pleasantville

Tuesday morning we packed up the wicked car and began our 4.5+ road trip to Valencia. We were heading for the La Tomatina festival - Yeww! We chilled by the beach and at our camp ground until Wednesday morning at 7am when we headed on our one hour journey to Bunol.

Everyone was excited and it was a sea of white clothing, goggles and go-pros. We made our way up to station 4, where we had view of the lard-covered pole with a ham at the top. Punters attempted to climb up the pole to collect the ham, which would begin the Tomato throwing festivities. During the while large crowds of people are drinking, chanting, singing and jumping around in the ice cold water being sprayed around. Funny costumes and crowd pleasures kept everyone entertained until 11am when the water canons went off which marked the start of the tomato throwing. The crowd went wild as enormous trucks rolled through the town - pelting tomatoes at people. People jammed onto the footpath, ten  people deep when in reality it would accommodate two or three, it felt as if I would come out with one rib less. After the trucks passed the real havoc broke loose with a trail of tomatoes left behind. People would jump around on the tomatoes and kick their feet until it turned to slush. It poured through the streets above ankle deep.

Solid tomatoes and hand fulls of slush were thrown around for up to two hours, with several trucks passing through. Goggles became more tomato collectors than eye protectors, with everyone reporting some kind of eye seeping for a few days after the event. It smelt, it seeped into everything and it followed you everywhere. On your way walking back to the bus parking, locals were standing in the streets with hoses, aiding those lathered head to toe in tomatoes. When we got to the bus we had to change clothes, and endure a one hour stinky bus ride home. Swims at the beach, several scrubs and washes later, I feel like I am sill finding tomato in places!

After spending the next wonderful day exploring the city of Valencia, I drove over five and a half hours back to our crib. We were diverted off the highway by the navman and I was having to drive the most insane winding road on the edge of a cliff over the sea! It felt it went on forever, my windscreen was foggy and I had a trail of cars behind me. You could say I was pretty happy to arrive home!

Friday I headed into Barcelona where I caught up with my sister from another mister. We had a lovely dinner and went out to a club and arrived home some time after 7am. It was a great night. Saturday we were tired and called it in early. 

Sunday (last night) I met back up with Nat and we caught an eight and a half hour bus to San Sebastian. Surprisingly time went really fast as we chatted the whole way. Today we chilled at the beach all day. We have nick-named San Sebastion “Pleasantville”. It is possibly the most gorgeous European city I have visited. With manicured gardens and flowers, clean streets and beaches - it is just beautiful.

We are holding out until tomorrow night when a band from home are playing - Tropical Zombie. One of the things i love most - live music.

Until then we will continue to laugh about wearing burkas in Morocco, where we will be arriving to on Friday; and we will keep on sun baking... and baking. 

Happy first day of Autumn San Sebastian, it has been a pleasure sharing it with you!

Good vibes, Kassie xx