fiesta – GOING NINETY MILES

Adoration of the Magi by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 17th century (Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio)

The day for Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar to arrive is here! Children are anxiously awaiting all over Spain to see the Three Kings. Known in the Anglophone world as the Epiphany, the arrival of the Three Kings is defined in Spain by the enormous expectation and the tremendous annual celebrations that revolve around the event. Festivities officially start the evening before Epiphany, on the night of January 5, when the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings’ Parade) takes place in every town and city, with hundreds upon hundreds of people crowding the main roads of the urban settlements in order to get a glimpse of the reenactment of the arrival of the Three Kings into town.

Here in Mallorca, the Three Kings arrive on boat and then proceed to join the parade (either on an elaborate float or on camels or horses) to throw candy to the children that line the streets. The children hopefully have been very good all year because this is the time they receive the most presents. Santa is definitely number two in popularity in Spain. But if the children have been bad they receive a bag of black coal, (usually a lump of hard sugar candy dyed black, called Carbón Dulce).

If you haven’t realized it yet, the Three Kings are the Three Wise Men who traveled by night all the way from the farthest confines of the Earth to bring gifts to Jesus, whom they recognized as the Son of God. The two days remain a beloved tradition, the night before when the Kings arrive and January 6, the day of the Epiphany.

It is a special time here in Spain! But sadly, it is also the end of Christmas.

Til next time!

Fiesta de San Sebastian was last night in Palma. And dude, was it cold. It did warm up in the vicinity of throngs of people and fire but still, freaking cold for Mallorca. My first time to celebrate San Sebastian and it won’t be my last. Policia blocked off Paseo Maritimo and the parade took place there. Not really sure if the Mallorquins would actually call it a parade but it was quite a show.

The second I arrived to Paseo Maritimo this guy walked out from the shadows in full attire of the devil WITH a chainsaw. He started it up right beside me and I almost screamed. I tried to casually step to the side hoping this was part of the fiesta and not some mad psycho killer. But I did hear some screams when he stepped into the “parade”. Scary yo.

Check out the pics, unfortunately I couldn’t capture the hundreds of people running up the stairs to the cathedral, each with a lit torch in their hands. So cool. Then came the part where the bishop (San Sebastian?) fought with the dragon and somehow they projected the entire side of the cathedral with what looked like flying bat people. Seriously hope some of you can see San Sebastian 2012. Til then ….