What are you doing on mid summers eve or the summer solstice?
If you are in England you could join the revellers in trying to pull down Stonehenge – don’t think I will bother with that one.
Perhaps you could visit France where they dance in the streets until dawn that’s sounds more like it, but for me I can’t parle francais very well.
Rumour has it that Spain is the ‘in place’ to enjoy the summer solstice or The Festival of San Juan. Swimming in the sea at midnight, lighting fires on the beach and partying until dawn – yeah I think that’s the one for me. Young and old, locals and tourists, dancing under the stars.
This festival, now celebrating the longest day, was 5000 years ago a pagan ritual where sun-worshippers feared that when the sun-filled days got shorter, the sun would disappear. It must have been really scary to have been a pagan in England don’t you think?
This festival, held on the longest day, signifies the start of the summer and is celebrated all over Spain, especially in coastal regions where having fun is the order of the day, so be prepared to boogey through the night and oooh and aarhhh at the magnificent noisy firework displays - don’t forget the earplugs! Those pagans know how to party!
Javea’s Festival of San Juan - translated as The Party of John the Baptist - still retains its magic and ancestral roots and on the Eve of San Juan the people of Javea, reminiscent of their ancient tradition, swim at midnight to wash away their sins and gain eternal beauty. They light bonfires on the beach and in the town - ‘Las Hogueras de San Juan' (Bonfires of St John). They then jump over these fires in the magical belief of purifying body and soul. (A detox the old fashioned way.) However, I dispute these claims as this clearly doesn't work because I have witnessed the faces of some of the revelers the next day! A word to the wise, hair of the dog or a glass of plink plink fizz (Alka Seltzer) for those of us who remember for the morning after perhaps. Enjoy.
VideoJug: Spanish Festival - Night Of San Juan
Take a look at some of Javea's stunning villas at http://www.selectholidayvillas.com/
Thursday, 21 June 2007
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