Ah Spain!

AI generated, please excuse any errors!

0:00
[Music]
0:09
Hey Tanya. Hey Gatano. Oh, you know what I want to start this episode with?
0:14
Possible. Can you Okay. I don't Can you please tell me exactly how to pronounce
0:20
your name? It's not the way you have been doing it for a couple years though.
0:27
I know. I can't believe that's what you were you I mean it's very respectful and I appreciate you for acknowledging that
0:33
you may not be saying my name. So it's g So in Italy you would say gayano which is impossible for somebody from like an
0:41
American English. We just don't know. Gano is the easiest way. Gano gano like
0:46
as if it's g ai then like gano or gui like gui tano gano. That would be
0:54
gui. No. Guy like guys and gals. Gui.
0:59
Guy. Guy. I thought you said I. Sorry. Uhuh. Guy t a n o. Gano. Yeah.
1:07
Gu. It's impossible. So in Italian and in like Spanish, you pronounce each
1:13
vowel. So it's gayano which I which I which they pronounce it gayano. So you know I will can I just say this since
1:20
you brought this up? What a great thing. So my whole life my name has been Gayano. Yeah. And no one has my whole
1:27
life's pronounced my name. So my name has been Bob at Starbucks, McDonald's,
1:32
anywhere I need to leave. My name has been Bob forever. And I moved here and I said Gaitano. And
1:41
they were like okay get out of my way. Next customer. Not like what? Who? How?
1:48
Guy who? Guo. Gerardo. No, that's not what I said. I said ganono. And here
1:54
they're like and the only difference is they spell it the Spanish way. And I was like, oh, I've this is my home. They
2:02
love me here. I'm accepted. I mean, it's funny because I 100% know that I I'm not
2:07
doing it correctly. I try to do it correctly if I'm just saying your name, but if I'm saying it in a sentence, I I
2:13
can't like create those vows like that. And when we went to Denmark and I was
2:18
like, I'm going to be in Denmark. My mom's Danish. We were, you know, I was like, "Let me learn a few words because she never taught us Danish." I literally
2:26
couldn't I mean, everyone there speaks perfect English, but I was like, "Let me learn some phrases." I couldn't even
2:31
create the sounds that I needed at this point to say the phrases. I mean, I was just became like the comedy show of
2:38
like, "Let's teach her some words cuz this is really funny." So, you know, that just I think if you don't learn early on, it is sometimes hard. Um, so
2:46
I'm just going to apologize forever um for never pronouncing your own name correctly, but I will we'll try.
2:52
Well, I've never been offended because when you grow up with a name like this, you can either choose to be offended or not offended. And so I it's hard to
2:59
offend me because it's if I were to be offended by my name, then I would have had a very miserable life of being
3:04
offended all the time. So anyway, that was that was not what we were here to talk about today, but it
3:11
totally wasn't. But thank you for that. I guess we could call that a ketchup and correction. We could do a We could start
3:17
a little part of our show calling it ketchups and corrections. We probably have loads of those. Do we really want to start that?
3:25
We may never have a show. So, so um ladies and gentlemen, our dear
3:32
audience, um one thing I want to say is when we started today's recording of the episode, we have had 210 downloads
3:40
already. So, I just want to say thank you. I just got to throw that in. Like in one week um us nobbodyies have become
3:46
international superstars. That's one way of putting it. But you know what? We were really really excited to see that.
3:53
So yeah, thank you. Thank you so much. Um so but we're we're going to talk
3:58
about our followup to Fias basically. So we we recorded two weeks ago the start
4:05
of everything and now it's died down and the city has come back to normal. And I
4:10
think we brought that up the last episode. There's this crazy event and then the next day it's like nothing happened and it's bizarre. So, and it's
4:18
ongoing. So, when we we recorded the first episode, we were sort of in the middle of the first weekish, I think, of
4:23
of things sort of getting going and and a lot of stuff has happened since then. And you, as you said, I think the we've
4:31
had some sort of weather and some different things. So, I think what you had said is things had kind of had a slow start a little bit. It did. You
4:38
know, I was we had other friends in town um visiting and they were like, "This is
4:43
insane. This is crazy." And the girls and I were like, "Is it? It's it's okay.
4:49
I mean, this is I mean, it's exciting, but it's not last year." And uh we were
4:54
in a shop and they're like, "What do you mean?" And the the shop owner, she was like, "It was tranquil, you know." So,
5:00
and I'm like, "It was right. Tell them." and she was like, "I'm so happy about I'm" I'm like, "Yeah, it was refreshing
5:05
to not have like kids throwing bangers day and night for 3 weeks." Um, but it
5:11
was also said and there was a lot of rain, right? There was a lot of rain and as we talked in last week's episode
5:17
about how weather is here, there was a lot of rain this place and it just kind of dampened everyone's mood. But did it
5:23
pick up though? I mean, it picked up I think sort of towards the end because you sent me a really funny picture of
5:29
your apartment that just cracked me up. Oh, so that was so funny. I saw Are you
5:34
talking about the pictures? So the last day of of F was actually a very
5:40
beautiful day. It was sunny. The day the days before it had been raining and and I also want to say like right after we
5:47
recorded they had had I don't know if we had discussed that before, but I'll
5:52
bring it up again. A couple of the mascadas were shut down. So they because they were fearing there could be another
5:59
uh Dana episode. And so we didn't have three masculas um and so all that
6:05
weather. So the last day of Fias, which is the Krema, every intersection where
6:10
there's these statues each um Oh. Ooh. Ooh. Ooh. Correction from our Fiestas
6:16
one episode. Tanya, are you ready? Oh my gosh. So when we did we make mistakes?
