Our daughter is over for a holiday and last night we took her to Rasqueria for their Correfoc. We have never been to Rasqueria’s before and the experience was well worth the effort.
When we arrived people were milling around the plaza to one side of which there were five dragons soon to be paraded round the little village accompanied by their groups who carried lit torches of fireworks. The dragons themselves had more fireworks attached which were lit and made them look fierce. The groups were formed up then the parade began, each group well covered to prevent burns, danced their way round following their dragon who breathed fire stopping every so often to have its fireworks replaced then off it would go again.
Following was fun and squeals could be heard everywhere. Well protected youngsters were dancing with the firework carrying followers, shirts and hats dampened to protect against stray sparks, looks of sheer delight on their faces with more squeals as the dragons passed by. Accompanying these groups were drummers who were protected from the fray so we walked along with the drummers watching the dancing dragons with their followers in front while keeping a close watch on the group behind us.
But this was a well run fiesta. Each group had a `Captain’ who made sure there was enough distance between the groups and no one got too close to do any damage.
We went up and down streets laughing at the younger generation being daring and having fun. However, on the last leg the wind began blowing the smoke, which was heavy, down the hill towards us causing my wife to start coughing. Taking to the side of the street which was sheltered, we passed the final display coming back to the square where it had started from to find a fresh breeze blowing. After a glass of cola she managed to stop coughing and my daughter and I watched the drummers as they had a contest at the end of the display.
This is a traditional fiesta, used to drive the devil from the village, they must have succeeded, if not we all had a whale of a time trying. This is one we will be visiting again, taking a smoke mask and who knows I might even dance under the fireworks.
We did not take a camera but for pictures if you go to Ebro Apartments you will see the photos that Dena Rowland’s took which as always will be spectacular. At this moment I am sitting writing in my outdoors office overlooking the forest accompanied by the noise of cicadas its Sunday.
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