The last two months has been filled with fiesta's. First in the line up was the island wide celebrations of San Sebastian, the patron saint of the island. Apparently he was most well known for his demon slaying abilities. Strangely, today the celebrations only reflect the demons - or demones as they are locally known. San Sebastian himself is nowhere to be seen . . .
This is one of the biggest annual celebrations and with special events island wide all week long. It is a very sociable occasion, and demons and all, the whole family seems to come out and celebrate. I had no idea so many people lived on this island!
For those who do not know, Palma is actually quite a large European city. Miles and miles of boats stretch along the waterfront, and the town center has beautiful cobble stone streets and old world buildings. Like most older European cities there are lots of town squares and plazas.
On Wednesday, large bonfires where lit on every square. Smaller ones where dotted all over the place. The tradition is that you bring your own meat and grill it on these public barbecues. Every square also had a live band playing - and believe me, there are many squares! Strangers, friends and family stood shoulder to shoulder. The whole city became a living, jovial and teeming mass of people. Smoke from the many fires drifted throughout he city.
I started off with a few friends but we soon drifted off in different directions. The streets where filled with thousands of people from absolutely all walks of life. I became part of th
is mass of humanity, continuously moving, from one square to the next, from fire to fire, one band to the next.The music also came in many varieties. In some squares there where traditional folk music and dancing. Pa
rents walked with kids on their shoulders and older couples smiled wistfully and tapped their feet to the music. But in the larger squares one could also find rock bands, rap techno and almost every kind of music you can possibly imagine - all with a Spanish twist of course.Naturally the party only really gets into full swing at midnight and then carries on to the early morning hours.
As I stood listening to a band with a U2 like flavor, I enjoyed being part of this community get together. Yet I felt acutely aware of the fact that I stood alone, surrounded by groups of friends and family circles. A stranger, an outsider. I have a fun and fulfilling life, yet at times like these I miss the companionship of a relationship, and look forward to the time when I will be sharing these special moments.
As the fires died down and the smoke cleared, the city was prompt in cleaning up and getting ready for the next round of celebration.
Saturday was t
he grand finale with the demones spectacularly running thorough the streets in a parade that culminated at the cathedral with big fireworks. I thought that there were many people on Wednesday, this time literally tens of thousands lined up the streets along the route of the parade and mulled together at the fireworks display. The parade itself consisted of hundreds of people dressed as demons carrying huge sparkling fireworks.
Locals run under the fiery shower of sparks, not something I would recommend if you where wearing a good coat! It seems a miracle that people do not get hurt or burnt. I watched with grave concern as those mischievous devils and their flying sparks came close to mothers with babies in strollers.
For this event I was not alone. I was grateful for my friends company, and even more so that he is tall. I could daringly snap pictures of the approaching demones, and then jump behind him to hide from the flying sparks. Despite that I still had to take my coat to the dry cleaners by the end of the week between Wednesday's smokey fires and all the fireworks!
The fireworks display was a fitting exclamation mark ending to the week long celebrations, and I would let my pictures tell the story here . . .
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