Fallas 2008 "away from the madening crowd"

[Pompey Jon]

There's alot of experience on this forum that can help others enjoy Valencia and the special atmoshere that surrounds the smaller Masceleta's, those away from the Main square 2pm Blast off!
I for one am looking to experience more of the local stuff! but feel i'm missing out on some of the real secrets of valencia.
Is there any way in which we can offer "say a top ten" of neibourhood displays? and perhaps where they are??
I for one get disorientated easily in valencia! (probably beer:blink1 but any infor you can give us would be great!
Thanks in advance
Pompey Jon
Cliffe Bonfire Society Lewes Sussex.

 

[Tony]

Hey Jon,
one of the best street mascletas you can see is the one at Falla99. Falla99 can be found at the big street Gran via Fernando el Catalico. But you cannot go to the city square and then see this one, the possibilitiy that you will arrive late is big.

In the same street you will also find more mascletas. See my other website www.fallas-valencia.tv for more explanation in English and the street names.

 

[meggsy]

Tony is spot on....

We saw 5 Mascletas in 2 hours on and just off Gran via Fernando el Catalico on the 19th March last year....it was so much louder than the main square. The main square is great and has to be done, but 4 years on I know where I would rather be...somewhere you can find a cerveza and servicios for starters....and its just so much more relaxed...for a while lol.

The problem is, is that there is no really good reliable guide to where the mascleta's are each day (which I think is delilberate)....fair enough that the locals might want to keep some things to themselves...it is their festival after all (not that they are not welcoming if you stumble across their celebration)....you have to walk miles (and I have done so too many times) to find them being set up then its just a question of getting your camera out finding a bar close by and waiting.


;-)

 

[Pompey Jon]

Thanks Tony & meggsy!!
Good information! We are definately looking to come away from the main square.
I'll check out the info as advised and hopefully come up with some sort of route map.
Last year we stumbled across a small neigbourhood mascaletta, and i sat down in front of a resturant window on the sill sort of thing. It looked like the casselle were all eating in there and watching from inside so i kept low not to effect their view. This lot went off! i was too close and it was so strong the window was bounching on my back from the blast!!! I got covered in wadding and stuff, ears totally blown away! I got up and the dignitories inside were all laughing at me, and my obvious mistake in sitting where i did! I laughed with them, held out my hand,... and i had real Bomb shake!!! The old "D.T's" couldnt control it! They laughed even more, and came out with a "Brandy" for me!! "How's that for Hospiltality"
If anyone has any more info then send it through?
Pompey Jon
Cliffe Bonfire Society Lewes Sussex

 

[Bonfire Boy]

Jon's right on two counts, he does get disorientated easily and yes it is too much beer!:bigsmile:

We made a mad dash from the main square last year to Gran Vía de Fernando 'El Católico' and managed to get there just in time to see a brilliant mascleta. Not sure if it was Falla99, although I did spot Tony there with a video camera. There was another one that went off at virtually the same time a bit further up the road. We managed to then catch the end of another one just around the corner, that we ran straight into the middle of, and I do mean the middle!(amazed) (What Health and Safety!!!)
The mascleta Jon refers to with his "window incident" was also in this area about 10 mins later. Definitely a good area to be in.

 

[Tony]

st year to Gran Vía de Fernando 'El Católico' and managed to get there just in time to see a brilliant mascleta. Not sure if it was Falla99, although I did spot Tony there with a video camera.

Hey Bonfire Boy ? !
Last year the only mascleta i have seen on the streets (19th march) is the one of Falla99 because there for i was on the main square.

The best thing to do is if you want to go first to the main square is check the map of Valencia and make a route. Becuase it can be a long and short way. We walked about 10 minutes from the main square to arrive at Falla99.

 

[Bonfire Boy]

Hey Bonfire Boy ? !
Last year the only mascleta i have seen on the streets (19th march) is the one of Falla99 because there for i was on the main square.

It must hve been Falla99 we made it to then. It took us about 15 minutes to walk there. Certainly very impressive. It was in the middle of a big wide road and the percussion made the trees sway like they were in a hurricane!!:smile1: Excellent stuff.

 

[Ollie]

The ruzafa area is also famous for it's large numbers of mascleta's. The first year we went we saw 6 mascleta's. But you have to be lucky with timing. The year after we only saw 3 and heard a lot of them within a few blocks... If you ask times for starters of the mascleta's. Don''t rely on that because it could easily start 30 min earlier or start 30 minutes later! Good luck in your masclate hunt!

 

[Snokkie]

Like Ollie said, the Ruzafa area (starting from the fireworks shop uptill 'el Mercado Ruzafa' is a great area to see some awesome mascletas as well.
Last year me and my wife 'sacrificed' the Falla99 mascleta to spend a few hours in the Ruzafa area and we were not disappointed at all (to say the least).
The one at the Mercado (Market hall, Plaza Baron de Cortes (if im not mistaken)) has been fired by Europla for years in a row and i have never seen, heard and felt such a 'big bad' street mascleta.
In total we managed to view about 10 street mascletas in the last two days. Admittingly we skipped both mascletas at Plaza Ayuntamiento for this, but again we were most certainly NOT feeling sad about that. I cant compare it to the mascleta of Falla99 of course since i wasnt there.