6:21
We may have made one mistake. Oh no. We kept saying those little neighborhood organizations, the Fieras, Fieros,
6:28
whatever they're called. club. The fire club. Yeah. So, um um we are not here to
6:33
offend anyone. Um they're called Casal Fia. Casal Fias is the name of the
6:39
group. And they each have their own gnomes, but but that is the that's like calling it a key club, the Kowanas Club.
6:45
That's the Casal Fias. That's that's what that organization is. And then they each have names on top of that that they
6:51
call themselves. Yeah. And it's usually like the intersection. You know, the ones Yeah. That's is I don't know how
6:57
they know what the streets are because there's no street signs. And they change every three blocks. Like every time it hits another street, the street name
7:03
changes. So I don't know either. That's another episode completely of trying to find places here. But let's carry on
7:10
with the Oh, so carry on with what happened with the mascetas, I guess. And then so these the statues are right like
7:16
on every seems like every intersection in some neighborhoods. And so that morning of or that morning and
7:22
afternoon, well, it's actually the afternoon. So there's the last masceta in the plaza in the the big one. And
7:30
then after that it starts for the next hour to two hours that every
7:36
neighborhood casal has their own mini masceta and it's just like a wave through the city for like an hour and a
7:44
half and they it's like in the fire truck, you know, they have to get those people around. So is this when they're
7:49
doing the burning or this is just separate? No, this is at 3:00 in the afternoon. They start at like 2:30. the the big mascots is at like two, right?
7:57
And I was saying, "Oh my god, this mascot is going on forever." I'm like, "But why is it coming from a different direction?" Then I was like, "Oh my god,
8:02
that's right. They're starting now." So it's like as soon after that one ends, the neighborhoods start doing their mini
8:08
mascotas. And so there is one fias on my intersection which is we live midway
8:14
through the block and our street is where they set up the masculata and we're on the third floor and um fourth
8:23
in America but here it's the third floor. So we are and we have balconies overlooking the street and we
8:33
started. So we so we're like let's go out in the balcony cuz last year we left
8:38
the house and they wouldn't let us leave our foyer of our building because they were just getting ready to light this thing. And so it's the pretty much the
8:45
whole block. Um, and they'll the women and the men in their in their traditional dress there and they light
8:51
it up and then they book down the street and you see their little dresses moving really fast cuz they don't want to get
8:56
bombed. And we were out in the balcony and it is 3 minutes that seems like 60
9:03
minutes. Your ears are being melted in your head and it is so loud and so
9:09
exciting. And we loved it and we were like gripping the walls cuz we felt like our terrace. Were you inside or were you
9:14
out on the balcony? No, we were out on the balcony. We're in it. We're in it. We are. You're We are for it. Yeah.
9:22
And so we're standing out there and I'm videoing it. And I want to be clear. Just to be clear, the mascettas are not
9:28
fireworks. They're like they're I mean they're not shooting off fireworks that they're not visual fireworks. Yeah.
9:33
They're not going to They're not shooting off fireworks that are going to hit you on your balcony. No. No. That's wrong. Okay. That's wrong. They are.
9:39
They're just not the big in the sky. But they do have they shoot up. They start shoot them and you know they're usually like a little bit of color. It's not
9:45
like the big fan, but it's not coming up to you on your floor or was So you're okay with that like if it's gonna hit
9:51
you or something? Well, I would I okay with it? No, but we left the balcony door open in case we just had to duck in
9:57
real quick. Okay. Okay. Just want to get a just want to get a proper picture of like what is actually going on because
10:02
it's not like it's not Fourth of July fireworks. That's what I'm trying to get at. It's these sort of ones that will go
10:08
up. It's and it's a really big noise and it's more about the noise but there is a
10:13
visual because it is gunpowder exploding right so the visual high level right and it's the vibration but in the beginning
10:19
of it and you know what I will I will post it to today on Instagram the video
10:25
and then people can see the bird's eye view from our bathroom they reported as far as yeah I understood they kind of
10:30
they have a string and they put them across so basically they they they light that string and then it just goes for
10:36
how right so it's like they light the string and And it's like one string like the wick has a like a hundred like
10:42
little firecrackers attached like the one on our street went to that and then it went to this block that had the
10:47
things that shoot up in the air but it's almost like Roman candles, right? It's not like a big display and then it goes
10:53
through this big maze of and the firecrackers are like four or five inches long and big. That's why they're
10:59
so loud. Yeah. And so I wanted to get down there and take a picture of the view. Well, I didn't know if I was going
11:06
to have enough time to then get back upstairs. I didn't want to I didn't know when they were going to light it and stuff. And so, it was so loud. And then
11:13
we come back inside the house and I guess I'll post that picture too after the video is that our pictures were a
11:20
skew on our wall. I love it. They're like all crooked and I get this picture and it's like, okay, because you feel
11:25
that vibration in your in your body and your brain probably and your ears like you were saying to come back inside your
11:31
house and everything's all crooked on the walls I just thought was so hilarious. And we were like, um, what?
