# Public holiday on 1 November



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Don't forget next Monday is All Saints Day (Fiesta de Tosantos). However I saw a notice in our local Carrefour that they would be open, so perhaps other big stores will be too.

Time to watch Almodovar's great film _Volver_ again (or for the first time if you haven't seen it yet!) - the title means "return", and it deals (among other things) with the return of the dead. The first scene is set in the cemetery where the women are cleaning the graves on All Saints Day, as is customary here in Spain.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

PS it isn't actually Penelope Cruz singing, it's Estrella Morente.


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## zilly (Mar 9, 2010)

All of Almodovar's films are just wonderful-- I'm a vast fan--well worth watching !


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

our local Mercadonas are closed - so maybe it's just the really big ones


the shopping centre at Ondara is open


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Segregation of religion and state in Europe and yet we get religiously based holidays. Under the equality of religions, can't way make all Islamic and Jewish holidays official bank holidays as well? That way religion would be a tiny bit useful for us atheists as well  The Jewish holidays alone would add a 12 some to the tally of bank holidays!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gerrit said:


> Segregation of religion and state in Europe and yet we get religiously based holidays. Under the equality of religions, can't way make all Islamic and Jewish holidays official bank holidays as well? That way religion would be a tiny bit useful for us atheists as well  The Jewish holidays alone would add a 12 some to the tally of bank holidays!


you've been in Spain a long time now gerrit


surely you realise that religion & state aren't separated here??


for religion, read _catholicism_


in the state schools the ONLY religion taught is the catholic religion

and the _religión_ teachers are appointed by the church, too


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

gerrit said:


> Segregation of religion and state in Europe and yet we get religiously based holidays. Under the equality of religions, can't way make all Islamic and Jewish holidays official bank holidays as well? That way religion would be a tiny bit useful for us atheists as well  The Jewish holidays alone would add a 12 some to the tally of bank holidays!



Too many bank holidays, I think they should be banned! The religious connotations are neither here nor there in todays modern society 

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Actually although it seems like a lot, because Spanish people get less annual leave, the number of days off over the year if you add public holidays to annual leave together is about the same as in the UK.
Employee statutory and public holiday entitlements

Given the chronic unemployment situation it might be time to move to a four-day week for everyone!?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Actually although it seems like a lot, because Spanish people get less annual leave, the number of days off over the year if you add public holidays to annual leave together is about the same as in the UK.
> Employee statutory and public holiday entitlements
> 
> Given the chronic unemployment situation it might be time to move to a four-day week for everyone!?


we actually once worked out that kids in Spanish schools do more hours a year that those in English schools - even with the looooong lunch break & the looooooooooooooooong summer holiday!!


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> you've been in Spain a long time now gerrit
> 
> 
> surely you realise that religion & state aren't separated here??
> ...


I know, my post was mainly irony. I mean, the EU has secularism as an important point in the agenda, but only a very small minority of EU members really has a strict separation of religion and state. So in fact many EU countries fail grotesquely on that point. In most EU nations public holidays are religion-based, and priests are still paid (quite high) salaries with money coming from tax payers.

Only Germany and France seem to make effords to really make a clear segregation between law and religion. A country such as Ireland or a county such as Sweden (where the law dictates the head of state has to be a member of the local church) in fact don't have a place in the EU unless they modernise those laws that are religion-based.

Turkey does a much better job than most EU countries in keeping state and religion separated. The army protects secularism and interferes as soon as anyone tries to impose islamic-based laws in the constitution. Religious symbols of all religions (including the leading islamic faith) are banned in buildings operated by the state.

In my native Belgium tax money is spent on priests' salaries and housing despite the fact that only a very tiny minority is still attending church services 




Jo, you want to abandon bank holidays overall or abandon only the religious ones? I would agree with the latter version on the condition that people then get more holidays they can choose themselves. But restricting the number of days out of work??  You don't seriously wanna give even more power to the CEOs than already is the case?? The latter would be a worrying thought, especially in times when the EU is considering restrictions on the labour unions' power (these should be expanded, not restricted !)


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

If the Spanish government stopped sponsoring the Catholic church it could save €6 billion a year - that would pay off the entire budget deficit in less than three years!

