:: Wog Blog ::

:: WHAT AM I THINKING ABOUT? ::

:: Monday 25 September 2006 ::

WOGFROG06 DAY 9 MURCIA TO TARRAGONA

Major motorway action today, trying to make up ground into my last Spanish stop, the Roman town of Tarragona on the Mediterranean coast. And in driving rain to boot. Whoo-hoo. The iPod certainly got its workout today cos it was the only entertainment - I could not face any more Spanish madness on the radio and the landscape up out of the south and up the coast northwards changes a little but not a heap.

Landed at Tarragona late afternoon and checked into a casino hotel to be told "it may be a little noisy tonight because there is a festa going on". No problemo Juan", thought I. I like a festa as much as the next guy.

Checked in to find
a very well preserved Roman amphitheatre within spitting distance.

Dropped the bags and headed orf following crowds to find myself in the middle of a truy weirdo bit of celebration.

Strangely dressed young folks danced
to the tunes of very old, medieval instruments played by other young people and

crazy animal puppets covered in firecrackers

made their way through the crowds.

Super fun and an occupational health and safety nightmare that would never pass muster in Oz.

I copped a full on firecracker into the lense of the glasses I thankfully was wearing that afternoon. And my perfectly natural inclination to yell "merda" (in English of course) got the man next to me all laughing and happy. So we got chatting as much as my very basic Spanish would allow. And he gave me some sweeties.

Then the rain came down. Loads of it. So, back to the casino hotel to watch some teevee and check out the fireworks that went off. Not a patch on Sydney, I am afraid. But being a Sydneysider nowadays, I cannae resist the lure of colourful harmless explosives in the sky.

It would have been restful, but it was "Los Simpsons".

There are simply no words.

Tomorrow, yet more driving, back to Frogland. For now, out.
:: WB 12:20 am [link+] ::