Mascleta y Planta!

Let's get this party started!!! ;o)

It's that time of the year again... when Alicante goes wild and the sound of firecrackers and the smell of gunpowder fill the air: HOGUERAS!!! Our major FIESTA!!!

How'd you like that mascletà (well, 4' of the 10' it lasted)? I hope you didn't skip out on the terratremol, the earth-shattering final minute! ;o)

I had a lot of fun watching the little guy (sitting on his dad's shoulders) in front of me...

Kids such fun to watch during holidays like these! Check out this girl:

And did you notice my zooming in on a guy in a balcony behind me? Any guesses as to who it is? Come on! He might be hanging out in Alicante right now, but the guy's in the NBA! He plays for this little team you may have heard of... L.A. Lakers anyone? Here, perhaps this close-up will help (or click him bigger):

All-Star NBA player and NBA Champion twice, World Basketball Champion (with Spain) in 2006 (and MVP), European Champion in 2009, 2008 Olympic Silver medallist: Pau Gasol!!! Shiny! :o)

I got quite a shock when I saw him back there, and the crowd had a lot of fun cheering him at the end of the show! :D

I'm not going to be able to share as much of the holiday with you all this year as I did the past two years... I'm swamped with boxes (my parents and I just completed an apartment swap last week -after 4 months of cohabitation while the apartment I used to live in got a full renovation). I've got to unpack and sort all my junk and my sisters' junk (since they're overseas), plus still have rehab for my knee and well, work! I already missed out on the Ninot exhibit. I had planned to go last week but a car accident left me without a set of wheels (I get the car back tomorrow, finally!). Thankfully other local bloggers have gone and I can at least send you their way if you're interested in checking out the candidates to being spared from the flames this year (post 1, post 2 by a local photographer), and here's the one that was selected (courtesy of http://www.actualidadhogueras.es/noticias/alicante-capital/2509-altozano-ninot-indultat-infantil-2011):

Ninot Indultat 2011

Here are a few shots of hogueras that were being set up downtown and which I came across on my way home from the Mascletà (which I only got to see 'cause I had an appointment nearby at noon):

H. Rambla

H. Calvo Sotelo

H. Alfonso el Sabio

H. Seneca-Autobuses

As you can see people were still working on them, today is the official day of the "plantà" ("planting" of the monuments). Here are some figures waiting to be put in place:

H. Seneca-Autobuses

H. Alfonso el Sabio

A crane heading up to add details:

H. Mercado Central

while down below others are hammering a frame:

H. Mercado Central

I look forward to finding the time to go and visit at least some of these this year!

H. Explanada