11:37
Oh, and and again, I have to reiterate, how do they still have windows in this
11:42
town and how are there stuckco still on these buildings? And then, um, yeah. So,
11:48
I mean, it was crazy. So, then that went on like in our neighbor and those are short, but there every like intersection
11:53
is doing this. So, it's just this like wave of noise over the city. I do I do
11:59
not know how the glass survives, even the buildings. I mean, they do this every year. So this goes on and it goes
12:05
on for several got to be winking some mortar. You would think, but clearly not. So let's just say the construction
12:11
here in Spain is amazing as is the glass I guess because I mean we definitely have noticed that the construction of
12:17
buildings in Spain is significantly superior to how they build things in America generally. Yeah. And that's a
12:23
you know at least down here. I don't know what it's like in mountain areas. We don't we don't build out of wood down
12:29
here. It's all full constru full full concrete construction, which is when we first got our house and we put a
12:34
dishwasher in and the dishwasher had a malfunction and it didn't um it didn't send the water out properly and it went
12:41
down between the wall and I was freaking out cuz I was like you're like termites.
12:46
Oh my god, mold termites. The house is going to fall down. What are we going to do? This is going to cost like €100,000. Like oh my god. I'm like freaking out.
12:53
And then the guy who came to like fix it, he was like no problem. It's it it's done. Like it's done. and it's gone. The
12:59
water's gone. And I'm like, what do you mean the water's gone? Like the surely the water has been soaked up by my house at this point. You know, he's like, "No,
13:06
no, no. It's gone. Don't worry." And it was for my my brain was like, "How do I not worry about this?" But I I don't
13:12
have to worry. Well, this is crazy, you know? Right. Right. Yeah. That was insane. I was like, "That's that." But
13:17
that was really cool. So, my masceta exper I did Oh my gosh. I had a super
13:23
duper fancy fancy mas better experience which was really I haven't had that. So
13:29
I haven't I've gone into the city done the masbetas you know um that type of thing seen everything heard everything
13:36
but I've never gone to like an office building or something where they like
13:43
you can see it properly from above kind of. So wait, you were inside one of those cuz I've been to Mascalletas
13:49
before and I've been jealous. And is this what you're telling me is that there's all these balconies over the square and so you got to hang out on one
13:56
of those people. Oh wow. It was such a cool experience I have to say. So how
14:01
who do you know? Well, I know fancy people. Let's just say it wasn't me.
14:07
So, I got invited through a friend who um knew who had her she they built a
14:13
house and this beautiful gorgeous house and the architects had an office downtown and they invited her and she
14:19
took me as her date. So, I was like awesome. So, we got to dress up a little bit, go down there and they had like you
14:25
know food and you know drinks and you know hamon and all these yummy things.
14:32
So, we got there maybe like an hour before, hung out, chatted, and then they have these beautiful windows overlooking
14:38
one of the um corners, and then from there, and it was one of the it was the
14:44
rainy day, so when you're looking at the um like everyone had umbrellas and we're
14:50
like inside with the windows open. We're like so spoiled, right? And everyone else is down there with their umbrellas
14:56
like we were last year. Yep. Did we have umbrellas? I'm not sure we had umbrellas. It was pouring. It was
15:02
pouring. It was, but I'm not sure we were smart enough to have umbrellas. Well, the girls and I had our umbrellas. Okay. I'm not sure we did. I think we
15:08
had like Who knows? Um, so, but then when the masceta started, obviously, we
15:13
had this fantastic view and that's the first time that I really got to enjoy the um the colors and everything because
15:22
though the the colors that they put up are very quick, it seems, and then it moves on to other parts and then the
15:28
smoke is different colors sometimes. depends on where the smoke is going as well because if if you're standing on
15:33
the side of the masceta where the smoke is blowing, your view of the mascetas dies very quickly, right? And we just
15:40
happened to be on the right side and the smoke was blowing in the other direction. So, we really got to see the
15:45
colors clear. We got to see the colors. We got to see all the little all the little sparkles that came out when it's
15:52
and it all comes up and you see all the little wizzy little firework things and it was really like it was such a great
15:59
way to see it and such a like different experience. How was the sound? Was it just as
16:05
vibrating? They have these big windows, you know, that open up like French doors which
16:10
have all glass in them. We're standing there. That glass is vibrating like I'm sure yours was in your house, right? the
16:17
glass is vibrating. And I said to the lady there, I was like, I don't understand how all these buildings are
16:23
still standing and how the glass is still standing. She's like, I don't know. And she goes, and also the glass in a lot of the buildings around the
16:29
town square are old, right? Very old. Yeah. So, they've experienced this
16:34
vibrating. I don't know. I just don't know. But you can hear it. We'll probably bring it up a million times on
16:39
this podcast. So, you know, please don't put send us hate mail. Stop bringing up the the glass and the building stuff.
16:44
It's mindblowing and and that and how nothing's on fire. Yeah. But I would say if you ever get the opportunity to go
16:50
somewhere like that and see the last I've had friends other acquaintances here tell me of this experience and
16:55
still yet now another friend who I'm now in business with has not invited me. But it's okay. I don't take anything
17:01
personally. It's I'll move on. Are you sure? And I'll make other friends. Yeah. You need
17:08
to make new friends that have friends in high places. That's all I can suggest. Exactly.
