Fiesta de San Juan

Fiesta de San Juan

Last night we went to town for dinner and to participate in the San Juan Celebration. We left home about 9:30 pm and strolled down the board walk. Eventually we made a left and curved into what can only be called a bazaar or denison of restaurants on both sides of the streets, squeezed together with only a narrow strip to walk through. There were restaurants of every type and specialty, and waiters standing outside to encourage you to try their fare. In the tiny walk way there were also vendors winding their way through with all of their offerings. In addition to the Looky Looky guys from the Canary Islands with their black market DVDs, sunglasses, watches and tacky baubles, there were others with bight shiny objects and twirly gadgets, sunglasses that flashed green lights kind of thing. We chose a Thai-Chinese restaurant. That may sound a little risky in Spain, but it is not. Spain is very diverse. It is amazing. So we had a lovely dinner al fresco watching the passing crowds and vendors who paused to show us their wares. The owners of our restaurant had pet turtles which they brought out to entertain the guests. At least I think they were pets, probably better not to ask.

After dinner we had café con leche at our favorite bar and then strolled back down the boardwalk. Strolling was mandatory because there were thousands of people out for the San Juan Celebration. The beach was awash with bon fires and groups sitting around eating, drinking and visiting. Some groups literally had long tables and plastic patio chairs and were sitting on the beach as though they were in their own dining room. Other groups had marked off little sites with bright yellow and black or yellow and red plastic tape, like crime scene tape. Folks were sitting in these little camp sites with their bon fires finishing their dinner. Further on by the old castle was a stage with techno music blasting through a light show. The beach was packed with people eating, drinking, courting, visiting, dancing, whatever. There were lots of police, keeping an eye on things. You don’t get a sense of fear from the police here. They are more helpful than threatening. I didn’t see them arrest or even question anyone. We saw one young girl cuddling a bottle of clear liquid (vodka, gin or tequila) as she strolled with her friends. There were lots of young folks scantily dressed doing what young people do.

We didn’t have a watch, but at midnight we sensed a sudden movement in the crowd. They were jumping bon fires and heading toward the ocean. Kids, young people, adults and old folks all together in this celebration. Well when in Spain . . . I ran down the beach and asked a fellow if I could jump his bon fire, he replied , “Si, claro, está bien.”: I said, “Gracias,” took a running jump, ran to the ocean with the rest of the crowd.

This celebration though in part religious, being the celebration of John the Baptist, it is also, coincides with the summer solstice, the welcoming of summer, which came today in full splendor. It was at least 90 degrees by 10 am this morning. I hung the laundry on the line and it was almost dry before I finished hanging it.