I can't believe I’ve missed it AGAIN! On the last Wednesday of every August there is an amazing event here in Spain. ‘The Annual Tomatina Festival’ held in the town of Bunol. 40,000 Spaniards hurling 115,000 kilograms of tomatoes at each other at what has to be one of the worlds messiest festivals. Actually judging by the photos there’s quite a few British, French and German tourists involved as well. I wonder if it hurts? Apparently participants are advised to give their tomatoes a good old tenderising squeeze before letting fly at their human targets but I bet a tomato in the back of the head would still smart! Actually I think it would be great fun, I’m so annoyed I’ve missed out again. Since 2002 the Tomatina Festival has been officially classed as part of Spain's national heritage, and the festival dates all the way back to 1945 when two participants in a carnival allegedly began hurling tomatoes at each other during a heated argument. Well that’s ONE theory, I’m sure there’s many more! Apparently the locals all don raincoats and capes as the trucks full of tomatoes arrive at the town square at 11am sharp, and then its on for young and old! Ahhh…I do love a good food fight. The photos of the Tomatina Festival always look so vibrant and colorful. Then again I guess 115,000 kilos of squashed and splattered ripe tomatoes would be wouldn’t they? It never ceases to amaze me that so many of the participants wear white though. Thank goodness for high technology and the multitude of stain removers we have at our fingertips these days...... How the hell did they cope back in 1945?
Friday, August 31, 2007
Spains Tomatina Festival
I can't believe I’ve missed it AGAIN! On the last Wednesday of every August there is an amazing event here in Spain. ‘The Annual Tomatina Festival’ held in the town of Bunol. 40,000 Spaniards hurling 115,000 kilograms of tomatoes at each other at what has to be one of the worlds messiest festivals. Actually judging by the photos there’s quite a few British, French and German tourists involved as well. I wonder if it hurts? Apparently participants are advised to give their tomatoes a good old tenderising squeeze before letting fly at their human targets but I bet a tomato in the back of the head would still smart! Actually I think it would be great fun, I’m so annoyed I’ve missed out again. Since 2002 the Tomatina Festival has been officially classed as part of Spain's national heritage, and the festival dates all the way back to 1945 when two participants in a carnival allegedly began hurling tomatoes at each other during a heated argument. Well that’s ONE theory, I’m sure there’s many more! Apparently the locals all don raincoats and capes as the trucks full of tomatoes arrive at the town square at 11am sharp, and then its on for young and old! Ahhh…I do love a good food fight. The photos of the Tomatina Festival always look so vibrant and colorful. Then again I guess 115,000 kilos of squashed and splattered ripe tomatoes would be wouldn’t they? It never ceases to amaze me that so many of the participants wear white though. Thank goodness for high technology and the multitude of stain removers we have at our fingertips these days...... How the hell did they cope back in 1945?
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1 comment:
We went this year and it was certainly soemthing to see. Much more agressive than i'd imagined.
haven't heard you mention Tomatina on your show? I thought youd be don there microphone in one hand tomato in the other.
Dimi & Don / San Pedro
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