Life: Idiotropic

I get it.  We’ve lived here now for a full year but I’ve what I only understood from an intellectual standpoint I now really get.  It’s no longer crazy or insane.  It no longer frustrates me.  Now, after this week, it absolutely makes sense.  Perfect sense. 

Because this week was hot.  Africa hot with a side of Mojave.  Drippy humid, heavy air that forces you to breath a bit more consciously.  That stepping out of the shower, drying off, and yet standing there hot and sticky as if you never did kind of energy sucking parasitic sauna. 

Last year was steamy too, but we were new and staying at a house with a pool where we lounged everyday.  Last year we were moving into this house and a bit distracted. 

Until now we’ve never really seen the late night Spanish culture in action.  How can you when the kids are in bed before it even starts? 

But tonight, Tiara had a party and Kirk’s flight was delayed.  We had some time to kill and I planned to watch the fireworks on this Gran Nit de Julio.  We’d planned to break the bedtime rules anyway.  So in a lull between taxi duties, we found ourselves at Heron City where at 9:15, we got on of the last parking spots.

Heron City is a “mall,” or at least it appears like one, but when you walk inside, you find a large movie theater covering the upper open floor of one semicircle with a huge food court and a collection of children's rides on the bottom floor.  The other semicircle is a large collection of restaurants with fountains and more rides in the middle.  There really is no shopping there at all.

We heard music as we walked up.  The place was packed.  Restaurants set up trying to lure people in.  The lines for the theater wound long.  Carousels and trampoline things, electronic horse rides and other children’s activities were surrounded by entire families and children of all ages.  The line at Burger King - out the door.  The theater lines - even longer.

This is the high time of the day.  The kids were so excited.  The air felt cool and the ambiance festive like we’re attending a party or outdoor festival.  A band tuned their guitars and did microphone tests.  We only had a little time to kill so we sat to order nearly raw hamburgers (gross) at Don Juan’s.  The girls got up to watch the band and danced when U2’s Beautiful Day was played. 

It’s amazing.  By 10:15 when we were leaving, the entire place was packed and cars were following people out to their cars as no empty spots remained. 

But the air was finally cool after a week of miserable.  At 10:15 it actually felt comfortable outside.  Not hot nor cold - perfect.  You could see the relief in people’s faces as they enjoyed the time.  I even ran into a Spanish friend.  It felt so normal - like running into a friend at the mall at 2 in the afternoon.  Smiles, kisses, and quick conversation.  Late is the time to exist here.  It’s the only time you can tolerate the hot without laying in a pool or the sea. 

And so taxi duties return and I drive around Valencia with a new awareness of the “life” I’ve missed this last year...

And a new realization of why Valencia’s fireworks displays don’t begin until midnight.

Fireworks:  Gran Nit del Julio

I parked at Port Soplaya.  Most of the parking lot was packed at 11:45, but we found a spot at Leroy Merlin. the Home Depot of Spain.

The beach was black.  Through the trickle of light from a streetlamp, I could see four faces bouncing around in the water.  People were swimming.  Didn’t seem smart.  The only other thing visible on the beach below were the tiny red and blue lights that the fishermen tie to their poles that would be otherwise invisible.

In contrast, the boardwalk above held another party, yet a quieter one.  Family and friends sat around folding tables, eating, drinking, playing cards...  Elaborate picnics, wine bottles, real glass wineglasses... family and friends kicked back relaxing in the folding chairs they brought along.  Kids ran and played.   We had 10 minutes to wait.

We waited north of where the fireworks would start unsure of where I’d park if we went closer and not willing to explore the area that late at night.  They'd be set off at the port somewhere lost in that row of lights ahead. 

Midnight begins one of several large fireworks displays this month as part of the Feria de Julio - a celebration to keep spirits up during the hottest month in Valencia.

Valencians have a thing for fireworks.  They use them for weddings and birthdays, bull runs and communions, anniversaries and holidays of all kinds.  If there is a reason to smile, then by all means, we must have fireworks.

And they’re big.  Here, every firework display is on grand scale like the 4th of July events in the states, but often, even bigger.  These are by far the best, most elaborate displays that I’ve seen - ever.  Usually I watch them from my balcony and even from 20 kilometers away they’re impressive.  Today we were closer and all we could think about was how much closer we want to be.  So varied in colors and shapes.  Patterns and just the grandness of it all.  We want to be under it next time.  Close enough to hold our ears after each deafening boom.

Leaving... the boardwalk had been full.  Groups of people still sat there with folding tables, picnics,  glasses, bottles of wine.  Crowded and alive after midnight.

There wasn't a hurry to leave.  Some started moving towards the parking lot.  Many sat relaxing under the stars listening to the sound of the crashing surf.  Some still swam in the ocean.  The fisherman still manned their rods.  It's a different world here.  And though I can’t live this every day, it’s nice on a Saturday to bend the rules and take part in this life that is later.

My friend, Maria, knows a Moroccan woman who says that in her hometown, they sleep in the day.  Stores are open at 10pm and stay open until 6am.  Life happens at night. 

I get it.   Hey, Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore.