Many High's and a Few Low's Fallas 2007

[meggsy]

Back from Fallas, very tired and feet are killing ush: as always, but had a great time and will be back next year :smile: .

I am beginning to think that the more Riverbed displays you see the more they seem to lose their impact, I was slightly dissapointed by the finale of Ricasa's Nit Du Foc this year, the main part of the display was fantastic, but the final push was simply not as powerful as it has seemed in the past or compared to many other displays I have seen there. In 2005 the final salute hits went on for ages, but not this year. In saying that there were some fantastic shells on show and they are still a must see.

Saw too many injuries this year some of them very serious. I saw someone tread on a No4...some kids threw one into where a man was cooking his foot went from white to black bruised in 30 secs and his foot was shattered. Also saw a man lose part of the side of his head and a woman get her leg broken by a 3" salute shell that went 'blind' and landed in the crowd. That shook me up quite a bit as it was second shell to do that in the same mascleta. Saw Tony soon after and as he said 'that is fireworks' ....and in a city where so much is being set off with so many people around accidents are bound to happen. The only injury I had was from the fire from the crema in the main square I had some hot embers go down my top and burn my chest...OUCH!!! ush:

Back to the high's....have made the decision that I am not going to hang around the main square so much in the future for the 2 pm mascleta, whilst the big mascletas are spectacular they do not have the impact of a smaller back street mascleta. Perhaps see one or two, but get out there and experience the smaller ones. The mascleta all the freaks gathered for on the 19th was simply the best I have ever seen, was great to get so close to the size of masclets being dropped in the main square, and as an added bonus they started the show with some old style mascleta pots and some canons, very loud indeed!!!!!

Fallas is still the place to be....!!!!!!!

Final low 'The Black Sheep's' prices have rocketed almost on a par with the dearest London prices, won't be spending so much time there.

Meggsy

 

[Sensenick]

I agree with you, the riverbed displays, as any other display you could see, lose their impact when you have seen them for many years... it's difficult to find valencian people that enjoy to see all 4 displays (15, 16, 17, and 18 "nit del foc", very close to a regular display).

But in mascletas... I usually see some little ones, and the middle part are better, but the final... the best final you can "feel" is at main square, on the SE corner (near final "masclets" and "salutes").

Very sad for the injuries, every year one or two little mascletas have problems (fortunatelly I had never seen any), but every year we get less and less. Security has increased, and perhaps the accident in Azcarraga will help to increase it.

 

[Tony]

But i am thinking, where the displays not smaller this year ?
Because i had the same feeling. Great shows but i remember shows that where so big and wide and i dindt see them this year. Its is not only me thinking this so maybe the shows where just smaller this year.

 

[meggsy]

I am glad it’s not just me then. The shows in 2005 were the best and biggest I have ever seen they seem to have tailed off a bit in the last 2 years.

the best final you can "feel" is at main square, on the SE corner (near final "masclets" and "salutes").

Well its where I always stand when there!!!!

Always nice to hear the Valencian perspective. I do envy you living in such a beautiful city. We had a Spanish friend there from Bilbao who just the loved the city and the event. I was amazed at how everyone respected the end of Fallas I didn’t hear a single bang during the day on the 20th, it was such a full stop to the events, never been there on that day before.

 

[Bonfire Boy]

Back in Lewes completely exhausted! Have to agree with you Meggsy, riverbed shows were bigger and better two years ago.

Back street mascletas are far more fun than the main square. The mascleta you mention on the 19th, is that the one on the central reservation about 3.00pm? If so, have to agree that was absoloutely awesome.(amazed) I'm sure I saw Tony there with a video camera, so I'm hoping he's going to post it on the site.

Probably bumped into you in The Black Sheep at some point without even knowing it. Beer prices were a bit steep but had a good laugh outside, Sunday night / Monday morning.:bigsmile:

 

[Sensenick]

Well its where I always stand when there!!!!

Always nice to hear the Valencian perspective. I do envy you living in such a beautiful city. We had a Spanish friend there from Bilbao who just the loved the city and the event. I was amazed at how everyone respected the end of Fallas I didn’t hear a single bang during the day on the 20th, it was such a full stop to the events, never been there on that day before.

Oh, I have seen some photos on the forum from the NE corner, so I was wrong.

Thanks! I'm very curious about the feelings of "first-time visitor", specially from who never have heared about fallas... see the faces at the end of a mascletà, the crowd.... and what things do they like and dislike. The 20th "repect" is 70% tireness, some years the 20th was saturday or sunday, and despite some valencian people had to work some days, I never see anyone on that night (19-20) on pubs or verbenas (I remember to see verbenas on 2005, the 19th night, but only with falleros)

PD: Horrible english, sorry

 

[meggsy]

PD: Horrible english, sorry

Its better than my Spanish :laugh:

Yes there is a lot of fun in watching people for the first time, and I knew which corner you meant, the maps they produce are always a bit confusing when it comes to 'North' :laugh:

80% of new visitors fall in love with the festival its not for everyone though; you have to be a true pyromaniac to really enjoy it, in Valencia I think its in the blood :blink1:

Was surprised that a Spanish person was not really aware of it, but you do have a big country:smile:

Probably bumped into you in The Black Sheep at some point without even knowing it. Beer prices were a bit steep but had a good laugh outside, Sunday night / Monday morning.

