Tuesday, 14 August 2012

August 2012 - Fiesta in Parcent



It’s been a quiet week for Jan and I, as least as far as activity is concerned.   We have both gone into summer hibernation to get us through the higher than normal temperatures of this summer.   On the other hand it’s been anything but quiet in Parcent, at least after midnight.

Fiesta has come to Parcent again.   The giveaway is the crowded car park.  Seven cars is a crowded car park in the village.  Normally we comment if there is one in the car park.  This is partly because it is well away from the main road around the village, and only locals would know how to get to it.  Parking is not normally a problem, most locals just stop their car where they want to get out and no one seems to mind.

The village remains its sleepy norm during the day and early evening, apart from an occasional outburst from the town band.   However at midnight, or just after, a band or disco starts in the village square and goes on until daylight.   They must be paid by the volume, because the sound rolls around the valley in waves.  Fortunately we are outside the village and far enough away that it is just a loud rumble.  We manage to sleep through most of it, but I hate to think how they manage in the village.   This might explain why it is so quiet during the day.

On the other hand from our naya we have a grandstand view of the firework display which opened the fiesta.   We love the spectacle of the town band calling at the home of each festero to escort them to the church for the evening mass.   It’s great to see how the whole village, from babies to old ladies sitting outside their house on wooden kitchen chairs, enter into the spirit of the fiesta.  The enthusiasm with which the village band play their limited selection of music.   It’s very much part of village life and the noise is a small enough price to pay to be part of it.

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