La Tomatina 0, John and Courtney 1

---

Wednesday mornings wake up call came too early...4:45 AM just seemed cruel. John and I were still operating on US time so it was just brutal. But, up we got and out the door we were with everyone else at 5:15 AM. Today is the day. Groggy and a little cold in my short shorts, tank top & John's old t-shirt, I knew I just had to get to the bus. We gathered the other 8 in the group at their apt and the 18 of us made our way to the bus pick up point. We were in a tour group type of thing for this in order to ensure a smooth day. We arrived in a large square along with a couple hundred other people. Everyone was excited. As the buses pulled up we moved down and lined up in front of bus #10. This allowed us all to ride on the same bus and we were parked outside a cafe that opened early. Yummy croissants! I hunkered down and tried to sleep during the he long ride out to Bunol, the small town that hosts the festival.

We arrive in Bunol and this is it. This is the time for the fun. In some ways I'm concerned this trip and it's activities might peque too some.

Let me explain a few things...

There are no pictures to share at this time. I'll developed those off my water proof camera when I get home and will post whatever I have.

The fest itself is 1 hour. That's it.

The town of Bunol has about 8,000 residents. The fest person 20,000 pro people.

Back to the day...

We unload from the bus and make our way to the sangria pre-party. It's roughly 8 am. The fest starts at 10. The "sangria" party is overstated. It's boxed sangria poured into huge buckets and were each given a plastic cup to dip into the bucket and get some sangria. One word...gross. seeing how I'm already sick, I figure it can't really get much worse. This could be the worst thing I've drank in a long time. I barely got thru 1/4 of my full cup. The crowd is quite mixed. People have come from all over the world for this fest and everyone in our group is happy to see a few people much older than us! Before too long, the sangria party becomes a dump and throw sangria on people party. Now, I know we're about to get completely dirty and wet, but A) why start this early and B) more importantly why are you wasting the alcohol! Needless to say, I did not partake but instead went with a few others to buy beers as big as my head (so not kidding, biggest plastic cup.of beer I've ever seen). Because it's 8:30 AM, it's cloudy, cold and I'm sick...drinking a beer right now is the smartest thing ever! It actually tasted quite good.

Shortly after this we started making our way down to the actual fest site. We now realize that the bus parking lot is very far away. Along the way we pick up another beer and by the time we make it thru the winding streets and down the hills and enter the fest, I have a sufficient and what I'm considering at this time, a needed buzz. As we pass thru the fest gate and make our way to the start of the activity, we realize this is going to be way better than we could have imagined.

As we came around the corner we're standing at the top of a hill on the street where the fest starts. This is where the trucks enter. We can see that this street is so narrow it's barely wide enough for the big dump trucks to drive thru let alone hold 20,000 people. Also, we immediately notice that the residents of town that live on this street have lined the outside walls of their buildings with blue tarps. Yep...It's going to be messy!!! At this time some people get nervous and talk of who's going where starts. I declare to the group...buddy up, pick a spot & stay w/ your buddy, and good God.if you get lost go directly back to the bus. Yes, in an event planner but I could also moonlight as a 3rd grade field trip chaperone.

John looks at me and says, I'm going to the middle. I'm cool with this cause I want to be in the big mix too but from the look in his eye I realize I might be at the biggest risk of flooding my buddy. 4 off the girls in the group are going in with us. I'm armed with the waterproof camera and my goggles. John's in the lead and I grab on to the back of his shirt. We don't just have to fit the crowd, we also have to dodge the locals that are dumping buckets of cold water on people as they make their way thru the streets. We get to an opening in the crowd where the water is being sprayed on people. I tell John to say go and then run thru. He does, we all follow single file. John gets thru, I get nailed. And just like that I'm soaking wet from head to toe. Did I mention it was cold outside? We make thru the next big area and end up at the square. Calling the area a square is an overstatement but it did open up a little and it was the center of the fest. This is where the tall pole, maybe 25 or 30 feet, is with the ham at the top. Originally the fest couldn't start but until someone climbed up the pole and pulled down the ham. The pole is also heavily greased. When we arrive it's clear people have already been at this for quite some time. There is no hesitation, John looks at me and says, I'm going in there. I must admit, in my younger days I would have gown in too, but on this day I knew better. Who knew I had it in me. Or maybe it was the few people I watched fall down from 3 tiers of people that made me second guess the quality of the infirmary in this small town. But in John went! Us girls hung back but did our best to hold our place. We started making friends with those around us and kept an eye on John. At this point, we were in that area of the crowd that you king of just moved with the crowd. The only nerve racking thing was the guy who tried the climb the tree near us. If he fell towards us, it could have been ugly. I told the girls to not be heros...if the guy falls stick out your butt and take a giant step back.