17:13
Um, so, um, what else I was going to say? Oh, so the, so the rain was kind of
17:19
a thing, but what we didn't do last year, and I don't know if you'd ever seen this, is we went to Rousafa this
17:25
time and they have like a light show there, and I it was insane that the
17:34
whole like all the streets, it's like a cave of lights. You
17:40
know how like at Christmas time here and in Fias and something you see the lights hanging so like decorations not like the
17:45
but it's like it almost looks like one of those I don't know if you were in New York at the time the those tacky Indian
17:51
restaurants in the lower east side did you no ever did you wait did you ever live in New York I forgot you never
17:57
lived so in the lower in the I'm sorry in the east village of New York there was I think it was like Sixth Street back in like the '9s there was these
18:04
like tacky Indian restaurants and and I hate to say tacky it's but they all the restaurants were the same and they all
18:09
had all this stuff hanging from the ceiling like the the gilding and the fuchsia um like papier-mâché kind of
18:16
lanterny looking type of things that's and I mean I love that stuff. I'm from Vegas, you know. You you throw me a
18:22
rhinestone and some gilding and I'm I'm a sucker. I'm in it, you know. So we get
18:28
a soft and it's just some of these intersection goes down the whole block where it's these cave of lights and it
18:34
looks like that. So like Christmas decorations kind of like they've decorated all the streets and made art
18:39
and that's cool. So that's something to see. Yeah, it's definitely something to see. I would say that um
18:48
um we had said that you know I think you know that we think Fias is something everyone should if you have the ability to see once in your life. After this one
18:56
I realized it's something yes everyone should see once in their life but to really understand it you probably need to be here five years. like you need to
19:02
see at least five times because there's no way you can take in all the statues and it doesn't matter the next year they're all different anyway. So you can
19:08
never take it all in in one trip. I've never we've had different experiences every year. So I mean for instance this
19:14
is the first year I got to have that really great experience of being up and and in a nice cushy place watching it
19:19
rather than down on the street trying to find a good spot that type of thing. But then if you get really close to the
19:25
mascetas in the middle of the town square that's a whole other experience too. And like I'm sure they're like you
19:31
said maybe Rousafa next year will be a little different how they decorate. Who knows? And you know we have the masetas
19:37
and the and the fire and everything up in our town as well. So you can also go to different towns in Valencia and see
19:44
their things. It's so there's plenty to see for years and years if you love it for years and years. But each
19:49
neighborhood has their own signature thing. So it's like we've been here and I'm like we didn't do we didn't walk around the lights of Rafa last year.
19:55
Someone had mentioned to me, but I didn't pay any mind. And so I was like, "Let's do that tonight." And we did. I was like, "Oh my god." But then there's
20:01
stuff they do different things down in Cabin. Like there's different things. It's a wonderful. And if you live outside of the city and you're going in
20:08
and out to see things, you will run into different things that you're not expecting because I I've never really
20:13
looked at a schedule. We just kind of go in and out. And every time we go in, oh, we just ran into a parade today. You
20:19
know, that kind of experience, right? which was kind of the experience I had when I lived in San Francisco, which was
20:25
if we went out, something would be happening that you would sort of run into, whether it was a parade or a
20:30
festival or something. It for me that was probably the most active city that I've lived in. And it's it's a little
20:35
bit like that where like you said, it was you live in the city and still Rousafa was an experience you didn't know you were going to have, right? I
20:42
mean, we've been to Rusaf. It's our next neighborhood, but that whole thing um and Yeah. I mean it's and this time
20:49
we went and we went to so the the last three four nights they have big
20:55
fireworks displays um in the city. I mean they every weekend they have fireworks displays but
21:01
the the last three nights they're down um over the city of arts and sciences
21:06
were over the over the opera house. And so we went um the night before the last
21:12
night. So on the 18th um just me and my youngest went and it was raining and um
21:19
my daughter suffered from some blood sugar um attitude control issues. So she was getting very angry and I was like
21:25
trying to find her a Coke or something to you know make her mood better. But all these people So I this is a this
21:31
thing was amazing. But this is an amazing thing about the Spanish people. So I'm going to give some kudos to the Spanish. So we walk down there and
21:38
everyone's got their umbrellas up and it was like a miss. Like we were getting wet, but like you weren't getting soaked, right? You and so P's like, "You
21:45
don't even need your umbrellas. Why do all these people have their umbrellas? We're not going to see anything. Why all these people I mean there's I mean
21:51
there's I mean there's got to be a couple hundred,000 and you're not going to see anything. And me I mean 5'4. If everyone has their umbrellas up, I'm the
21:57
one getting hit by the pokey things, you know, cuz I'm height and I'm not seeing anything over an umbrella for sure.
22:03
Exactly. And so she was getting angry. Now mind you, while we're there, everyone's got their fireworks with
22:09
them. So they're just throwing firecrackers in these crowds of 100,000 people and then they had got Roman
22:14
candles and then some people had like I was joking because I was doing videos with my friends and I was showing the
22:21
they're like, "Oh, that's amazing." I go, "Oh, no, that's storebought." That was just someone that they bought from the store that had ones that went up in
22:27
the sky like like you would see like a Midwest country club in the States, right? I'm like, you know, they're their
22:33
little Fourth of July picnic. And then, but anyway, so when it started, when
22:38
they cuz they do like a 10-minute bomb to warn you and then a five minute bomb to warn you that it's going to happen.
22:45
And when it started, everyone put their umbrellas away and I was like, not
22:53
expecting that as a human being. Seriously. Like everyone just collectively put the umbrellas down and
22:58
like worry about the rain at that point. Yeah. Really? That is so I was like a
23:03
little emotional. I was like I love these people. Like who would like humanity doesn't do that? No. Humanity
23:08
does not do that in America. No or anywhere. I mean I don't know where else they would happen in England. I don't
23:14
think that would happen in any country that I've ever lived in where people collectively just have like that much respect for what's going on that they
23:21
want everybody to see it. I guess. Yeah. Wow. It was like I was I'm like a little emotional thinking about how it was cuz
23:27
it is like I mean here's all these and not one was up and Paloma just got the biggest smile on her face like she
23:33
believed in life you know she believed that and the masculas like we said before they I can't explain it but they
23:41
are kind of emotional so you're already a little like hyped emotionally in a way so then for that to happen I would be
23:47
just like I'm just crying now. Yeah. And you know, and then the way they do fireworks here, it's like the
23:53
mascalletas. I don't know if you've been in the city for one of these big night ones. No, because they're at like midnight or something. Yeah. Yeah.
