The week leading up to San Juan, 24th June, is a week-long orgy of festivities and fireworks in Alicante. All over the city, large installations called Hogueras (same as the name of the holiday) are set up for a few days, only to be burned at midnight on the 24th. I generally avoid the city in the evening during that week, but I did stop by the centre on my home from work one day, and I also went there on the 24th in the afternoon to have a look.
Even after the big event, festivities continue for a couple of days, with fireworks displays over the city every day at midnight. This year, we got together at a friend’s 17th floor apartment to have a good view.
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Of course I also cycled every morning, enjoying views like this on my way back:
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An image from a morning walk with Mochi. Some people have guard dogs, this house has guard cats:
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Now to my walks in the centre. On the 24th I drove to the square Plaza Puerta del Mar at one end of the seafront promenade, close to Alicante’s city hall. I parked in the underground car park and set out to explore on foot. On the Esplanada de España, the African sellers of fake football shirts, designer sunglasses and similar wares were doing brisk business. From time to time the police chase them away, but invariably they return:
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The first Hoguera I looked at was on Plaza Puerta del Mar:
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It was a bit difficult to discern an overall theme, but here food seems to be the subject:
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Across the street, on the Esplanada there was another Hoguera:
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On the Plaza del Ayuntamiento (city hall square) is what one considers the main “official” Hoguera of Alicante:
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People come and look at the Hogueras–this is the last chance before they are burned at midnight:
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The city hall Hoguera focused on the surrounding towns, including one of my cycling destinations Busot:
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Not sure what the scientist is doing here:
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Just down the street from city hall there is another Hoguera on Calle Jorge Juan:
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As opposed to the “official” Hoguera which is pretty bland, the neighbourhood installations tend to be more edgy and political:
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Lots of photos were being taken, including many selfies:
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There were some people dressed up for a parade or some other event, of which there are many during the week. A headgear adjustment:
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I was discovered sneaking photos, but they didn’t mind:
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Another selfie:
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Further down on the Esplanada there was yet another Hoguera:
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Food was one of the themes here:
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Corrupt politicians:
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A teenager in zombie state due to social media:
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I walked on to Plaza Seneca, a small square in a modest neighbourhood which tends to have the most interesting Hoguera. This year, they had chosen narcissism as the main theme:
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A prostitute, surrounded by signs referring to a recent scandal involving the allocation of subsidized apartments to friends of the mayor:
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“Culos blancos” means “white arses”:
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A good example of the edginess of the neighbourhood Hogueras:
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Muscular cops:
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Besides the Hogueras, the week is very much about eating and drinking. Many streets are closed, to make room for temporary establishments called barracas:
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Some barracas are open to everyone against a payment, others are reserved for a neighbourhood association or some such. In any event, people were having a good time that afternoon:
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The bars on Plaza Luceros, a frequent watering spot for me, were doing brisk business:
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There are nightly fireworks displays on Plaza Luceros, and there are signs marking the evacuation route in case things go wrong. I found it amusing that one of these signs seems to point people to the O’Hara’s bar:
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I walked back towards the car park, passing another barraca on the way:
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These people did not mind the photographer’s intrusion:
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Another Hoguera, on Plaza Montañeta. A father tries to get his little girl to pose:
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Detail:
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Political statement, reflecting current events:
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At Malatesta, there was a sign in the door about only using plastic cups for the beer. I ordered a good Belgian beer and told the bartender that it pained me to drink it from such a vessel. He answered that it pained him to serve it to me this way, but it was the only option with all the drunk people around:
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Back to normal life, I was cycling as usual. Since this was also Pride Week, even small towns in the interior were decorated with rainbow flags. Here is the town hall of Agost:
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In Aigues, even the church wall was decorated, and the square in front of the church was ready for some event:
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On the last Friday of June, our department held its usual summer lunch at a waterfront beach bar. We are only about 25 people, and many were already on holiday or had other commitments, so only half of us were there. But it was still a nice event. As is apparent here, the dress code was white:
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As usual, I photographed my colleagues, here Ursula:
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Juan is our designated chair of the fiesta committee, and it was he who had chosen the venue and negotiated the price:
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Belén:
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Carolina and Juan Miguel:
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A rare morning with clouds and haze over our beach:
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The daily exercise group:
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I am boycotting the World Cup but it is impossible to avoid signs of it when walking in the neighbourhood:
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On Saturday night we got together with friends in their 17th floor apartment overlooking the bay and the city. There was going to be a large fireworks display at midnight to mark the end of the festive week, and we were going to watch it from this prime location. This is the view of Alicante’s waterfront before the fireworks began:
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A bit after midnight the fireworks began:
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After the fireworks ended, the many people who had driven to the beach to watch had some fun getting out:
