Valencia & La Tomatina

Hola!

We just got back from a quick 2 night trip to the east coast of Spain for the La Tomatina tomato fight festival!

We stayed in Valencia because Bunol (where the tomato fight happens) is a small village and only half an hour from Valencia. Valencia, on the other hand has many attractions worth seeing.

When we arrived in Valencia we made our way to the hotel which we had booked as part of a group tour. That afternoon we went to the beach and dipped our toes in the Mediterranean Sea. The weather was very warm and the sand lovely but we didn't think the ocean was very clean. It looked kind of muddy and weedy. The Spaniards are very beautiful people and many like to show off their bods :) Even the grandads!

On our first night after tapas for dinner we joined our tour group for drinks at a cool bar in 'old town.' It was beautiful walking around at night and seeing all the buildings and streets. The entrance to the old part of town had a castle tower with an archway and huge doors you walk through like into another world.

The next morning we caught a bus at 8am to Bunol for the tomato fight. We wandered with the masses of people through the town and down into a very narrow street where we stood packed like sardines for 2 hours! The tradition starts by a competition where people attempt to climb for a leg of ham hanging from the top of a very tall, greased-up pole! Weird I know! Once the ham has been retrieved a cannon sounds and the first of 5 dump trucks roll through the packed, narrow street off-loading their part of the 55,000 kilograms of tomatoes! Then it's ON!



As the trucks roll through everyone gets jammed hard together as the crowd parts for the truck. Meanwhile whilst struggling not to get crushed by the masses, tomatoes and wet, sloppy articles of clothing are flying everywhere! It hurts when one smacks you in the eye but is bloody hilarious when it hits the person squished next to you!

The tomato fight itself last for one hour and a second cannon signals the end. Finally after being drenched in tomato slop the entire crowd makes their way out of the street in a foot deep of tomato soup! It's pretty crazy!!!

Locals stand out the front of their homes with their hoses washing off the crowd after the fight. This is helpful cause you're not allowed back on the bus if you're still messy. It was hard getting all the bits of tomato skin and seeds from hair and ears especially!

All-in-all a great, fun experience but not one we'd do twice! :)...and tomato is off the menu for a little while.

We had one more night and half day in Valencia where we took more time strolling in 'old town'. Its a lovely place with lots of character. It looks especially Spanish and thankfully we had enough time to enjoy it all on our short trip.

We saw Buckingham Palace and a did few other things last week as well which are in the blogg below.
Bye for now... xox... don't forget to leave us comments!