23:59
They're all at midnight and that time. Okay. I know I'm in Spain, but No. All right. Well, we're going to have to
24:05
change that because you have to see one once because I see them from here. Yeah. But you're It's It's the same. The
24:11
closer you are, you feel it in the body cuz they do that earthquake at the end, too. And it's just this white light and
24:17
you're like don't you know go towards the light Caroline or whatever that is from Poltergeist, you
24:23
know, but like it's like you we said that before. It's like their idea of a fireworks is a grand finale in America.
24:29
And so it's a grand finale for 20 minutes and then we're just going to light everything up at once. And so you watch them and you have these big smiles
24:36
on your faces. I mean I was I was just glowing with it. Right. So um and then
24:42
we went back and the next night Omar went with us for the the finale night before the last day. So that was that
24:48
was the 18th. So Palum and I went on the 17th and the 18th and then the 18th I mean Omar Omar my oldest went with us
24:55
and she was very excited. [Music]
25:04
That's such a that's such a sweet story. I like I love that. That's really nice. And that one night it didn't rain. And
25:10
that night was like so much more intense the night before the finale night. Yeah. So you really want to go to the e the
25:17
night on the 18th. And there's a name. Not going to pronounce it. Not even going to try. We'll do that another time. Find something or other. I don't
25:24
know. There's a name. Findace. No. Yeah. No. It's not. Yeah. So it's not. So um
25:30
so that's that thing. And then that night, you know, the fireworks just continue on. So you're like, how am I going to get to sleep for tomorrow? And
25:37
then then tomorrow was those the masculatas. And then we um last year we
25:43
had done the rooftop thing to see all of the city burning. Yeah. And we over the
25:49
plaza in Yento to see that fireworks and that burn. But this year we decided we weren't invited to that again. And you
25:57
need to get your invites in order to you need to smoo with the right people throughout the year so you have all the
26:03
stuff set up for fires. This is what I'm learning now at this point. Well, I will say I wouldn't want to do that again. I
26:09
was very happy to have done it that one time, but you're also not in You're not a part of it. It's a different
26:14
experience. That's it. It's a totally different You need to do it all for sure. Yeah, you need to do it all. And so this year, we just hung around our
26:20
neighborhood and watched the different ones burn. And like, yeah, we're getting a little We're getting a little bratty.
26:26
I'm not going to lie. We're starting to judge these things. We're starting to be a little critical. It's not all amazing
26:32
at this point. right now you're like it doesn't burn as well as the other one. And actually I had that experience with
26:37
one that I went to one of the burnings and I was like I mean it was on fire right and I'm like it's not burning like
26:42
the firemen aren't even like they don't even look worried.
26:48
So yeah we went to one on Lenia which is supposed to be one of these. It's it's not supposed to be. It is one of the
26:54
huge ones that's like 80 feet tall. Like it's ginormous, you know, and we're
26:59
like, "Oh, that's gonna be exciting." And people were piling up for like an hour before. Oh, wow. To like wait for
27:04
this one to burn. And we had our little fireworks box with us. And so we were just throwing off fireworks. I'm like, "Let's just wait for this one." But we
27:10
could hear all these other ones going off. And I'm like, "We're missing all these other ones. Like, I need to find out what's the what's the what's the
27:17
sequence so we could just go see them all, right? Just follow the fire. do that. You're not going to be able to see
27:23
because you're going to be at the back of everyone. But there's so many they don't get that crowded because Okay.
27:28
Okay. So, what I was he I was talking to someone
27:34
yesterday and who was I talking to? It was at the dentist and um she was
27:40
saying, "Well, there's all this going on, but really these the Cassals, they stay with theirs. They're not going to
27:46
all the other ones. They'll go to the ones in their neighborhood cuz that's close, but it's about their intersection. It's their that's their
27:53
thing. So, you know, I think in maybe the old town, you probably have more crowds cuz it's more tourists, but like
27:59
I mean, you know, you we live five blocks from Oldtown. It's not like we're that far from it, but the tourists aren't coming here as much. They're like
28:05
in this area where they think they need to be. Yeah. So, when you go around to all the individual ones, you're just
28:11
going to be there with the people from from that one specifically kind of. Yeah. So, so that that could be a fun
28:17
way to do it if you can get the schedule then because they have to have a schedule because the fire department has to go around to each one as it goes. So,
28:23
you could just follow I guess follow the truck. Yeah, basically. So, like we they do the the small the infantil which is
28:30
like the smaller display first. They start those at like seven. They do those and then they come back and do the the
28:36
big ones. So, we saw a bunch of little ones burn, but we went to this one on Lenia, which was supposed to be this
28:41
huge one. And I mean, we thought it was going to be one the a big grand one and the fireworks display before. I mean, it
28:47
was okay. They didn't even have they didn't have much before. Little fireworks and then there was a long wait from the fireworks to the starting cuz
28:54
it's supposed to like light the wick and go poo poo poo and then that thing is supposed to torch. And we were just like, this is what we waited an hour
29:00
for. Oh my god, you're so these other ones were burning. Yeah. Well, then we were vindicated. is so
29:06
that we walked around the neighborhood before that there was another huge one at um
29:11
uh an intersection but it's another one of these kind of top 10 ones every year they always get and they get more money
29:17
than the other ones to build these a big one and that one had a night mask leta
29:22
down the street first so the whole street was like exploding down the block oh that's cool vibrating
29:30
vibrating and then the lights got crazy and then it was shooting up fireworks from the actual highest display and then
29:36
the whole thing caught on fire and it was the most amazing thing that I had ever seen. And we were like, "Oh my
29:42
god." And we got soaking wet because the firemen were there and there was no way not to get wet because they just had the
29:48
fire hoses like shooting straight up in the air to catch the ash and stuff. We were covered in soot and ash and it was
29:55
amazing. And it was amazing. And then we tried and then we tried to watch another
30:00
one and then we were like, "We can't wait anymore." Now it was like 1:00 in the morning and we're like, "Okay, we're tired." and they they were still blowing
30:06
them up at 3:00 in the morning because they can't get them all done. You know, they tell you like you'll read in um
30:13
some of these like websites, information websites, oh, they this one's done at 10:00 and then they're all done by 10:30
30:18
and you're like, no, no, but it might give you the order.
