freshest baguette
in the
world will
be stale
and dry
by the
time all
the ribbons
and bows
have been
done up.
So bring
a book.
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| San Juan 4 : Yes, these pictures are getting repetitive |
That’s the day
after the night before.
Which was brash and
brazen. The
sound of
a city
going wild. So prepare to release your inner savage.
Happy Sant
Joan!
Useful
words/Phrases:
Una
hoguera –
A bonfire
Un fuego artifical
– A firework
El ruido! El ruido! El ruido! - The noise! The noise! The
noise!
Las
orejas! Las orejas! Las orejas! - My ears! My ears! My
ears!
If
you fancy
chatting :
Vendes
tapones? – Do
you sell
earplugs.
Mi perro/gato/pez
de colores está traumatisado – my
dog/cat/goldfish is traumatised
Cariño, ¿Dónde están los siete velos? Me apetece bailar
– Darling where
are the
seven veils?
I fancy
dancing.
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