We were hopeful that we would be able to fly Puig d’Afrou today, despite the forecast NW wind. The copious cava of the night before came to bite me and I was really hung over. Because I felt so ill I offered to drive for the lads and we set off to La Cellera. We could see wave bars in the Pyrenees from the outset and this didn’t bode well. On the drive up the hill we met Xevi who confirmed it was W at the top with only the odd waft up the south face. The wave bars were coming closer, so we canned the day and went to the beach. A good decision in retrospect, as it was W at Santa Brigida too.

We drove to St. Feliu de Guixols and we had a swim in the sea and a walk. Roger kindly offered us beers and snacks at his place before we all went to the fiesta in Girona. At the fiesta there were castlers, the human tower builders, of which there are associations all over Catalunya. There were two teams competing for who could build the highest and most elaborate towers. They each reached six levels high, with the big strong guys at the bottom and the last child up the tower being about 4 years old. The blue team built a six level tower and then built a five level single line in the middle, which they kept standing while the rest was dismantled. The guy at the bottom who was supporting the four people above him was sweating like mad!

When it was finished we went to the correfoc. My favourite! It involves fire – lots of it. You dance with (or in the case of Geoff and Wayne run away from) devils wielding fireworks at head height. You and thousands of others follow a procession of drummers around the narrow streets of Girona whilst devils chase you with fireworks at your feet, next to you, above you, etc. Hats or hoodies are essential if you want to keep your hair. With the music, fire and smoke it’s completely crazy.

At the cathedral they did a big drumming display and then set fireworks off on the steps before spooking the crowd by letting off huge fireworks in the midst of everybody. Then the chasing began again. In another square they had placed containers of fire on the ground which you had to negotiate (bearing in mind there were hundreds of us in the square) while they thew bangers at us. They had hung Molotov cocktail bottles in the trees and there were buckets of fire on the steps out of the square and more being chased with fire. Brilliant!

By the time we left we were too exhausted to think about going on any rides at the fair.

See photos of today.

4 Comments »