Spain on fire

Yes, bonfires are lit by people in this country every June, marking the beginning of summer (and the bathing season at the same time). In all cities around June 20-24. This is the famous fiesta de San Juan (San Joan in Catalonia). Our ancestors jumped over the bonfire on Ivan Kupala and made wishes. Spaniards prefer to simply burn all their problems in the flames of the bonfire of St. John the Baptist. On this holiday, you can burn bonfires on the beach, as well as fireworks everywhere, as we have for the New Year. Of course, all this is accompanied by wine, music, communication of acquaintances and strangers.

Alicante is being specially prepared. They are haunted by the glory of Las Fallas in Valencia (the world-famous holiday of burning huge papier-mache figures), so they are waiting with bated breath for San Juan. More precisely, residents and tourists are waiting, and the participants are preparing in full and in advance. The figures that are supposed to burn in the cleansing fire are called ninot. They are designed and created by designers, carpenters and artists. Each of them carries a message in society, usually a satire on something that Spaniards are not very happy with in their country, but not necessarily. First, they are exposed for viewing for several days, the "king" and "queen" of the figures are selected, and on June 24 they are set on fire to the cheers of the crowd and fireworks over the city.

Every Spanish city has its own peculiarities of meeting summer. For example, in Corunna, fried sardines are served in all bars that night. In the city of Soria (Castilla and Leon), daredevils walk barefoot over the coals, sometimes carrying another person or a child on their shoulders! It is believed that only the inhabitants of this city in all of Spain are able to cross the coals and not get burned.