Las Fallas, Valencia 2011

by Katie Reed
Universidad de Navarra, Spain

I know it has taken me forever seems like to blog about Las Fallas and what has happened since, but here goes.  We left on Thursday, March 15 at about 9 in the morning to head out.  I must say that the events began as Amanda and I got to carry our weeks worth of clothes and such from Abedules to the bus station (a good 30 minute walk).  Once we got there we were able to change our bus ticket from leaving Valencia on Monday to leaving on Tuesday since of course we messed that one up to somehow or another.  Once we got on the bus we thought we were good to go.  We knew that we would be staying a ways away from the center of Valencia, but we got a great price and had it all planned out on how we were going to get to and from the center each day.  After being on the bus for a good 6 hours and the long unnecessary stops they made we finally arrived.  We figured since it was our first time ever in Valencia we would get a taxi to our hotel.  Once we arrived the series of events began!  They did not have our reservation on file.  Luckily I had the reservation confirmation printed out so we were able to verify that we had already booked and paid for our room.  After waiting a good 30 minutes we finally got a room.  The manager then came to talk to us and told us that all the information we had researched about buses we were planning on taking was not what we needed to do.  He told us our best option was taking the metro.  He printed out the metro stops and everything we needed.  He then gave us the number to their taxi man that they use to take us to and from the station.  After finally starting to calm down and just take things as they came we got to our room and walked downstairs to get a bite to eat.  The guys working there were quite strange; they were slightly laughing at us for whatever reason.  However, we got our typical Spanish meal of Bocadillos and Patatas Fritas and Coke and sat down.  After finishing and going to sit outside for a bit we went up to our room to enjoy some much missed TV.  We had not watched an actual TV since we left the U.S. so it was nice to be able to relax and watch even if it was all in Spanish.  The next morning we got up, got ready and called our "personal taxi driver" Jose and he came to pick us up and take us to the metro station in Picassent.  Once we got there of course we had no idea what to do because we had never taken a metro before, but we bought our tickets, got our metro card and waited for it to arrive.  Once it got there we got on along with 50 other people.  The more stops we got to the more people that got on and by the time we made it to the center the metro was packed!!  The guy at the hotel told us that we needed to take the metro to Colon, so that is exactly what we did (or tried to do).  At one stop almost everyone on the metro got off, and we debated whether or not we should but we decided we better not and just take it to Colon.  However, little did we know until later that in order to get to Colon we had to switch metro lines.  We finally got off at this random stop to keep from getting any further on the other side of Valencia.  We did our best Spanish skill we have learned and walked around to find out where we were.  We ended up walking right into a Falla and the town parade that was just starting as well.  We figured if we followed the parade it would lead closer to the center.  Well, we were wrong again.  We were going in circles, but experienced our first great cultural experience of Las Fallas.  After walking for a good hour we decided taking the metro again was our best shot at getting to the center.  So we found another stop and got on and took it to the center.  Once we arrived it was definitely time for a bite of lunch and relaxation for a minute.  We found a little outdoor restaurant and sat down to have some Sangria and a new Spanish dish...crepes.  When they came out they were crepes with ham, cheese and tomatoes inside.  Well mine was anyways.  Somehow Amanda ended up with mushrooms in hers and she hates mushrooms so we traded.  After lunch we ran into the Erasmus girl from Poland and talked to her for a bit.  She was with three Spanish guys so we were able to learn a little more about what goes on during Las Fallas.  After she left we walked around with the guys for a bit and decided to go on our own way and keep wandering to see more Fallas.  That was about the extent of our excitement for the day, so we headed back to the metro station that we got off at and headed back to Torrent.  When we got there we walked around a bit to see their town Falla and find a bite of dinner.  This town was even smaller than we expected so our only option seemed to be Doner Kebab..one of our new favorites here in Spain so that was fine with us.  This time we decided to try a new Kebab and tried the special..which had both meats in it as well as french fries.  We thought the french fries would be on the side...oh no...they were right in the middle of it.  Add that to the list of new experiences as well!  We then called Jose to come get us and when he called me back saying that he was there we could not find him.  We waited for another 30 minutes and called back and come to find out he was at the wrong metro station.  So we got to wait a good hour or more before heading to our hotel.  We got in, ate our dinner, watched some more TV and went to sleep.  The next morning Jose was there ready to pick us up at noon.  This time we figured out how to get to Colon just fine, except it was 2 o'clock when we got there, just in time for the "big fireworks show".  We got stuck in the middle of hundreds of people to watch these.  Except we couldn't see a thing.  Then it took us another good hour to get out of the crowd of people.  When we finally did we found all kinds of tents and stands set up with items for sale and tons of things going on.  So we spent our day walking through all of this and seeing new Fallas.  We found a place for lunch where we ordered our favorite Patatas Bravas.  Except here we learned that in Valencia they are quite different than Pamplona.  They dont just put Ketchup and Mayo on the potatoes.  Not sure what it was but it was very garlicy and a little bit went a long way!  Later that night we went back to the metro station, back to Torrent, got our Kebabs, called Jose, and back to the hotel for some TV we went.  The next day Jose was ready for us yet again.  This day seemed to go pretty smoothly, and about the same as the day before.  Lots of walking, site seeing, people watching (to a new extreme), parades every where you turned, and enjoying the weather!  We were so tired of walking around trying to find something for lunch so we ended up settling for Churros and Chocolate.  Such Spaniards we are now.  That night we made it back to the hotel as usual and rested up for the big day on Monday.  This was the night of the Crema (when they set all the Fallas on fire).  We decided to get off at a different stop this day and walk around to try to see some new places.  We found a perfect little spot for lunch to try some Valencian Paella. 
 
