Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

Fireworks! My parents arrived on Wednesday too late for the Mascletà, but in plenty of time to get a little buzz on, get some buñuelos in their round American bellies, and get on down to the Alameda. According to my mom, "I’ve never seen anything like it!" According to my dad: "WOWAH!"

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Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

There was a huge crowd gathered for Pirotecnia Valenciana’s mascletà on the 17th… the sun was shining, and it was finally warm enough to get away with just a T-shirt. The fireworks were classic — nothing too surprising, but a good, solid show all the way through.

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Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

After today’s mascletà, put on Pirotecna Turis, a friend looked over at me and said, "I’ve seen a lot of mascletàs in my life, and that was the best". "WHAT?!" I screamed my response at her, blood streaming out of my ears and tears running down my ruined face. "I CAN’T HEAR YOU, OH GOD, I CAN’T HEAR ANYTHING".

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Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

Just a quick post for the incredible fireworks display. Enjoy … got to run now to take a first real look at the Fallas figures.

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Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

I was THIS close to David Villa!!

If I stuck out my arm I could have touched him! David Villa graced the Plaza de Pilar with his presence today for the Plantà — Mahou beer sponsored him to come out and help set up a couple of the pieces. I just stood there, along with the rest of his crazed fans, screaming and crying and peeing myself. Yeah, I was a mess, but at least I didn’t leap upon his back like a monkey and cover his head with kisses — and I was seriously thinking about it.

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Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

Wow. Today’s mascletà, I think everyone in attendance will agree, was … insane. A great way to start the first of the Big 5 Days of Fallas. Shot off by the company Europlá, this was one of the most incredible shows we’ve ever seen. Again, we were lucky enough to have a bird’s eye view, but I think as long as you were anywhere within a 394-mile radius, you couldn’t avoid being bowled over. Take a couple aspirin, then check out that finale.

Traditional way of doing La Planta:

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March 15th – Fallas is now truly underway! A few weeks ago the city was awoken by the Despertà and ever since we’ve been running ourselves ragged, trying to attend as many Fallas events as possible.

La Planta officially starts today, lasting until tomorrow morning when all the Fallas monuments should be completed:

Make sure to watch the end; kind of funny.

The most famous food during Fallas is the buñuelo — donut-like fried treats made from pumpkin, which you dip into hot chocolate. You’ll find stands offering this sinful delight all over Valencia (Ruzafa has the most). Walking from monument to monument costs a lot of energy and buñuelos are even better than Red Bull for an energy boost.

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Here’s a rundown of the main events for the next few days:

La Plantà
All over the city, Fallas commissions will be working to set up their monuments. A lot of the work has already been done on the larger monuments, but the groups officially have until tomorrow morning to finish. Traditionally the monuments are raised completely by hand, but the larger ones all employ cranes nowadays.

Fireworks Show
Tonight at midnight is the first fireworks show at Paseo Alameda. These shows are always incredible, so it’s worth staying up late. On the 16th and 17th the fireworks will start at 1am and on the 18th (the famous Nit de Foc) they’ll begin at 1:30.

Flower Offering: From 4pm until well after midnight on the 17th and 18th, traffic in the city center will be brought to a standstill as Falleras carry thousands of flowers to the Our Lady of the Forsaken in Plaza de la Virgin.

Here are some random Fallas pictures I took over the past few days:

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Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

Thanks to a very fortunate circumstance, we were able to experience today’s mascletà from the top of the Ayuntamiento. It was a good day to be on top — the streets became very packed, very early. We had an incredible view of the fireworks and the plaza, and hope that you enjoy our pictures of the bird’s eye perspective on this extremely loud mascletà.

After the fireworks, we were able to go onto the balcony and meet the Fallera Mayor, Maria Pilar Giménez, and the Fallera Mayor Infantil, Ariadna Galán. Both of them are even more stunning from up close — we were floored as much by their beauty as by their poise and warmth. At 9 years of age, Ariadna is amazingly confident and well-spoken. (I was still picking my nose and playing Magic at that age). And I got a kiss from Maria Pilar — sigh, I’m still swooning. What a day!! Just when we think Fallas can’t get any more exciting, something new comes along.

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Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain

A huge crowd was on hand for today’s mascletà, set off by the company Crespo. The sun was shining and people seemed to really appreciate the show. But Valencia’s mayor enjoyed it best of all! Her jumping had more energy today, perhaps because the pyrotechnician was young and muy guapo. Rita, you little cougar, you!

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Got any plans today? I sure hope not! And if you’re well rested, that’s even better. Make yourself a healthy breakfast, because you’ll need the energy for today.

Before we start with the rundown of today’s events, some interesting news: Cuba-Literato Azorín won this year’s Fallas street light competition.  Well deserved and their win will hopefully mean even crazier street lights for Fallas 2011, as Sueca-Literato Azorín attempts to regain their crown.

Here are the day’s main events.  It bears saying that in every neighborhood of the city, there will be smaller events all weekend long – from mobile discotheques to sing-along playback competitions, from street paella to mini-processions. We recommend picking up a local paper – Levante or Las Provincias – because the list of events is overwhelming.

• Mascletà at 2pm
• Moors and Christian parade at 7pm here
• Cabalgata Folklórica at 10:30 pm C/ Paz, Ayuntamiento, C/ Játiva
• Mascletà de Colores after the parade in Ayuntamiento (some say at 11:30pm some say at 1am – does anyone have more info?)

Anything missing? Feel free to share your Fallas 2010 pictures

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