La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Last night was Noche Blanca (White Night), also known as Noche de San Juan (and often called Noche en Blanco [Night in White] in Málaga City), celebrating the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. To me, it’s nothing more than an excuse for a huge after-sunset party on the beach, booming music, and a lot of drinking. In the past, there would be fires on the beach and at midnight people would jump over them three times for good luck in the coming year (click here). The fires were lit in honor of Saint John and to ward off evil spirits. The City began banning the fires in recent years, so now everyone simply takes part in the other traditional activity which is running into the sea at midnight. I like that part.
The partying used to go on until 3:00 in the morning which was especially unpleasant because the chiringuito (beach bar) nearest to us hosts a live band on the beach with deafening music. They would mount two search lights on the beach which spun and shone into the windows of nearby buildings (ours included). I think the noise only lasted until around 1 this time, with no searchlights. I don’t know how our neighbors manage to get up for work in the morning but it’s not as bad as it used to be. The owners of the beach “clubs” (the seating areas with umbrellas on the beach) have to rope off their areas so people don’t walk away with the lounge chairs. As you can tell, I’m not a fan of this one. The Chiringuitos here promise a free drink to anyone who wears white. I saw a lot of white.
I was able to make out people running into the sea at midnight and then the fireworks started. Dudo and Moose were unfazed. Go figure. I sneeze and they hide under the bed.
I never did make it out for a walk Saturday. Sleep called. I found some energy Sunday afternoon and took advantage of it. A great walk. This morning, I went back to sleep at 9 and slept until 11. We’ll see what the day brings.
Anoche fue Noche Blanca, también conocida como Noche de San Juan (y a menudo llamada Noche en Blanco en la ciudad de Málaga), celebrando la fiesta de San Juan Bautista. Para mí, no es más que una excusa para una gran fiesta en la playa después del atardecer, música a todo volumen y mucha bebida. En el pasado, había hogueras en la playa y a medianoche la gente saltaba tres veces sobre ellas para tener buena suerte el próximo año (haz clic aquí). Las hogueras siempre se han encendido en honor a San Juan y para ahuyentar a los malos espíritus. La ciudad empezó a prohibir las hogueras en los últimos años, por lo que ahora todo el mundo simplemente participa en la otra actividad tradicional que es correr hacia el mar a medianoche. Me gusta esa parte.
La fiesta solía durar hasta las 3:00 de la madrugada, lo cual era especialmente desagradable porque en el chiringuito más cercano a nosotros había una banda en vivo en la playa con música ensordecedora. Montaban dos reflectores en la playa que giraban y brillaban en las ventanas de los edificios cercanos (el nuestro incluido) hasta las 3 de la madrugada. Creo que esta vez el ruido solo duró hasta alrededor de la 1, sin reflectores. No sé cómo se las arreglan nuestros vecinos para levantarse para ir a trabajar por la mañana, pero ya no es tan malo como antes. Los dueños de los “clubs” de playa (las áreas para sentarse con sombrillas en la playa) tienen que acordonar sus áreas para que la gente no se lleve las tumbonas. Como puedes ver, no soy fanático de este. Los Chiringuitos de aquí prometen una bebida gratis a todo aquel que vista de blanco. Vi mucho blanco.
Pude distinguir a la gente corriendo hacia el mar a medianoche y luego comenzaron los fuegos artificiales. Dudo y Moose no se inmutaron. Imagínate. Estornudo y se esconden debajo de la cama.
Nunca salí a caminar el sábado. Sueño llamado. Encontré algo de energía domingo por la tarde y la aproveché. Un gran paseo. Esta mañana me volví a dormir a las 9 y dormí hasta las 11. Veré qué trae el día.
• Dudo se para en el lavabo del baño. “¿Ya terminaste?” Siempre es hora de darse un aperetivo.
• Yo entre los peces el domingo por la tarde.
• Una elegante sombrilla negra de playa negra. Una novedad para mí.
• Hola, tigre.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Our town is so quiet I can’t tell the difference between when I wear my hearing aids and when I don’t.
Frank:
We have our moments. But being right on the beach in a tourist town and living above restaurants and ice cream parlors… well, you know.
Boud here. This sounds like an excuse to party. As if an excuse were needed. Cats are very good about fireworks, no fuss just ignore them, more silly human noise.
Boud:
In years past, Dudo has lain atop the cat tree on the terrace and watched. But if I drop my keys, he’s off.
You are looking good among the fishes. I like the red shirt, but solid red board shorts would be a better match.
David:
I’d go for black or white shorts. An off shade of red could be problematic. The shirt on its own isn’t something I’d usually go for but it is kind of fun, isn’t it?
Dudo and Mitchell punim! it’s a good day.