30:23
Well, it gives you that the little ones go first. Yeah. and then the big ones and then they're theoretically all the
30:30
ones in the neighborhoods are supposed to burn first and then they burn the one in the plaza anime last so the whole
30:35
city can gather to see that. Well, the one Plaza Any is being burnt before the rest of the city's being burnt because they can't get around to them all.
30:42
Right. No. And um but it was very exciting and we were covered and then we
30:49
got home and I washed my hands and my sink water was black and it was and I we
30:56
were covered in so much soot and ash and I went and blowed my blew my nose and it
31:02
was just black and I did not. Thank you so much for sharing. I still think my lungs are coughing up
31:09
some stuff. So you could have taken a mosque with you. I guess that would be a I think you I next year maybe we're
31:14
going to do a few might take some math if you're going to keep going around to them. Yeah. Yeah. Well, speaking of
31:20
speaking of the of both of our experiences with the fires, we did, you know, by popular demand, we went down
31:26
and we talked about um the we talked about having a churro spanos uh like
31:33
discussion of what's better. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. So, we did go try. We
31:40
did try. We are going to have our throw down conversation now. And um we're going to see who's right and who's
31:46
wrong. Um could we both? So, so we had and and then so we we had them at a
31:52
stand. We had them from a cafe and you've had them from a popup like the the more popupy carnival ones. You've
32:00
had those too, right? So, let's start. We went who? No, let first start before
32:07
we describe. Okay. Are you still churros over benwellos or have you been converted? I will admit that the banwell
32:14
are really good in a different way. I'm still a churros person. I think I am because I like that they're more
32:20
crunchy. They have a different texture. So, we went to one we went to one place
32:26
that was next to a cafe and we they were supposed to have the fig ones. Correct.
32:32
Right. And unfortunately, you had to book those ahead like that. So that's something you have to order and which I didn't go back into. So that's my bad.
32:38
So next year we'll do that next year because I didn't go back. That might have another flavor. Might add a flavor
32:43
that might sway me. But the Benwells have a um they look kind of like a
32:49
donut, but when you bite into them, they're kind of soggy. A little soggy. A little too soggy for me. Almost like
32:54
uncooked dough a little bit. Well, it's because they're made the dough is made with pumpkin. So that's why it's not
32:59
like just a flour dough. It's it's Yeah. It's got that moist pumpkin in it. Yeah. So, it's kind of moist on the inside,
33:04
which I wasn't expecting. But then once I got used to it, I will say it was really good, but it wasn't a texture
33:09
that I liked much, but it did have a better flavor. I think it has a flavor, which chose don't really have a flavor,
33:15
let's be honest. They're just fried and sugared. So, but they're nice. What I like about them is they're super nice and crunchy. And my first choice
33:22
experience was actually in LA in Santa Monica on the pier. I don't know if you've ever gone down there. And they
33:27
Yeah, they're different there, though. They're covered in sugar and cinnamon. They're much more sweet. Actually, I've never tried one there, but I bought one.
33:33
Oh, yeah. Okay. And you didn't try and it I I was holding it and it they it
33:38
gave it to me and a seagull came down and stole the whole thing out of my hand. And then it gave you another one.
33:46
Kind of walked off cuz I was like, I'm going to go and walk over here and I'm going to sit over there like over looking over the water and and and like
33:52
eat it there and it just stole the whole freaking thing. They have very clever seagulls in Santa Monica, let me tell
33:57
you. Oh, I can tell seagull stories. Yeah, I I have some single. So, I had not had a churro actually, but I had
34:03
bought one there anyway. So, I do like I think the churros here are probably like
34:08
you would saying maybe a little bit better, but they're still just dough, you know, fried dough with sugar and and
34:13
you know, well, I will say having had many a churro in the West Coast that they are there's no cinnamon here. It's
34:19
they're they're more they're almost savory here. It's just a sprinkling of sugar. Wherein in the in in the West
34:25
Coast, the kind of Mexican ones, they're covered in like a sugary cinnamon thing. They're very sweet and they're much
34:31
crunchier. Here, they're I wouldn't say savory because they're still covered in sugar and you can also buy them covered
34:37
in chocolate. Um, well, that's the designery ones, which we don't like those because they've sat out too long.