After quite awhile, out of no where we see John and low and behold, he's climbing the pole!!!! First I scream in excitement, then I reach for the camera and fire off 2 photos as quickly as an old school cramp camera will allow. Then that was all they wrote...he fell down. As he made his way back to us we were all cheering for him. He was high from the thrill but looked quite beat up. His shirt was all torn, he had red marks all over his shoulders. Turns out he was on the base for awhile prior to climbing up himself. I was happy he was ok and getting excited for the fest to really start. People kept on the pole and the crowd would erupt with excitement when someone would get close but it never happened.

As we waited for the fest to begin, it starts to down pour rain. I'm talking huge rain drops. We are now all huddled together with a couple of "taller than us" men in older to stay as warm as possible. Dear God please don't let me get pneumonia! The rain starts to subside as we hear the whistle. This is it...the start! This means the trucks are entering the street from the far end of the fest. Before we know it, the crowd is pushing back to clear room for the trucks. We move further back into the square. I put my goggles on and get ready. Then there's the truck and bam...the first of the tomatoes. There are 20 to 30 people in the trucks throwing tomatoes out at the crowd! Madness ensues and fun is everywhere!!!! I have to keep reminding myself to keep my mouth closed. As best I can, I'm trying to take photos. This is very tough. Then I'm trying to pick up tomatoes and throw them back out into the crowd. It doesn't really hurt unless you get hit in the face with a whole tomato which only happened a couple of times. Otherwise, it's pure food fight fun! The crowd is cheering whole time. Truck after truck come down the road spaces slightly apart. We think there were 6 trucks but no one is sure. I had to keep cleaning out my goggles cuz they kept fogging up. Tomatoes are everywhere. Down my shirt, down my pants...all in my hair. Literally you are covered in it. by the end of the hour you hear another whistle. The trucks are done. Technically the fest is over. As some people clear out of the street, it makes room.for others to fill in. The street is where the real mess is. We're now standing in several inches of mashed up tomatoes mixed with water and God only knows what else. This is also where we run into 4 others from the group. Now people are splashing in the muck, laying down in it, dumping it on themselves. It's madness yet fun! After we all get our fill we start to make our way out of the street. It's at this point I realize how cold I actually am.

It's still overcast and has not warmed up at all. As we are hiking back we are all looking for places to try and clean up. John and I stop when I realize a group of people gathered outside of a resident's home are having hot water dumped on them. I quickly get in line. They are boiling water, filling the garden watering can thing and dumping it on. I stay for two glorious and much needed containers of hot water. Much cleaner, we hike on. Back up hill, hoping we're going in the right direction. We see the group again and after trying to clean up at a small water fountain, we all get in line for a shower. This local woman, dressed in a head to ground poncho, has her personal hose out front of her home and is hosing people down. She doesn't just spray the water. She's using her other hand to really get the gunk out of your hair. She is clearly a mom. We try to pay her but she refuses. The water was crazy cold but we are all, one by one, much cleaner. And overall, feeling really good! Now we start talking. Everyone has had the time of their lives. This really was the best idea ever!!!!

As we near the buses we make a very smart call and grab a hot gyros sandwich. John also got a beer. The town bars are rocking with music and people all around. Everyone is a mess. Parts of clothes are all over the streets. When we get to the bus, I hop on and get out bag. We have bright dry clothes. Next smartest decision ever!!!! I find a place behind the bus and get out of my messy wet clothes. My tank, shorts, undies and shoes all die right there in the field. Casualties of the trip and fest. Thank you for getting me threw!

Now dry and warmer we goto grab another beer before leaving on the bus. Once on the bus, I pretty much fall asleep. Once back in Valencia, we make our way back to the hotel. We all take turns in the shower and thankfully the hot water heater holds out. Only one drain was clogged but nothing a little plunging can't fix! Then it was nap time. It was raining in Valencia and a nap was very needed. By 8 pm we are all back out the door for dinner.

For dinner we randomly end up at a place and by the end, I'm so happy we did!!! We are the first people in there. We sit down, order beers and whatnot and chatter away. When we order meals we find out that some things on the menu aren't available because they only make what is fresh that day. I ordered the Valencian paella and am very happy to hear it's on. When it arrives I'm thrilled with my choice! It is the paella I was hoping to experience while in Spain. It has all sorts of good things in it including meat I can't quite identify. Once done eating I ask what it was and it was rabbit! Add one more meat to the list that I have tried. It was very good! John's meal was hilarious. Note to self, when you order the seafood special in Valencia it's a plateful of shrimp and baby like looking lobster things that may or may nit be crawfish. Also the shrimp here come with the heads still one. This was the most labor intensive plate of food I have ever seen. John says, I should have gotten the paella. The entire table gave him a hard time. It was hilarious!!! In the end, he said it was great.

After dinner a few people went out. Feeling quite sick, I went with the crew back to the apt. We stopped shortly at another bar but it wasn't too long until I was cozy and super warm in bed.

No matter your age, this is a fest everyone should go to. No one was fighting.. Everyone was friendly and looking out for each other. It was pure fun!!!! Make your plans now to go!!!!!

---