:flypig:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> If the Spanish government stopped sponsoring the Catholic church it could save €6 billion a year - that would pay off the entire budget deficit in less than three years!
> 
> :flypig:


will you tell the shoemaker or shall I???


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

gerrit said:


> Jo, you want to abandon bank holidays overall or abandon only the religious ones? I would agree with the latter version on the condition that people then get more holidays they can choose themselves. But restricting the number of days out of work??  You don't seriously wanna give even more power to the CEOs than already is the case?? The latter would be a worrying thought, especially in times when the EU is considering restrictions on the labour unions' power (these should be expanded, not restricted !)


You seem to have a dislike of work Gerrit! My husband runs his own business, I cant remember the last time he had a bank holiday off . He manages to get over to spain very rarely and when he's here he's working. In the UK he cant clock on or off, he has to do whatever it takes to keep his company going, luckily his staff feel the same!! Sadly, if he were to adhere to all the bank holidays and stuck to union agreed hours, then he'd go bust and his staff would be unemployed! As for CEOs having power, well someone has to! My husband has power over his company and quite rightly so, he's the one who took and is taking all the risks, financially and otherwise! - and no, his workers are not the little minions of yesteryear, who work to pay for the fat cats - those people are only in their imaginations these days! Just remember, if it wasnt for those who take the risks and make the money, they'd be no jobs and no unemployment benefits!

Jo xxx


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

jojo said:


> You seem to have a dislike of work Gerrit! My husband runs his own business, I cant remember the last time he had a bank holiday off . He manages to get over to spain very rarely and when he's here he's working. In the UK he cant clock on or off, he has to do whatever it takes to keep his company going, luckily his staff feel the same!! Sadly, if he were to adhere to all the bank holidays and stuck to union agreed hours, then he'd go bust and his staff would be unemployed! As for CEOs having power, well someone has to! My husband has power over his company and quite rightly so, he's the one who took and is taking all the risks, financially and otherwise! - and no, his workers are not the little minions of yesteryear, who work to pay for the fat cats - those people are only in their imaginations these days! Just remember, if it wasnt for those who take the risks and make the money, they'd be no jobs and no unemployment benefits!
> 
> Jo xxx


You know I'm on the far left and advocating the government to provide the jobs and control the privatised businesses tightly. So we'll never agree on a topic as this I think, our political opinions seem to vary too much. You come across as being a liberal (no negative undertone intended at all !) whereas I'm socialist. Just a different opinion. 

I don't dislike work, I dislike the way the economy is organised. That's a different thing than to dislike work overall.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> You seem to have a dislike of work Gerrit! My husband runs his own business, I cant remember the last time he had a bank holiday off . He manages to get over to spain very rarely and when he's here he's working. In the UK he cant clock on or off, he has to do whatever it takes to keep his company going, luckily his staff feel the same!! Sadly, if he were to adhere to all the bank holidays and stuck to union agreed hours, then he'd go bust and his staff would be unemployed! As for CEOs having power, well someone has to! My husband has power over his company and quite rightly so, he's the one who took and is taking all the risks, financially and otherwise! - and no, his workers are not the little minions of yesteryear, who work to pay for the fat cats - those people are only in their imaginations these days! Just remember, if it wasnt for those who take the risks and make the money, they'd be no jobs and no unemployment benefits!
> 
> Jo xxx


Some people live to work, others work to live. I get the feeling that in Spain - at least in Andalucia - the latter view predominates, and that's one of the things I like about it.

The desire to make money is very strong, sometimes people lose sight of why they are doing it and feel they have failed somehow if they don't maximise their profits or their income. 

I've always wondered why businessmen who take risks with their or other people's money are considered heroic (especially since they will usually have limited liability, so it isn't really a personal risk), whereas a labourer betting his wages on a horse is considered feckless?


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

My concern is not that I dislike work, totally not. But multinationals only care about profit, they care nothing at all about their workforces and won't hesitate to outsource to a low cost country while leaving their European staff unemployed because they can get the work done a bit cheaper elsewhere. It is modern day slavery.

I support that the government provides the majority of jobs and privatisation is limited. In privately owned companies, the governments should have strict surveillance and withdraw the license of the company the moment the salary differences between different levels of the company are too big. In other words, I don't like the portrait of the heroic company owner, I prefer the government to have a tight grip on the economy rather than the liberal approach of privatisation wherever possible and power to the company owners. 

Like Alcalaina says, one works to pay for whatever he enjoys in life. The day your job becomes the vast majority of your life, the balance is lost. And the majority of CEOs care about capital only, with no attention to solidarity. I've worked for several of those multinationals and it is one of the many reasons why I shifted more and more to the left (whereas in my student days I was a more moderate leftist). I've luckily experienced multinationals that care for their staff, luckily these exist as well. But many of those big firms only care about their bank account and won't hesitate to fire hundreds of people when they can move the business to a low cost country where the staff is happy with their shamelessly low salary. Modern day slavery.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

And the headline in today's business news:

UK boardroom pays leaps 55% in a year

"Britain's bosses have been accused of greed and ignoring economic reality after boardroom pay leapt by 55% over the last year.

FTSE 100 directors saw their total earnings soar in the 12 months to June, thanks to sharp rises in bonuses and performance-related pay. The average FTSE 100 chief executive now earns £4.9m a year, or almost 200 times the average wage."

Fat cats getting fatter and fatter ...


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Yep; capitalism, the cause of the decay of all solidarity and justice in society. I don't dislike work, I dislike our market economy. The above article is a perfect example why. I would find it acceptable if those CEOs would also be taxed more so that at least some of their wealth goes out to help those who are homeless, cannot pay the doctors bill, sleep under bridges, ... But obviously politicians won't dare to enforce rules that go against the will of the big corporations. It's very very wrong.

The only bit of good feeling I have is that ironically I was discussing this very subject with a few people and to my surprise all of them shared my opinions. At least there's still some people, even when it may be a minority, who prefer solidarity above profit.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

:focus:

so what's everyone doing on Monday then??


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Sleep long, work a bit on internet, and walk in the city a bit ... Trying to relax a bit.

As an atheist, I will happily let the religious aspect of the holiday to other people. 

PS I hate all the Halloween decorations. They are turning the whole thing into kitsch. If I see one more pumpkin I think I'll scream 

The local Irish bar holds a Halloween night even! Since when is Halloween linked to Irish traditions in any remote way? Not sure what to expect from an Irish Halloween night, leprechauns with a pumpkin hat or a pumpkin with shamrock decorations?? Or fake skeletons wearing a Celtic shirt or so?? The advertisement banner says it will be a Halloween party with "shot girls". I probably don't go out enough, but what the heck are shot girls???


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

My husband was dupposed to be coming over, but due to unforeseen circumstances he cant! So I guess the kids and I will go to the coast and have a wander - thats if the weather holds out. Rumour has it that it could rain?????!!!

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gerrit said:


> Sleep long, work a bit on internet, and walk in the city a bit ... Trying to relax a bit.
> 
> As an atheist, I will happily let the religious aspect of the holiday to other people.
> 
> ...


*I LOVE halloween 
​ *










almost more than _that celebration in December which begins with C & I refuse to mention til December_


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gerrit said:


> Sleep long, work a bit on internet, and walk in the city a bit ... Trying to relax a bit.
> 
> As an atheist, I will happily let the religious aspect of the holiday to other people.
> 
> ...


The Irish don't need an excuse for a party, you should know that! I dread to think what a shot girl is.

There's nothing religious about what Halloween has become, any more than what the December C-word has become. Just an excuse to sell stuff. I saw a greetings card once that said "Happy Halloween"! What's that all about???

At least in our village we don't get kids threatening to firebomb our car if we don't give them money. It was going that way back in dear old England when we left ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> The Irish don't need an excuse for a party, you should know that! I dread to think what a shot girl is.
> 
> There's nothing religious about what Halloween has become, any more than what the December C-word has become. Just an excuse to sell stuff. I saw a greetings card once that said "Happy Halloween"! What's that all about???
> 
> At least in our village we don't get kids threatening to firebomb our car if we don't give them money. It was going that way back in dear old England when we left ...


around here the kids & teens have parties & a bit of trick or treating on the 31st

then the religious people have their Day of the Dead processions on the 1st - both are 'celebrated'

on the 31st be prepared to be 'egged' in one part of town!!!



shot girls

I google imaged it


here's a link


shot girls - Google Search


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> shot girls
> 
> I google imaged it
> 
> ...