I don’t know which is more hideous: the outfit or that awful back tat; at least the outfit is, possibly, easy to remove.
Had I been at the festivities in years past I might have jumped the fire and then run into the sea to put out the fire on my swim trunks!
Bob:
Only three buttons to go on the shirt. What lies beneath? The tat does nothing for me. I hope he’s happy with it. Then again, he doesn’t have to look at it.
Great photo of you and the fishes!
Debra:
Thanks. I had a sudden inspiration.
I love that photo of you among the fishes! As long as you’re not sleeping with the fishes, all is good 🙂
Yesterday (on my birthday!) we went to see the latest exhibit at SLAM (our St. Louis Art Museum), which I wasn’t sure I’d like, but, I did! Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500-1800: Highlights from LACMA’s Collection There were some paintings that I didn’t like the style of, but so many other interesting and amazing things to see… embroidered tunics… including this one from Peru, and enconchados (a term I don’t remember knowing about, before), with pieces of mother of pearl embedded in paintings, as well as furniture and trunks inlaid with varieties of wood and mother of pearl ( similar to this one. I thought I would find it all to be a bit too much, but seeing these things in person, not just in photos, really was a joy (like the Virgin of Bethlehem painting that they show on the SLAM page about the exhibit). I know this era of art is not what usually sparks your interest, but, Spain + Art always connects me to you, in my thoughts, these days, so I wanted to tell you about it!
Judy C:
I enjoy just about any era of art. This is all wonderful. Yeah, I thought about calling this post Sleeping With The Fishes.
Awww, I wrote a comment about the exhibit we saw at SLAM (St Louis Art Museum) on my birthday, but it didn’t post, so I’m not sure it went through. It was, Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500-1800: Highlights from LACMA’s Collection. I wasn’t sure I’d like what they had to show, but I really did.
Judy C:
Your comment about SLAM was awaiting my approval. Comments with external links either get placed in Spam or await my approval. This one didn’t get spammed, but it still needed me.
Ah, I thought it might be that, because of the links 🙂
Is this just a local thing, or a Spanish thing in general? I didn’t see any special preparations in Madrid, but then, maybe I just didn’t notice.
That tiger: No, no, a thousand times NO!
Steve:
It’s observed around the world, including in Madrid, and the bonfire tradition is not uncommon. And oh that tiger. I do like tattoo art, but this is not.
Noche Blanca sounds like a good time to me. I’d be more prone to jumping over the fires than running into the water at midnight. I see you’re wearing white in the photo with the sharks.
Shirley:
My white was purely accidental. I would find Noche Blanca fun if it weren’t for the blasting music into the wee hours.
I believe it was a pagan ritual to jump over a fire at the solstice before Saint John came around. My friend Kathleen used to do it. I think nudity might have been involved.
What a handsome man you are! I love that picture of you.
I love how you captured the moon and also, the way you managed to snap a shot of Dudo doing the cat hypnotism that cats all practice on us to get us to do their bidding.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
Isn’t every Christian tradition built on a Pagan ritual? (Ooh, did I just say that outloud?) My previous blog post talks about the pagan origins.
Going back…
I’d have been down there, in white, blagging free drinks and toasting “Good Old St John!” Jx
PS What is it with terrible colour-matching and vile tattoos on the Costa?! We spotted a few “one-leg-of-the-shorts-rolled-up” wearers while we were there in May, as well…
Nice to see your happy, smiling face, Mitchell! Methinks your name should be “Walks With Fishes”…. perhaps that’s why Dudo stares so intently at you when you get home?
Tundra Bunny:
That’s it! Something smells fishy to Dudo.
I didn’t see tiger in that tat until you pointed it out. I really like a lot of tattoos, but not so much that one.
Kelly:
I, too, like a lot of tattoos. But that one does nothing [good] for me.
Oh yes La Saint Jean Baptiste, a big celebration in Quebec as it is the patron Saint of French Canadians. A giant bonfire on the plains of Abraham in Quebec City and free concerts attracting about 100K . It is about the Summer solstice and the bonfire is a pagan ritual going back thousands of years in Gaul, but no virgin sacrifice because we have run out of them. In Quebec it use to be a big Catholic Holiday, but now it is more like the big pagan holiday of old. It is closely associated with politics and French Canadian identity.
“…no virgin sacrifice because we have run out of them.” Bwahahahahaha!
Laurent:
Yes, my posts from previous years talk about the pagan roots. Shame about running out of virgins… or maybe not.
St. John the Baptist? Want to know how to bust up that party? Find some woman named Salome and have her do the Dance of the Seven Veils.
Kirk:
THAT would be the best addition to the night!
Oh but I love that photo of you among the fishes; best one of you I have seen in awhile! I suppose it is the smile.
Urspo:
Thanks. It was just an inspiration I had as I walked by.