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La Tomatina. Tomato Fight Valencia Spain |
La Tomatina, Bunyol, Valencia, Spain.Information and resources
La Tomatina festival in Spain gives new meaning
to the expression 'playing with your food'. For most of the year Bunol
is a ho-hum industrial town, 40km (25mi) from Valencia, quietly going
about its own business. But come the last Wednesday of August, the town's
streets turns into a salsa riot, with over 20,000 revellers pelting
each other with large, red, squishy tomatoes.
There are lots of theories on how the festival started; one is that
it began in 1945 with anti-Franco protests, although any link between
Franco and tomatoes remains ambigous. Another theory is that it started
when two friends had a stand-up knock-down argument while sharing a
meal. The argument quickly reached food-throwing proportions, infected
acquaintances and nearby diners, moved out into the street, spread through
the suburbs, progressed to neighbouring towns and eventually wound up
as an annual event that attracted 'mata throwers from all corners of
the the world.
The most likely explanation is that it started as a juvenile class war
between bare-footed Troskyist macarras and el-ivy leaguers staying at
Papa's summer house, the latter passing the former in a provocative
way - that is to say, within tomato-throwing range. Like gangs of adolescents
anywhere, it soon became a point of honour and a mark of tribal loyalty
to make a stand at the tomato-stained barriers. As the event turned
into a national event it lost its hostile political edge and became,
instead, an unbridled Dionysian riot of flesh-baring bodies covered
head to toe in tomato goo.
The standard uniform is an old T-shirt, old shorts and eye goggles.
T-shirts with bullseyes printed on them are not recommended. Nearly
140 tons of tomatoes are trucked in from around the countryside and
the argy-bargy begins with the firing of a rocket. An hour later the
end of the festival is announced with the firing of another rocket and
the clean up of the tomato-slimed streets begin. |
What is La Tomatina?
The Tomatina is only one of the celebration of a week long festival
with musical bands, fireworks, food, and over all fun. This is a war
were there are expected to be no winners, but where all have fun.
Where is it?
La Tomatina takes place in Buñol, a small town 25 km (about 30
miles) west of Valencia and well connected by train and bus.
When does it take place?
On the last Wednesday of August, at the peak of tomato season, between
10 am and 1 pm. Everybody enjoys and the streets turn into rivers of
tomato juice. |
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- Air Conditioning in room
- Fully equipped bar, with live acts
- We are a brand new hostel
- We have the most spacious dorm rooms in the city
- Bike parking and meeting facilities
- Key Card Access
- Located right in the city center
- Very close to all the pub and night-life
- 1 shower every 6.5 people
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