Yuck. Now I feel all old and prudish.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Yuck. Now I feel all old and prudish.


that's how I felt when I decided to post the link rather than the actual photos


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> around here the kids & teens have parties & a bit of trick or treating on the 31st
> 
> then the religious people have their Day of the Dead processions on the 1st - both are 'celebrated'
> 
> ...


Looked OK to me:clap2:

But I hope people are making use of safe search where appropriate


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Looked OK to me:clap2:
> 
> But I hope people are making use of safe search where appropriate


I just did some more googling

Working in a bar: The pros and cons of being a shot girl 




> What is a shotgirl? If you are in the nightlife business you should definitely hire some. And if you are into the nightlife you should definitely BE one - it's like getting paid to go out, only you don't pay to get in and you never have to wait online.
> 
> A shot girl is basically a bartender without the headaches, and with fuller pockets at the end of the night.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Mrs. Jimenato would never allow it here:tsk:


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jimenato said:


> Mrs. Jimenato would never allow it here:tsk:


Good.

How about a shot dog or two?


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> Good.
> 
> How about a shot dog or two?














Doggy


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

I know, the irish never need a reason to party. I lived there 3 years, I know what it's like... But then this is not Ireland, it's an irish pub in Spain. You'd expect them to draw customers that are not Irish but that are Spaniards looking for an atmosphere as if they were in a Dublin pub. So to then organise "un-irish" things sounds a bit odd. But well, I'm sure the profit justifies it for whoever owns the place.


About the shot girls... This line of the article is 
"Make sure you have a lot of pockets, or a big bra to stuff that money into"

So basically the dress code for this job means nothing but a bra covering the upper half of the body? 

If that is the case and if the shot girls on Halloween are the same guapa's working in the irish pub on other days.... then maybe I should just have a look, purely for research purposes so that I know what a Halloween night looks like obviously.


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Planning to go to a Halloween party with son, he has been counting down the days to Halloween like its C********s ( I wont offend your sensitivities Xabiachica). I dont know why he is so excited this year because he didnt even know about the party till the other day. Though it is being hyped up on TV all this week. I used to love it when I was a child but it was fun dressing up and going round the neighbours' begging for sweets, especially when you had to use your imagination more for Halloween costumes, not just buy ready made ones. And had the fun of games like Dookin for apples and treacle scones.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Caz.I said:


> Planning to go to a Halloween party with son, he has been counting down the days to Halloween like its C********s ( I wont offend your sensitivities Xabiachica). I dont know why he is so excited this year because he didnt even know about the party till the other day. Though it is being hyped up on TV all this week. I used to love it when I was a child but it was fun dressing up and going round the neighbours' begging for sweets, especially when you had to use your imagination more for Halloween costumes, not just buy ready made ones. And had the fun of games like Dookin for apples and treacle scones.


I guess it´s an age thing because when I was a kid it was all about Guy Fawkes night, penny for the guy and building enormous bonfires! Nobody did anything for Halloween, as far as I remember. 

Do they still do Guy Fawkes in the UK these days or is celebrating an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament too much of a Health and Safety risk?


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> I guess it´s an age thing because when I was a kid it was all about Guy Fawkes night, penny for the guy and building enormous bonfires! Nobody did anything for Halloween, as far as I remember.
> 
> Do they still do Guy Fawkes in the UK these days or is celebrating an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament too much of a Health and Safety risk?


Well, as far as I know, they still celebrate it (cautiously probably). I remember we celebrated it too but I have a feeling that Scots celebrated Halloween more. (Maybe because we are heathens!). That was in the days before the Trick or Treat custom became popular so I am sure you aren’t that much older than me Alcalaina!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Caz.I said:


> Well, as far as I know, they still celebrate it (cautiously probably). I remember we celebrated it too but I have a feeling that Scots celebrated Halloween more. (Maybe because we are heathens!). That was in the days before the Trick or Treat custom became popular so I am sure you aren’t that much older than me Alcalaina!


