San Juan 09

Before the weekend I attended San Juan. It was quite a strange San Juan to say the least.

Things all started off quite well. Unlike last year were me and the missus spent the whole evening sat on our own, this year we knew people and got to have a bit more fun.
After some time on the beach I went for a little walk, spotted some other friends and doubled the size of our party.
Things were going quite well. The main problem at the beginning of the night was the DJ failed to show up and we didn’t have any music. In fact I didn’t hear much music this year on the beach. More of a fact is that that the beach seemed less busy then last year.
Also I discovered that this years effigy that was to be burnt was of a flame. A flame!? Who burns a flame effigy?
Things took a slight change for the worse at midnight. Just as the fireworks were set to go off and the time when everyone jumps in the sea to wash away evil spirits, two friends of mine and Sams, who are also a couple decide to split. This meant that most of the girls in our original group, being more then slightly drunk disappeared angry/teary/sick for some time.
This meant that my big moment of diving in the sea at midnight and getting more then 6 foot wetter* then last year went unnoticed and unphotographed. Sorry.

Anyways, here are some early photos from a very quiet, sociable, beach party.

Just arrived

Have a nice day

Being prepared is the key

When two become one

Killing time

Parties carry on until dark

Like I mentioned, unfortunately there are no photos of everyone in the sea as I splashing about and the missus was with an upset friend, but imagine me in this photo but a litter wetter and you get the idea.

How I looked before getting wet

Next year I think I’m going to head to one of the other beaches as I hear they have some music and DJ's there.

Here is the slidey show. [source]

*Also I felt quite ill with a cold and sore throat for the next few days.

Pre-Noche de San Juan 2009

Another day, another fiesta

Today is Noche de San Juan.

For those that were reading last year, you can skip much of this but you shouldn’t as you their might be a quiz afterwards.

The bases of this fiesta is it is the shortest night of the year. [source]
I don’t see how the longest day of the year was celebrated two days ago and the shortest night is celebrated today. I thought the two would come hand in hand? And originally thought that it was to do with John Baptist’s birth but that only applies to Venezuela apparently?

Tradition suggests that people have to jump over a fire three times and jump in the sea to cleanse my body.
Which is fun.

Tradition also suggests that you celebrate the night with friends, getting drunk and having BBQ’s, bonfires and parties on the beach until the sun comes up, which isn’t long seeing as it is the shortest night.

And it’s because of these many traditions that Noche de San Juan is by far my favourite fiesta in the whole of the year.

Last year me and the missus, having not been here long and knowing no one had a semi-ok night.

This year we actually know people and I am much looking forward to this years noche a lot more.
Although I doubt I’ll take a tent down this year. But at least my house/fridge stocked with beer is only a few minutes away so I will always have some cold beers near by.

Should be good.

PS it’s good to see some people getting an early start. Personally I’ve got a bit of work to do, perhaps take a quick siesta and have something to eat before I start.

The early bird catches the good spot. 

Happy noche de San Juan.

San Isidro 09

Last month I went to my second San Isidro festival. Incidentally this was the first festival I went to last year when I first moved out to Spain.

San Isidro means quite a few things to old locals, to me and many yoofs it means a piss up, parade, party and the start of the summer.

Here’s some photos from this year.

As always there were many animals

Of all shapes

And sizes

Plenty of well dressed people

 

Of all sizes

Some people cheated and got the Party Truck to the main fiesta area

While others danced

It was very thirsty work

Although for some it was much harder to not sit and watch but instead join in with the parade. Good work A.

Where’s yer horse?

As always the whole slideshow. [Source My Flickr]

 

St Patricks Day post

as you may of noticed it was St Patricks Day yesterday

and like most of the english speaking world i went out for a few drinks
for drinking guinness you got a fancy native irish hat
and there were many hats on the tops of people around town

from what i can make out this is how all irish people dress

you could get a giant guinness hat for ordering a pint of guinness
im not the biggest fan of the ‘black stuff’ and ordered a half
/just to get in the spirit of things
i asked the bar owner about getting half of a hat or something similar and she came along with a strange shaped hat

me styling weird mushroom shaped irish hat

about an hour later a friend
/who was irish so knows these things
/pointed out that the hat was on backwards
i made a comment to the bar owner about this and how it should say “front” and “back” and not just guinness
her suggestion

“it should say ‘idiot’ and ‘not idiot’”

but there was much drinking and many merriments

we hit a bar
and i spotted that the bar had a new supercool lazer shooty thing

peeeown

and i strolled in the earlier hours of this morning

luckily i was saved by some ham and egg sarnies this morning otherwise id still be in bed about now

and the rest of the photos

There's a party on the hill dyawanna come?

So the Feria started yesterday. The Feria is the last major fiesta in Nerja's calendar--with the exception of New Year.

Basically it's like a travelling fair, but on steroids. Like I said there's a fair ground, bars, music, live shows--dancing and singing, Pussy cat Dolls where at Malagas Feria earlier on in the year so that's how big these village parties get--lights and games where you can win prizes, which the missus won a prize on, on her very first go.

I think it's pretty much open 24 hours a day for about 4 or 5 days and it looks like a lot of fun.

Although we did go to the opening yesterday-pictures to follow of course--we didn't stay too long as the missus had friends who flew in only yesterday so we thought it'd be best they rest.

So tonight we are off ot to enjoy a proper night out at the festival.....if the rain stays away and I'm very muc looking forward to it.

I'll try and get some photos uploaded sooner then later. With the family having left on Tuesday I have a bunch of photos and amusing videos to upload from their visit first.

Dressing up

the other week was the last night--at least for the Winter--of one of the new friends I've made in Spain and another's birthday
to celebrate the night there was an anything-goes-theme-fancy-dress-party.

see if you can guess who me and the missus went as?

this is me

"Slow-motion-run"


"Wait, what's that over there?"

[Click here for a giveaway hint]

and the missus?

I feel sorry for the missus as she had to walk all the way to the square in hers.


Although some might say her costume was missing seven small things...


The Girls


And no-one said it was just girls that can have fun?


A pirate getting a touch up


Is this why people are scared of clowns?

all the photos

[direct link]

Also I'll be needing a little input on my next Halloween-themed fancy dress costume, more and that a little later.