One of the highlights of the La Mercè Festival is the Casteller – the human towers. It is a tradition that started hundreds of years ago in Tarragona where, basically, people make themselves into amazing towering towers.
We had a lie in after our Mojito night, and then made our way over to Plaça de Sant Jaume. On the way we passed a shop, which looked so delicious we just had to pop in.
When we arrived at the square, thousands of people were already squeezed in under the hot midday sun.
Then suddenly out of nowhere, we started to see the first tower taking shape. They start with a base of burly strong men
Then, as the tower gets higher the ‘Colles’ (human building blocks) get lighter and younger
Until it is just young children that go to the top, and the last one is normally absolutely tiny – called the anxaneta!
After a quick wave of the hand, they shimmy down each other and disassemble the tower surprisingly quickly. But you don’t have to wait long until a group from a rival town start to put up their tower
Ooh, up goes the little one!
I’ll never get tired of watching these amazing towers going up – they go so high!
There’s the wave of the hand!
Sadly, they don’t all go to plan and the occasional tower can collapse. We did see one fall down when they were about half way down. My heart stopped and I covered my eyes…but everything seemed fine. There were people on the bottom to catch the fallers.
After the excitement of the towers we made our way to the park again, for a picnic of Bocadillos and a wander.
We stopped by to have a look at the Gaudi fountain
And spotted a lake with boats. I can never resist a boat… so we all hopped in
Mr B was very chivalrous and did the rowing
Until we had a crash, and the girls thought they better take over
We weren’t much better and rowed poor Katie in to a bush!
We even spotted some of the turtles that live in the lake, and a rabbit that had been taken for a trip out with its family!
After all that rowing we stopped at our favourite avenue of wines again, to stock up on tickets and sample some more of the regions’ wines.
A perfect, relaxing day ahead of an exciting night…
To be continued……