I do remember reading reports about fake bonfires & so on in recent years because of _elf n safety_

can you imagine the health & safety people during the fallas or a mascleta here - or even more the correfocs we have in this region


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

Wel we still have bonfire night here in the south east of england with proper bonfires and loads of fireworks, we have one at our school on the 4th nov and we normally get around 150 people to see the fireworks, of course being a school we have all sorts of safety precautions in place. oh and we have it on the 4th so that our children and parents can do there own thing on the 5th.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

casa99 said:


> Wel we still have bonfire night here in the south east of england with proper bonfires and loads of fireworks, we have one at our school on the 4th nov and we normally get around 150 people to see the fireworks, of course being a school we have all sorts of safety precautions in place. oh and we have it on the 4th so that our children and parents can do there own thing on the 5th.


But no Penny for the Guy, right? I guess Trick or Treat is more lucrative!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> I do remember reading reports about fake bonfires & so on in recent years because of _elf n safety_
> 
> can you imagine the health & safety people during the fallas or a mascleta here - or even more the correfocs we have in this region


Is that where they run through the streets chucking fireworks at each other? Elf & Safety would pass out with the excitement.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Is that where they run through the streets chucking fireworks at each other? Elf & Safety would pass out with the excitement.


well - more like chasing them


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> well - more like chasing them
> 
> 
> YouTube - CORREFOCS part one ( San Juan 2010 Xabia / Javea)


Ye gods!!! first time I`ve seen that, I wonder how many get hands and necks burnt , they do something similar in Lewes east sussex where they twirl lighted bundles of straw through the town centre.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

casa99 said:


> Ye gods!!! first time I`ve seen that, I wonder how many get hands and necks burnt , they do something similar in Lewes east sussex where they twirl lighted bundles of straw through the town centre.


I've never actually taken part - though I have watched from a safeish distance

one thing you just have to get used to is the fireworks - any excuse & they're setting off things that go bang


last year the mascleta was outside our building - thankfully they moved it this year


this is a different one - you need to turn your sound up full to get anywhere near the benefit


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## casa99 (Oct 19, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> I've never actually taken part - though I have watched from a safeish distance
> 
> one thing you just have to get used to is the fireworks - any excuse & they're setting off things that go bang
> 
> ...


That was bl**dy fantastic, I had the volume up loud and the other half came into the room wondering what the hell was going on . :clap2::clap2::clap2:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

casa99 said:


> That was bl**dy fantastic, I had the volume up loud and the other half came into the room wondering what the hell was going on . :clap2::clap2::clap2:


if you like that you'll fit right in!!


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> I do remember reading reports about fake bonfires & so on in recent years because of _elf n safety_
> 
> can you imagine the health & safety people during the fallas or a mascleta here - or even more the correfocs we have in this region


Yikes! Scary! Especially if you're wearing hairspray! The obvious question is - exactly what are they celebrating?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Caz.I said:


> Yikes! Scary! Especially if you're wearing hairspray! The obvious question is - exactly what are they celebrating?


those videos are from San Juan

Bonfires of Saint John - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> those videos are from San Juan
> 
> Bonfires of Saint John - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


That's one festival I have never managed to get round to going to. Although I dont think it's quite as wild down here! We have a great view of the fireworks from my terrace and that is close enough for me! If I ever get round to it, I'll be sure to bring my oven gloves though!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

jojo said:


> The religious connotations are neither here nor there in todays modern society
> 
> Jo xxx


Jo, it depends where you live. If like you, one lives near the coast and the tourist areas, a religious holiday is just an excuse for a day off and enjoy oneself, but if you live in the more rural areas inland, then religious festivals are taken much more seriously.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

baldilocks said:


> Jo, it depends where you live. If like you, one lives near the coast and the tourist areas, a religious holiday is just an excuse for a day off and enjoy oneself, but if you live in the more rural areas inland, then religious festivals are taken much more seriously.



True!! Maybe I'm talking more about me than society??? I'm one of those people who is happy to have the holidays, but not for the "right" reasons  and it seems to me that where the world is heading?????

