plaça Rius y Taulet

Many years ago, what seems like a googolplex amount of time passing, the Smurf’s were a popular television show, as American Idol and Dancing with the Stars are today.

Come one Halloween year, I convinced one of my sons to be Papa Smurf. I didn’t sew then and I don’t now but I thought my brilliant, outlandish idea would be fun, using old clothing and what not.

plaça Rius y Taulet, 2008

Oh, yes! The best part of my imagination was working and coming to reality. You, who have no stitching skills, would appreciate this. I made the hat out of felt material, and I got ballerina shoes, improvising them to look like Papa Smurf’s shoes.

Now wait!

I, his mother, in my creative wisdom, used Elmer’s glue (yes, you read it correctly) to paste about 20 cotton balls, on his cute little face. (Yes, I am biased.)

My son was Papa Smurf and I was swollen with pride and his face was just swollen.

plaça Rius y Taulet, 2008

Oh, how he would have been at home at plaça Rius y Taulet.

Plaça Rius y Taulet received 7th place honorable mention out of 15 who participated in la festa, Gràcia! 2008.

Congratulations to you!

View barcalunacy's la festa Gràcia, 2008 FLCKR photoset.

Chaotic Frenzy

La festa de Gràcia, 2008 has officially opened and the barrio of Gràcia is full of life for the next seven days!

On Friday, about 8 am, cannon like sounds were heard throughout my neighborhood announcing the Feast of the Assumption, a Catholic, HOLYDAY of obligation, the festa of Gràcia AND

A HOLIDAY, meaning a day off for the majority of the people.

We headed for placa Rius y Taulet and didn't expect the crowds that had already gathered there.

plaça Rius y Taulet, 2008

Of course, we were about 2 hours behind everyone else and I suspect some fun stuff had already happened.

When we got there, we followed the sounds of pulsating drums and saw people rhythmically moving and swaying.

I excused my way through the crowds, and I could see the TALL PEOPLE dancing in the middle of the placa.

Devils danced and the crouching dragon I mentioned in a previous post was there including Gaudi's lizard.

These 2 animals charged the toreador who then pierced its skin. This is the closest I will probably get to a bullfight, even though I think all there knew they were not really real bulls.

Next, other devils, I think, dressed in yellow pants and blue capes dancing in a circle told us to move further away.

I hesitated just enough to see the entire sky lit with fire and the sparks landing on my body, singing my skin in places it shouldn’t have been.

A burning feeling told me shouldn't be there.

plaça Rius y Taulet, 2008

People were scattering everywhere.

I got some photos of people running and you can see the black devils shooting the fire crackers and smoke is everywhere.

I felt like Robert Capa (the famous war photographer) but really, I don't have deadlines to meet, ( no, it's true), I don't get paid ( yes, even truer) and this blog is purely for fun (that's a fact).

I've got to prioritize my free time better, I think.

When all calmed down, again some folks made a circle and shot what I think were muskets. For them to shoot again, they had to fill the barrel of the rifle with gun powder.

Anyway, the photos on flickr represent about 2 hours of my day at Rius y Taulet.

It took another 2 days for my body to recover, to sift through the photos and to decide what to show for this post.

Wow … another 4 days to go.

P. S. Rius y Taulet creative theme seems to be the Smurfs. In my opinion, they are a contender for first place.

View barcalunacy's la festa Gràcia, 2008 FLCKR photoset.