Little did we know that we were going to be right in front of a huge fireworks display.  They seemed more like bombs than just fireworks.  However, we got our Paella and began to eat.  After eating for a bit and trying a piece of the meat I then got to looking at another peice of meat that was laying on my plate.  When I looked at it I then realized that I had half of a rabbit's skull laying on my plate...teeth in it and all!  I just about got sick.  However, as I told Amanda...its all a part of the experience.  As the day progressed we watched many street performers and parades like we had done several times the previous days.  During the longest parade that we had seen two old men came out of the parade and handed Amanda and I both a flower.  They kept saying something about "telefono, telefono".  We assumed they were trying to get our numbers.  They gave us the typical spanish greeting of a kiss on both cheeks and went on to their parade.  Later that night we decided we should head to the center so that we could be there early in order to get a good spot to see the Crema.  We got us some Burger King, sat on the street curb, ate our dinner, and walked up to the gate that they had put up to block off the street.  Here we had a perfect view of two of the Fallas as well as where the huge fireworks display was going to be.  We waited for a good two and a half hours there until the burnings began.  However, it was not boring.  These old men came up behind us and got wayyyyy to close to us for no aparent reason.  After two of them starting fussing back and forth, nudging Amanda, and then saying "chicas, chicas, chicas" (girls, girls, girls)  we knew they were talking about us.  A nice couple that was standing beside us motioned for the police to come over there.  After the couple told them that we were not from Spain they then began asking us where we were from and if there were problems.  We told them yes a little bit and they proceeded to make one of the men leave.  They then set the children's fallas on fire so we got to see some excitement.  The police continued to keep a watch on us and ask us every little bit if everything was ok.  Later on another old man came up behind me and got pretty much on top of me.  However, to avoid causing a scene I never said anything.  One of the officers must have noticed him standing there so close to me and came over there and ordered both men to leave.  After all that one of the officers who appeared to be at least 60 stayed over there and talked to us pretty much the whole night.  We got to see both of the huge Fallas set on fire proceeded by the best fireworks show I have ever seen.  There was smoke everywhere and we had pieces of all of it on us everywhere.  It was very cold and at one point the officer asked us if we were cold, felt our hands, and then took a Falla bandana and tied it around my neck.  Then he went and got Amanda a bottle of water without her even asking for it.  After all this the night was over and we walked out in all the people to the main street and got a taxi.  He took us back to our hotel after having no idea where he was going.  He asked for directions several times and thank goodness we had paid attention to the way when Jose took us everywhere because once he got on the right track we were able to tell him how to get to our hotel.  We passed out instantly and got up to take a taxi to the bus station the next morning to head back to Pamplona.  We had had quite an eventful time and a lot of fun for sure!  We finally made it back, walked all the way back to Abedules with all our stuff yet again, and got settled in.  This allowed for the next few days to be full of relaxation!  We didn't do a whole lot after we got back for a few days.  Trips to the store, nights of cooking, etc...  On Saturday night I met up with my Spanish partner that I was giving by the Language Center to practice Spanish.  He picked me up and we went to a little bar and sat outside and spoke Spanish for a while, then spoke English so he could practice and then I came back to my room.  On Sunday the time changed here so it went back to being 6 hours away from home rather than the 5 that I had got used to over the past 2 weeks.  It was so nice to be able to be able to skype with lots of people Sunday too.  That is one good thing about down time here.  It really makes me appreciate all the amazing friends I have back home for sure.  This summer may just be one of the best!  Anyways, Monday was my first test here in Spain in an actual class.  It was in Human Resource Management, and I yet again was reminded that I do not like the classes here at all.  If Maryville College has taught me one thing it is how to study, but its hard to study when nothing on the powerpoints is on the test.  Oh well, we survived.  That afternoon I was able to pull out my shorts for the first time and I walked to a nice area here close and sat out in the sun and read my book and listened to music.  After that I came back, relaxed, and got some rest.  Today was pretty good as well.  Amanda and I walked to Plaza del Castillo, shopped a bit, got some lunch, and came back to cook dinner.  We made one of our favorites here...crepes with chicken and cheese sauce.  I don't know how I am going to ever adjust when I get back home because it is after 2 in the morning and I am still awake..I would never stay up this late when having to get up for class the next morning at home.  Oh well...I shall survive.  It's time for some rest!  :)