34:44
The thing with the churros is you have to eat them right away because then they just get then they get like stretchy
34:50
chewy. Yeah. They get too chewy. They get too chewy if you have but the but we got fresh ones and we were you know we
34:56
got fresh churros and fresh um bananuelos and we sat down and um I the
35:02
the churros were nice and crunchy and exactly what I liked. And then the the bonos. The the problem the biggest
35:07
problem I had with them actually was that we sat down and and got a hot chocolate with it. And I was very
35:12
disappointed with the hot chocolate cuz I wanted a thick hot chocolate to dip in. To me it should be like a hot pudding, you know. And and I remember
35:20
saying that I was like to you when we were there. I was like you want them you want to go to Paris. That's where they had that. The first time and the only
35:25
time that I've ever had hot chocolate thick hot chocolate is in Spain. I've never had it in France. So to me it's a
35:30
Spanish thing and it is designed for dipping bono and cholos in for the most part as far as I know. And we sat down
35:37
and this hot chocolate just left a not just not at all. But it tasted good cuz
35:42
I it tastes good. Yeah. I've been to So we went to So but so what did you where
35:50
did you like the bunwell more from in the churros more from a restaurant that little stand or
35:56
one of the kind of like more carnivaly popup ones? the one that just shows up for the the day. Do you remember? I
36:02
think so long as they're fresh because you don't want them you want them to come and usually that's how they do it.
36:07
And if there's a lot of people coming through and you get fresh ones, I don't think it matters to me. Maybe there's a really fancy place that does really good
36:14
ones that we didn't go to like some fancy restaurant and then they've flavored them or something and they're suddenly like super different. But if
36:20
you're just getting them from like a regular bakery or a regular place and they're freshly cooked, I think that
36:27
they're just as good. So So I'm going to disagree. I may not have had a really fancy one.
36:33
This might be the problem. But but we had that day. Well, it's not even so much the fancy cuz we've, you know, so
36:38
that is like the city thing, right? So we're walking around and and partaking in more of this stuff. So, the first
36:44
place that we went to, the more cafe place, I don't like their um hot
36:49
chocolates and but their Boono I thought was more far superior to that that the
36:56
stand that we went to. The stand that was adjacent to the restaurant. It wasn't as greasy. It was It was bigger
37:02
and fluffier, too. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz the one we got when we sat down to eat, that one was which we're confusing the
37:08
people. That was actually a stand, not the restaurant. The Yeah. So the restaurant the restaurant was a year chocolate and then the stand which was
37:15
connected was was frying and cooking the bunwells. No, remember the first place we went to was the actual Boonwell cafe.
37:22
Yeah. Right. And that one had the thicker kind of fluffier.
37:27
I thought it a less greasy one. I felt the the next place we went to had a it
37:32
was smaller, greasier, but they had the better hot chocolate. Um but I was I was completely destroyed by the fact that
37:39
the hot chocolate wasn't dippable. So that completely just eradicated any element of how nice that experience
37:45
could have been even. So we agree the first place had the better bun. I think so. Yes. Okay. But next year you have to
37:50
try the fig ones because that could sway it the other way because it was the it was the stand next to the cafe where
37:56
they were doing the fig ones and if they were Yeah. But you know now I'm a little worried because if you have to order it
38:01
a day ahead then I'm is I'm is it even going to be fresh when I get it? Well I'm assuming they just means that they make them to fry and they're fried
38:08
fresh. Oh, maybe. Yeah, because they're not gonna maybe because they're more they're gonna be much more expensive. They don't want that just sitting that
38:14
they don't want to waste that dough, I suppose. Okay, I guess so. That's my guess. That's my guess. We'll find out.
38:20
We'll find out. We'll correct that one next year. Next year, a year from now, we'll be talking about So, here's the thing that we have found, you know,
38:27
being here with the churro situation is the churo stands, like the ones that
38:34
come in, like the churo popups that come in just whatever trucks. Yeah. And then the they look like containers, right?
38:40
They pull them up and those kind of go around Spain to every fair, right? So,
38:46
we personally think those are not the good ones because they use the same oil over and over. So, they just taste
38:53
greasier, dirtier, and those are the ones that usually have the chocolate churros and they've been sitting there
38:58
all day. So, they're just really chewy turnover, too, which might mean that
39:05
like you said, the oil gets older quicker. And for for that it gets older quicker. But those those chocolate ones
39:11
and the ones that are filled with pistachio cream that look so good. Yeah. No, by the time you But those people aren't getting those like crazy. So
39:17
they've been sitting there for a while. So the dough is all chewy. So if you come here, we would say don't do that unless you see them pipe the stuff into
39:23
a fresh literally right there and dip it in chocolate. But I will say that that's absolutely true. And I think the um also
39:31
just with the bunos and the churros, they're constantly making them. So don't let them give you the ones that are
39:36
sitting there. And you can ask for the fresh ones and that's completely acceptable to ask for the fresh ones.
