Tamborrada 2025

2024

 Sunday starts Tamborrada, the biggest celebration in San Sebastian. It is a 24-hour celebration of drumming, starting at midnight, throughout locations in the entire city (also many towns on the Euskadi/Basque coast). No one is immune to the noise and revelry. There is no peace in the city. You can read about it here:

wikipedia

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The view across La Concha to my house

San Sebastian/Donostia, is a city of traditional dress. The Euskadi (Basque) have traditional clothing for all occasions, throughout the year. It’s a living culture here.  During Tamboradda it's an exciting mix of people dressed as Soldiers and Bakers wielding large knifes and drumming on barrels. Women dress as soldiers, bakers or nurses, they too are drumming.  Everyone makes noise. There is no excuse to not make noise.  Per Noticias de Gipuzkoa (newspaper) there are about 32 societies in the greater Donostia area. Did I mention there is also a band with each society? During the summer months when the windows are all open, you can hear musicians practicing the Euskadi melodies on horns, brass and of course, accordions.

Yep, it feels like this after all night celebrating

 
There’s a Rock and Roll concert behind me at 4am, featuring Lee Junior. The poster specifically mentions Elvis. My plan to start Tamoborrad is with coffee and cognac, bundled up and hangin’ with the neighbors and with a little luck, dancing at dawn!

 

No Faxista's allowed

Paris 2024 Helvia I

The event poster with the Judges.

After the contest at the Thai Restaurant with our
new Florida friends.

Out side our Airbnb. Maribel brought the selfie stick!

!Soy Pablo!

Smart, talented women should rule the world

Worship us or move on!

 

What a year

 

In those heady, early days of the internet we thought blogging was going to connect us and it almost did. Look how long ago I started writing here. Lordy, lordy.

Now, after years of online apps to keep friendships alive, I’ve done gone and turned them all off. Well, at least as many as I can without going totally cold turkey. I did it because it is a way to vote with my money.  Because voting at the booth for a government doesn’t work any longer and all that is understood is the call and denial of money by business.

Nothings perfect, including me.

I hope those of you that follow me here will continue to correspond and keep a conversation going about the things that matter most. Family, health, happiness, chocolate and coffee.