San Juan

... San Juan has been and gone. Bonfires were lit, fireworks fired, picnics eaten partying galore. It is a wonderful atmosphere.

My wife, brother in law and sister in law went to select our spot on the beach, we were lucky to find somewhere only a few feet from the sea. The invitation to everyone was look for us by the tourist information hut. The crowds gathered, but as our party included people working, or meeting other guests, the beach was almost full before we were a completed group. Nearby were groups of Spaniards and ex-pats and on the road outside the Marina Bar were lots of bemused tourists wondering exactly was going on.

On the beach front near the car park were two enormous stages, on one there was an orchestra/band and very good they were too. over the second stage there was a crane and a hoist which was later to act as a kind of trapeze for the finale of the fiesta.

We all had our cold boxes and wine and beer. we put a towel on the sand acting as a table, lit a few candles as dusk fell. Others had bought their charcoal from the vender and lit small fires near their groups. The party atmosphere grew and soon people were dancing to the music, including Pete who had probably consumed a sufficient quantity of vino collapso to dance alone in the sea. This was much to the amusement of the Spaniards who were all photographing him with digital cameras and mobile phones some even videod him too. So our group comprised, me my wife, Pete and Dave, Laurence and Tony, Brenda, Jonathan and Duncan, Paul and Tracy, Paul's Dad and step Mother, Patrick and Neil (who own and run a fantastic restaurant called Paneils) Andrea and Rick (who made a sangria to die for) and one or two others who came and went.

Nearby there was a group with a Barbeque and a charcoal fire. The fire was clearly fading so the kids went to fetch whatever wood they could and ended up with some which was damp. The outcome was billowing acrid smoke which was getting on everyones chest. A Spanish group behind us took exception to it and asked them to put it out. They didn't. So the Spaniards put it out for them. This prompted the mother of the children to go and kick sand on their fire which resulted in an arm flailing fist waving altercation. Fortunately it fizzled out like the two fires.

We had prepared some food, nothing fancy just sausages and chicken things and bread. We all ate and drank until 12, when everyone ran into the sea following tradition, except Pete who had never come out of it (in fact we weren't sure if he had swam to Ibiza and back the length of time he was in there.) At 12.15 the street lights dimmed which was a signal that the fireworks would start. It was one of the best displays I have seen.

The finale then started, lots of evocative music and the arrival of the parade which had been walking since 8 pm. And when it finished that was the end of the official fiesta. We as a group fragmented some went to the Marina bar, others went home some stayed on the beach to finish their picnic. Dave was carried home by Pete, Laurence and Tony went early because they had a boating party the day after. Patrick and Neil were still in party mode so continued with Jonathan and Duncan. Me and my relatives went home.

We have yet to meet in order to have a post mortem of the fiesta, but generally thought to be one of the best, we await the photographs of the lonesome thonged Pete dancing into the sea like a latterday King Canute.....

see the fun on Utube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygexeM2QokQ