Its a Love/Hate thing...

Living where I do means that as of the middle of August I'm grumpy and tired for about a week long. This is thanks to the local traditional Fiesta the Festes de Gracia, that are basically a week-long street party, with horrendous music blaring out just metres from my flat windows until all hours of the morning.

... but, as I say, its a real love/hate thing!!

Despite the lack of quiet and calm in the neighbourhood, the inconvenience of thousands of people swarming past my doorstop and the general stink of urine and rubbish in the street -ok, I'm getting old, so what? - the creative side of the festival just has me drooling and in awe of all my crafty neighbours.

This year 18 streets were closed down by the neighbours to be adorned and decorated following the theme of their choosing. The year-long planning and hoarding of recyclable materials takes shape and become the amazing laberynth of fantasy worlds that is the neighbourhood of Gracia this week.



Anything and everything from plastic bottles and bottle caps, plumber's piping, celophane, junkyard vehicles, papier-mache and more gets mixed with a dumper-truck-load of imagination and transforms the streets ready for the day and nighttime activities for all ages.



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The top prize winners this year were C/Verdi with "Route 66", C/Fraternitat with "Selva Tropical" and C/Tordera with "Mina de Sal".

For those interested in seeing more, videos walking through the decorated streets can be seen on YouTube and in this section of the Festa's official web.

...and just as a final note... here's an example of the reason for my lack of sleep!
But, even I have to admit, noisy as it is, it is amazing ;P