I was the dude who walked funny because of chafed legs :laugh: and I guess you were the guy (the T-Shirt) that I was worried about on the 18th as you looked like you had had too much sangria . Yes the displays are not as big but sometimes we can be spoilt. I had to sit on the sidewalk as had poco money but yes the freaks were fun to watch.

 

[Dodgey]

Hello peeps! - back too, and had an awesome time. Was with Meggsy and co. Will add botu the injuries - I saw a baracha? go up a childs jumper :-( - her mother was understandably manic.

Anyhows - posted some high speed shots in my gallery. some from falass99 and some from anotehr smaller one. Hope you enjoy. Not sure when I'm supposed to put them!

 

[propyro2]

Saw too many injuries this year some of them very serious. Also saw a man lose part of the side of his head and a woman get her leg broken by a 3" salute shell that went 'blind' and landed in the crowd. That shook me up quite a bit as it was second shell to do that in the same mascleta. Meggsy

Hey Meggsy I know it is not really nice talkin about but how does someone lose part of his head. Also how far from the launch point was the woman who copped a 3" blind. Are Mascletas safe, safe enough to be used in highly regulated countries in Europe or even the USA? Do you reckon a pyro in the States could try and put on a Mascleta for an arts festival or would it be all too hard? Dont you just need quick match, timer fuse, flash bombs, some salute cakes and shells and some advice. Or would you need to fly in a Mascleta expert from Spain etc

 

[meggsy]

how does someone lose part of his head. Also how far from the launch point was the woman who copped a 3" blind

Have speculated with others about this, as frankly I didn't want to stand around gawping, we assumed at the time that the salute must have exploded on the ground thus the damaged leg, it was possible that the damage to the side of the mans head was caused by part of the casing (these were plastic casings we saw them go in). Its also possible that it was shrapnel from a cars bumper, one seemed to be damaged, its all speculation though and not very helpful, just hope they are recovering. Have now counted from the video that 3 shells must have gone blind, not acceptable really. The people must have been at most 30 metres from the display down one of the side roads.

As far as safety in concerned I see no reason why a mascleta cant be fired elsewhere, would be fun to sit and draw up the 'risk assessment' and then present it to your local council :laugh: . As for material what you say is absolutely right easy enough to put together. I have been pressing for a Spanish company to be allowed to fire one in the UK but my applications have been met with a polite no :suspicious: . Will keep trying one day :smile1: . Tony did it!!!!

 

[Tony]

Have speculated with others about this, as frankly I didn't want to stand around gawping, we assumed at the time that the salute must have exploded on the ground thus the damaged leg, it was possible that the damage to the side of the mans head was caused by part of the casing (these were plastic casings we saw them go in). Its also possible that it was shrapnel from a cars bumper, one seemed to be damaged, its all speculation though and not very helpful, just hope they are recovering. Have now counted from the video that 3 shells must have gone blind, not acceptable really. The people must have been at most 30 metres from the display down one of the side roads.

As far as safety in concerned I see no reason why a mascleta cant be fired elsewhere, would be fun to sit and draw up the 'risk assessment' and then present it to your local council :laugh: . As for material what you say is absolutely right easy enough to put together. I have been pressing for a Spanish company to be allowed to fire one in the UK but my applications have been met with a polite no :suspicious: . Will keep trying one day :smile1: . Tony did it!!!!

Hey hey i dindt do it but a other company who saw the movies on thsi website. They have fly in a Spanish company. A Mascleta is very difficult to build..It looks simple but forget it.

As the blind shells. This can always happen with Fireworks but thats is also where quality is a very important issue..Some companys (smaller) are using cheap material or just have to much work that they cannot handle and therefore loose the eye on Qaulity. But on the other way take some distance from the racks full of shells if it is a mascleta or a regular display anywhere in the world...

 

[meggsy]

Sorry to foist unwanted plaudits on you Tony :laugh: …

 

[propyro2]

As far as safety in concerned I see no reason why a mascleta cant be fired elsewhere, would be fun to sit and draw up the 'risk assessment' and then present it to your local council

How can a Mascelta go wrong and what other risks can it pose, ignoring the risks in this thread to do with dud shells?

 

[Vavoom]

One of my lows was that I saw much more vandalism in Valencia. Another low was that there were some crazy Dutch people with truenos outside The Black Sheep. There was no fun in sitting outside. One day (the second last day?) a very loud traca was lit. It was too loud (illegal) and irresponsible. I got hit by flying debris. Didn't manage to fulfill my one and only goal for this year which was taking an up-close picture of a burning Falla.

To end with some highs. My travelling companion Mr. Sinasy made some new friends (check www.sinasy.nl. Experienced some new things like participating in the Mascletá Manual and my first visit to Ciudad de las Artes y de las Sciencias (after 4 years finally).

Hope to see more of the good old friends and real pyros next year.

 

[Vavoom]

I just posted a thread with my personal highlights in pictures here.
Here's one scene you might have seen as well....