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> Jo, it depends where you live. If like you, one lives near the coast and the tourist areas, a religious holiday is just an excuse for a day off and enjoy oneself, but if you live in the more rural areas inland, then religious festivals are taken much more seriously.


I agree. Even though fewer Spanish people go to mass these days, the religious festivals are taken very seriously. That still doesn't stop them having a party afterwards though!

I'm not remotely religious but I do like the way these festivals bring families together, and the shops are closed so that nobody has to miss out because they are working. That attitude has long gone in the UK, where people now expect to be able to go shopping on public holidays! (As if they don't have enough opportunity the rest of the time.)


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> I agree. Even though fewer Spanish people go to mass these days, the religious festivals are taken very seriously. That still doesn't stop them having a party afterwards though!
> 
> I'm not remotely religious but I do like the way these festivals bring families together, and the shops are closed so that nobody has to miss out because they are working. That attitude has long gone in the UK, where people now expect to be able to go shopping on public holidays! (As if they don't have enough opportunity the rest of the time.)


I agree 100%

Likewise, I have very little time for religion, but I do find that here in a country where there is still some sense of religious values, there is much more respect - respect for people, property and for everything. Occasionally we will go out to another village/town for lunch on a Sunday and find whole families sitting down to a meal together from the bis-abuela who has to be almost carried in, right down to the babe in arms. All the children are well behaved and many will often come over to greet you as strangers.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> I agree 100%
> 
> Likewise, I have very little time for religion, but I do find that here in a country where there is still some sense of religious values, there is much more respect - respect for people, property and for everything. Occasionally we will go out to another village/town for lunch on a Sunday and find whole families sitting down to a meal together from the bis-abuela who has to be almost carried in, right down to the babe in arms. All the children are well behaved and many will often come over to greet you as strangers.


Yes, I'm quite intrigued by whether these values do come from religion, or from some other form of community-based solidarity. Either way, from a purely selfish perspective I hope it doesn't change too soon!


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## neilmac (Sep 10, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> I agree 100%
> 
> Likewise, I have very little time for religion, but I do find that here in a country where there is still some sense of religious values, there is much more respect - respect for people, property and for everything. Occasionally we will go out to another village/town for lunch on a Sunday and find whole families sitting down to a meal together from the bis-abuela who has to be almost carried in, right down to the babe in arms. All the children are well behaved and many will often come over to greet you as strangers.


Our church is still the focal point for all that happens here although it is mostly the women who go to the church the men support from the sidelines (well the Casa Cultura next door actually). Baptisms, weddings funerals, fiestas - the whole village gathers for all the 'do's'. It is a lovely community and there is most certainly respect for all members of it.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

neilmac said:


> Our church is still the focal point for all that happens here although it is mostly the women who go to the church the men support from the sidelines (well the Casa Cultura next door actually). Baptisms, weddings funerals, fiestas - the whole village gathers for all the 'do's'. It is a lovely community and there is most certainly respect for all members of it.


Same here - there is actually a tiny bar in the _sacristía_ of the church! The women go and light candles while the men have a drink and a chat.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Same here - there is actually a tiny bar in the _sacristía_ of the church! The women go and light candles while the men have a drink and a chat.


Are you sure that is *actually* a tiny bar and not where they dispense the Communion wine?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> Are you sure that is *actually* a tiny bar and not where they dispense the Communion wine?


Oh it´s a proper bar all right! there is even a poem about it.

Alcalá de los Gazules: Resultados de la búsqueda de sacristia


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Oh it´s a proper bar all right! there is even a poem about it.
> 
> Alcalá de los Gazules: Resultados de la búsqueda de sacristia


Isn't the poem talking about a bar named the sacristia, not an actual bar in the the sacristia'?
Alcalá de los Gazules: APERTURA DE LA TABERNA TÍPICA "LA SACRISTÍA"


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Isn't the poem talking about a bar named the sacristia, not an actual bar in the the sacristia'?
> Alcalá de los Gazules: APERTURA DE LA TABERNA TÍPICA "LA SACRISTÍA"


Yes, but the bar is actually at the entrance to the church. I can see I´m going to have to take a photo!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

The entrance to the bar is where the guy in the blue shirt is standing.


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