39:41
So, you know, they are going through them some of these places, especially during but the oil is older and it
39:46
affects the taste probably. But anywhere you want the fresh ones no matter where they're doing it. Yeah. No matter what,
39:51
you want the fresh ones for sure. And you can easily as a foreigner I think because if your Spanish isn't very good, you kind of like Yeah. They just, you
39:58
know, you're not asking for it. So then you get them and they tr then they may only be have been fried like two or
40:04
three minutes ago but it's still not totally out of the fryer which is the best really I would say on both really
40:10
because that's how the sugar sticks to it. The oil's still got to be wet and hot and Oh because the sugar is an
40:15
addition they ask you if you want sugar so it's not just it doesn't just come with sugar so you can also have them without it. That's what I mean like
40:21
they're more safe than like in Mexico. You know what I mean? It's it is a um thing. Oh, I was gonna bring up
40:27
something that I found out that those three cancelled mascettas that they had,
40:33
they're actually postponed those. So, we're gonna have three mascas that we normally don't have in the next couple months. Oh, fun. Okay. Do they tell you
40:40
when? So, they're going to Yeah, I am. I'm actually I did a I went on a factf finding mission and I wouldn't even say
40:45
I went on a factf finding mission. It just came an alert on my phone from like the local news alert thing. So, it's not
40:51
this week. If it's this weekend, let me know. We have friends in town. No, it's May 4th, May 11th, and June 22nd, and
41:00
one is for Mother's Day, which is May 4th. May 11th is the day, you know,
41:06
Mary's day, day of Mary, Mother Mary. Uh, and then June 22nd for Corpus Christi. Oh, that's so cool that they do
41:13
it for like events when they postpone. And that's clever. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I like that. They just announced it the a
41:18
couple days ago, so I thought I'd I'd share that information with you. Now, just, you know, per as we've said before, that may change. So, don't come
41:25
back to us if they move them. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. There's nothing is set in stone in
41:31
Spain. Let's just say, okay, nothing is. But I'm excited for I'm excited cuz they
41:36
have all this gunpowder. They they can't waste it. You know, they got to use it. So, it'll be nice to see these, you know, these bigger mascul on those
41:43
things. Well, and I might be wrong, but I think there's several companies that do these things and they get promotions
41:48
from it. So, it's not the same company, I don't think. No, no, because they No,
41:53
you're right. Because they judge them. So, there's they win and then whoever Now, this is where I I think I'm I'm
42:00
like 89% right on this one. 89. Okay. No, 87. Oh, 87. 89% right. That they
42:07
vote like they vote on all the statues on all the fights. They vote on the best masculata and whoever won the best masca
42:15
I believe gets to do the final masca on the 19th in the square. Okay. But there's people that haven't done it that
42:20
aren't going to be doing it till May, June. So, you know, I don't know if if companies get to do two or three. Um,
42:28
yeah, they I think they get to do a couple. I mean, because there's there's like 21 mascot. I don't think there's 21
42:34
companies doing masc. But I'm just saying there is that added element too of why they postpone them. just don't do
42:39
them because they are booked and these companies have created them for this and they want to do them like well yeah well
42:46
they've created it and you I don't I don't know how long gunpowder lasts I would have have a feeling that they've spent the money and they have to store
42:53
it and I would I would imagine I mean someone any um rocket scientists I don't want to let us know how to store I would
43:00
have a feeling that there you know if they've made these things there might be an expiration date with humidity and
43:05
those kinds of things and how I'm going to say this properly now how to store gunpowder What was the sentence I was trying to
43:11
get out that was just coming out like, "Oh my god, we might have just increased our audience base. We're rocket
43:17
scientists." Oh gosh. Factecking us. Do we know rocket? Oh my god. Let's not
43:23
just give us the information so we're right. That would be the best way. Yeah. Yeah. Tell us we're right. Never that we're wrong. Yeah.
43:32
Oh my goodness. So yeah, I'm I'm I loved it. It's my
43:38
second year and I I said before this started that um uh this might be our last Fiestas
43:46
because it's a great time to get out of the city and so many of our other expat friends were leaving because it's a
43:52
cheap time to travel. But after having done it and experienced this way, I'm like maybe one more year before we
43:58
decide to leave. I think it is a bit addictive, right? Because I think you would really have FOMO not being here. I
44:04
mean we were we were gone. We took the we took the opportunity to go to England for for a week because we because they
44:11
have the school holiday and and it was and all this stuff was going on and I'm getting the photos of of your pictures
44:18
and I'm like, "Oh man, but so yeah, you kind of want to be
44:24
there and you don't want to be there at the same time sometimes once you've had a few of them." So yeah, I could see
44:31
that. Yeah. Well, I think we're coming towards our time. I
44:37
think so. I think that's the the second fires. I'm sure we'll keep doing it. There's more. We'll come back. Oh, and
44:42
you know, I I was talking to a friend, so a Spanish friend of mine who was once
44:48
a fiera growing up and all that stuff. And I I I I casually asked her if maybe
44:55
one day in the future before the next Fias we could interview her and she can um maybe tell us um the real story right
45:03
the real stories. Scratch describe these two episodes and the third one is where
45:08
it really come becomes real. Pas part three in a several months I mean it's not going to be anytime soon. No, I
45:13
think that would be really awesome because she has the insight that we don't have as foreigners that I'm not sure you can ever really have. Um,
45:20
right. So that would and I even think inside of Spaniards because I think even some of the Spaniards don't if you're not part of it. I'm sure there's still
45:27
an outsider element. Well, also let's, you know, let's be clear, this is a Valencian holiday. You're not experiencing this in Madrid or Malaga or
45:34
Barcelona or anywhere. This is a Valencian thing. So, you know, um, just I don't know that we've actually ever
45:39
mentioned that that this is very special to this region. Yeah. So, it's a it's some of this stuff
45:46
is also a surprise to other Spaniards when they move. I mean, that's why there's three million people, but I
45:51
think they said only like a million people showed up this year because of the weather and stuff. And um that's
45:57
understandable. Well, that would be really fun. So, we'll we'll look forward to that. Um if she's kind enough to talk to us.
46:03
Yes, I'll I'll maintain that friendship and her.
46:10
All right, Tanya. See you next week. Talk to you next week. All that stuff. All that stuff. Bye.
46:19
Hey, can't get enough of us? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at a spain podcast and on our website.com, which we
46:26
will be updating with exciting new things as we grow. We would love for you to message us with any topics you would
46:31
like to hear about. See you next time. Bye.

All

From the series

From Ah Spain Podcast