On my way home from class the other day, I couldn't help but admire the serenity of the beautiful city around me. With its easy-going people, colorful buildings and plethora of palm trees, could there really be a more tranquil place than Valencia, Spain? As joyful images of blue skies and nude beaches ran through my head, I came upon a group of small children playing in the street. Oh, to be young and innocent, I thought - how wonderful indeed! Then one of the kids pulled a lighter out of his pocket. A 6-year-old with a lighter isn't the most comforting sight, but given the sublime innocence of our world's youth, I figured he must have been poised to light a candle or something. Suddenly, the little angel whipped out a firecracker, lit the end and tossed it at my feet. The deceptively powerful little thing went off like a gunshot right after I scampered away, prompting squeals of delight from all the kid's punk friends. Damn this cruel, lawless town, I thought.
As it turned out, children tossing explosives willy-nilly around town was nothing out of the ordinary in Valencia, at least during the incredibly chaotic week of March 15 to 19. Those five days constitute one of the wildest festivals in the world: Las Fallas. Replete with unbeatable fireworks, elaborate costumes, rich tradition, awe-inspiring artwork, eye-opening bullfights, late-night street concerts, irresistible sweets, endless supplies of paella and spectacular conflagrations, Las Fallas offers everything but sleep.
The festival celebrates Valencia's carpenter saint, San Jos
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