SATURDAY WAS NOCHE Blanca (White Night). It's the annual celebration the night before the Feast Day of Saint John, a Christian holy day.
Of course, the tradition originates with non-Christian summer solstice festivals. Legend has it that you have to light a fire to give more power to the sun because the sun loses its strength (shorter days) until winter solstice. At midnight, after first running into the sea, people jump over a bonfire three times for good luck.
Here in Fuengirola, it means music, dancing, drinking, and parties on the beach beginning at 8 in the evening. Not all the chiringuitos (beach bars) have large parties. We happen to live across the street from the biggest party of all, with the addition of a gigantic outdoor bar and live music blasting until 3 in the morning. (Aren't we lucky?)
San Geraldo and I walked toward the port to watch the fireworks at midnight. I snapped photos from our terrace throughout the night and into this morning. By 9:30, the beach was clean and everything was back to normal.
Click the photos. The party and mess get bigger.
EL SÁBADO FUE Noche Blanca. Es la celebración anual la noche anterior del Día de San Juan, un día santo cristiano.
Por supuesto, la tradición se origina en los festivales de solsticio de verano no cristiano. La leyenda dice que tienes que encender un fuego para darle más poder al sol porque el sol pierde su fuerza (días más cortos) hasta el solsticio de invierno. A la medianoche, después de correr por primera vez hacia el mar, la gente salta una hoguera tres veces para tener buena suerte.
Aquí en Fuengirola, significa música, baile, bebida, y fiestas en la playa comenzando a las 8 de la noche. No todos los chiringuitos tienen fiestas grandes. Vivimos al otro lado de la calle de la fiesta más grande de todas, con la adición de un gigantesco bar al aire libre y música en vivo hasta las 3 de la mañana. (¿No tenemos suerte?)
San Geraldo y yo caminamos hacia el puerto para mirar los fuegos artificiales a medianoche. Saqué fotos de nuestra terraza durante toda la noche y esta mañana. A las 9:30, la playa estaba limpia y todo había vuelto a la normalidad.
Haz clic en las fotos. La fiesta y el desastre crecen.
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| BAR SET-UP ON HAZY SATURDAY MORNING. THEY DIDN'T SEE THE PIRATE SHIP ON THE HORIZON. PUESTA EN MARCHA DEL BAR POR LA MAÑANA BRUMOSA. NO VIERON EL BARCO PIRATA EN EL HORZONTE. |
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| NO WORRIES. IT WAS ONLY THE DISCO "PIRATE" SHIP FOR NOCHE BLANCA. THEY USED TO FLY THE JOLLY ROGER! NO PASA NADA. ERA SOLO EL BARCO "PIRATA" DISCOTECA DE NOCHE BLANCA. ¡SOLÍAN VOLAR LA BANDERA PIRATA! |
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| SUNDAY MORNING AROUND 7. JUST BEFORE THEY WERE ALL TOLD TO GO HOME. EL DOMINGO A LAS 7 DE LA MAÑANA. JUSTO ANTES DE QUE LES DIJERAN QUE SE FUERAN A CASA. |
Lots of garbage means, I guess, lots of fun had by all!!
ReplyDelete.....except those who live across the blvd from it!!
Jim:
DeleteWe had fun, too... until it was time for bed. Thank god for the glass curtain, but i could still feel the bass beat in my chest!
lucky for you it's only once a year. what a party!
ReplyDeleteanne marie:
DeleteYou're so right. And lucky the holiday fell on a weekend! One year, the party was on a Tuesday night. The poor neighbors that had to get up for work in the morning.
Quite a crush, as they say. Do the glass curtains help block the sound at all? What do Moose and Dudo think of it?
ReplyDeleteWilma:
DeleteMoose and Dudo hate it and stay inside. The glass curtains help significantly. The only thing they don't stop is the bass beat!
Man, what a party!
ReplyDeleteDebra:
DeleteIt really is a lot of fun.
"people jump over a bonfire three times for good luck" Hell, I should have gotten Jerry those heels!!!! He'd looked great jumping the fire in those. A beach with a bar is alright in my book, but the day after reminds me of the Casa after a party.
ReplyDeleteMaddie:
DeleteLast year, I watched a drunk tourist come close to burning his ass. People moved in ready to grab him from the fire.
Who had to clean up that mess?! Even as a child, I could never, ever throw trash on the ground! In the house, yes, but not on public areas. I'm probably missing the point here, huh?
ReplyDeleteDeedles:
DeleteThe City is incredible at clean-up. I would never simply toss my trash on the ground. I don't get people, but it's expected during these events.
I'm just catching up on your posts -- I'm amazed at how the beach ended up clean and pretty again by 9:30 a.m. It doesn't seem like much is done here, in my neck of the woods, for the summer solstice. You have to search for anything special related to it.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed, too, by the video of the jellyfish--wow!
I'm not amazed, though, by how excellent your writing is -- after all, we're treated to it almost every day. But, your most recent published story is ... powerful, I think is the word I want. Just so painful to know that a son experienced his place in his father's life, that way... instead of as it should have been.
Judy:
DeleteThe City is exceptional at keeping things clean. To think this was transformed to heaven again in less than 3 hours. And thank you, thank you for your kind words. I'll share more writings in future. My father was a very good, kind man, just not the best at parenting. He also was tremendously supportive when I came out and he adored Jerry.
I love the idea of music, dancing, drinking, and parties but wonder how I'd fare jumping over a fire after a night of all that music, dancing, drinking, and parties.
ReplyDeleteBob,
DeleteI watched a drunk tourist last year nearly land in a fire twice. I wondered what would happen with all that alcohol. So I moved away.
Ship next to it "Yeah one of us is in the wrong time zone"
ReplyDeleteAdam,
DeleteYeah, I loved that contrast.
The party's over...
ReplyDeleteWalt the Fourth,
DeleteThe piper must be paid.
I used to enjoy attending beach parties when I was much younger and still would if there was a beach near me - so your photos made me feel quite envious., well lucky you !
ReplyDeleteHeron,
DeleteI did too. Fun to be able to again.
Poor Protestants . When they through out all the Saints Day out went the parties too.
ReplyDeleteSpo,
DeleteThey lost their pagan roots.