The main event. Midnight is the time all the fallas are burned.

We decided the above falla would be the one we watched burn. It was within easy walking distance of the hotel and was facing a wide open area along the dry riverbed so we would not be crammed into a small space by the throngs of onlookers.

We got there an hour before the burning time which was midnight. The crowd was very large and enthusiastic. Once the firemen cleared the electric lights and lowered the fire screens that protected the nearby buildings a series of fireworks detonated and the falla began to burn. At one point the fire was so hot we could feel it on our faces. It’s a wonder the people up close were not injured. I suspect there’s more than few eyebrow-less festival-goers after this.

It burned to the ground in about 10-15 minutes.

By the time we got back to the hotel there were plumes of black smoke all over the city, billowing into the Firework were going off everywhere. Within a few hours the entire city was covered in a haze of smoke.

The next day, silence….

La Crema
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3 thoughts on “La Crema

  • March 20, 2009 at 3:00 pm
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    I remember the intense heat too & we were about as far back as you were. I was surprised at the speed at which it burns. It goes up in flames & poof! Such intensity for such a short time. 15 minutes later we were walking by the relatively small pile of ashes of a previoulsy 4-story tall ninot!

  • March 20, 2009 at 5:25 pm
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    WOW! What great photo’s, Jay. I’ve enjoyed following your trip. Thanks for sharing.

  • March 20, 2009 at 6:53 pm
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    Wow! Great photos…but what is all that doing to the atmosphere? Asthmatics had best be inside and tightly sealed until the smoke dissipates.

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