If you check the picture, you see the silver benz on the left side. The mascleta start about 25 meters further down the street. Its huge

 

[Pompey Jon]

Thanks ollie & Snokkie!,
Snokkie,.......Great to have a photo as well because it's easier to recognise!
This is all good information and i do appreciate it!
Hey Bonfire Boy,.............are you suggesting i get slightly, Disorientated????? Possibly due to the intoxifying effects Alchol???? Casting aspersions on my character!..........Then Your right! Valencia is the most intoxicating place I've ever been too! Its the Mix of continental Lagers! Black Powder! Smoke! Noise! More Lager! More Smoke, More Noise! It's Terrific!
Your Dam Right I'm Disorientated & Totally Intoxicated by Valencia!! & Very Glad of your company each year dear friend!!
Up The Cliffe!
Pompey Jon
CBS. Lewes. sussex

 

[Bonfire Boy]

Thanks Ollie and Snokkie,

Excellent information.

I know everything is very approximate in Valencia but what sort of time of day would you recommend we need to be there?

 

[Ollie]

Between 14 and 16 hours would be the best time!

If you have no hangover and some time over in the morning it is always an good idea to walk around the area so you can see were the bigger mascleta's are. Note them on a map so you can find them again later!

TIP: Small mascleta's in very small streets are also very spectaculair!!!

 

[Pompey Jon]

Good shout Ollie!
Having a good walk around in the morning before the afternoons is a great plan.
Marking it down on a map is even better!
Problem i have is getting "Bonfire Boy's" lazy Ar$e out of bed in the mornings!!
(not that he's sharing mine! "you understand"!) ;>) ;>)
No, jokes apart........Again all good information.
This actually may be the first year we really plan something and get our act togeather before we go"
How efficient of us!!!
Pompey Jon
CBS (somewhere west of Lewes)

 

[meggsy]

I think I remember you now Pompey John were you wearing a 400th GFN anniversary T-Shirt last year looking slightly mashed lol.....

Its funny how you bump into the same people once you get on the mascleta trail, these people seem to be able to sniff them out, like Cigar Man (I will call him that) as he always seemed to appear out of nowhere everywhere we were...always on his own but loving every minute....on top of that you will always find someone with a 'Freaks' T-Shirt (this years looks great by the way).

;-)

 

[Bonfire Boy]

I think I remember you now Pompey John were you wearing a 400th GFN anniversary T-Shirt last year looking slightly mashed lol.....

Its funny how you bump into the same people once you get on the mascleta trail, these people seem to be able to sniff them out, like Cigar Man (I will call him that) as he always seemed to appear out of nowhere everywhere we were...always on his own but loving every minute....on top of that you will always find someone with a 'Freaks' T-Shirt (this years looks great by the way).

;-)

Meggsy,

I think unfortunately that might have been me.:embarrest:
Jon was probably the one holding me up!!

Cigar Man - Very possibly Glenn R. Another Cliffe / East Hoathly Bonfire Boy
Goes to Valencia every year and certainly knows his way around town.

On the t-shirt front there's always a few Cliffe tops dotted around (especially in the bars!!)

Look forward to bumping into you again at some point this year.

 

[Bonfire Boy]

Its funny how you bump into the same people once you get on the mascleta trail, these people seem to be able to sniff them out, like Cigar Man (I will call him that) as he always seemed to appear out of nowhere everywhere we were...always on his own but loving every minute....

;-)

Just noticed there is a member of this site called Cigar Man who is probably who you are referring to.

Not Glenn R at all!!!!:embarrest::embarrest:

 

[Pompey Jon]

Hi Meggsy,
The "Freaks T Shirt" you mentioned, how can i get one or at least have a look at it's design please?
I tried to buy on-line a DVD "Best of Valencia" type thing from the shop on this site. But i'm unsure if they post them out to us in England? Do you know a away of doing it? perhaps you could hold some and can send them out from Whiltshire? not a bad idea if Tony could off-load some to you??:idea:
That could also work for the Tee shirts?
can you paste a photo of one on the forum:smile1: costs etc?
Again, thanks for the "insider information" I really hope we can all meet up and share a beer or two this year:smile: Bonfire Boy's shout!!!:laugh:
All the best
Pompey Jon
CBS

 

[meggsy]

Ia m sure Tony will keep us advised when these items become available ;-)

 

[WILLIE]

Hi Jon
I take it you are going to Valencia again this year
We met up with you & Glen in the riverbed / black sheep last year nit de foc we were standing having a chat when some locals tried to scare us with those fizzy things they should know better ha ha. Rye Bonfire
We are coming out for the 18th 19th will have to meet up know the area very well just waiting for a time table. The falla 99 is definetly the best.Its a bit like bonfire prayers they comemorate members passed by in upright cannons filled with black powder.
I was standing watching one of the small ones up a side street when it got up to me i turned round to say thats f in loud & found everyone else was 25mtrs away.

 

[Pompey Jon]

:idea:Willie mate,
Yes I remember! fancy thinking that sort of behavour would scare us!!:nuts:
Were going over on the 16th (sunday till the Thursday) Staying at the Petite Bristol Hotel just off the main square.
Definately up for a meet! would be good to get some of the Sussex Bonfire society Boyes & girls together! First stop, firework shop! to get sorted! then on from there. Next time were in the river bed I think we need to show them a thing or two:laugh::laugh::laugh:
Looking forward to it even more this year then previous. Were taking 4 Valencia Virgins with us:blink1:I think there in for a shock!!!!
Any additional info that you have, just keep it coming!
How many from Rye in attendance then?
Pompey Jon
CBS Lewes Sussex (just east of Portsmouth!):nuts: