Fiestas de Begona

I have not been able to update my blog as much as I have wanted to due to technical
issues but next time I will bring my own MacBook. Of course, I will have to buy one first ;)
This in no way reflects badly on my niece Andrea since she has been more than willing
to lend me her notebook and put up with my endless requests for borrowing her system.
Now, if you do not smoke Spain might be a challenge. Ventilation is not any restaurants
stronghold. People in northern Spain do not favor AC, so eating at a place without
moving air and lots of people smoking can choke the hardiest smoker so you can draw
your own conclusions if you cringe at the sight of a cigarrette....buena suerte.The country has been tightening smoking in public places but they have not reached
Gestapo-like control levels like in California and some other blessed states in the Land
of the Wii. Advice for anyone coming to Europe: bring your allergy meds.
Tonight is the big night for Gijon. It is officially known as Las Fiestas de Begona. There
will be fireworks at midnight over the bay (El Muro) and it promises to be quite a party.
Tomorrow the town closes down and everyone has the day off. People will be out
frolicking tonight until the sun comes up. The celebration has pretty much been going on
most of the month of August. Spain is a country where ocio is a national sport. It is
funny because people, especially the younger generation over indulges when it comes
to going out. I ususally go running in the mornings at about the same time, 8:30am to
9:00am and I see the effects of people's craziness. The town is littered with papers,
cigarrette butts, empty drinks, broken bottles, and someone's dinner spilt on the
sidewalk. To add to the ambiance there is a bar right across the hotel (Discoteca
Otto/Bar El Nautico) that is open until 11:00am (or later I think) and people are still out in
the front terraza sitting, drunk/high or both looking worse for the wear watching me as I
jog by as if I'm from Mars. I can't help but to laugh to myself thinking the same thing
about them. Nothing funnier than seeing a drunk girl in heels that as been up all night
trying to eat a bocata (and walk/waddle) while her boyfriend is trying to light up a smoke
and look as if they are sober. Funny indeed!!!!!!Of course, as they see me running by they crack up thinking what a fool I am to be
exercising way too early in the morning while I could be disfrutando de unas copas con
los amigotes like they are. I would advice anyone that wants to go to sleep at a sane
time to get a room in a hotel that faces the inside of the hotel. If not, all the sleeping you
will be doing will be in la playa the next morning.
It is sad to say but it seems like my vacation has almost come to an end. We have a
few more days left and some shopping to finish but it has been a good time. I think we
are ready to go back home, but not ready to go to work. I have already started to think
about the next vacation and where I would like to go. Spain for sure but I would love to
also go to an area in Mexico called Merida in the Peninsula de Yucatan. That will be in
another blog. I think that I might have found something that I could do as an occupation.
I do enjoy travelling and comedy is something I also like so if I marry both together I
could have a show on the Travel Channel called "Travel con Juan" or "Juan's Travels".
I'll work on the concept and the title. More to come at another date. I hope.
Ciao.