My Favourite Fallas of 2015 (Part 2 - The Children's Fallas)

The Children's Fallas (Falla Infantil)

Each Fallas has an accompanying children's fallas. I really think that these were as impressive as the larger ones because of the sheer number of figurines and level of detail. The other interesting thing about these is that they highlight just how family friendly this festival is. Families with children of all ages were involved. They were in the parades and were out and about with the adults late into the night.

Kids took special pleasure in buying and setting off firecrackers - some of the more evil cheeky ones throwing them just near enough to scare the living daylights out of passers-by without actually hurting them.

This one time, when a particularly loud one was set off, I heard a high-pitched scream behind me. I turned around only to see a grown man gradually turn all kinds of pink with embarrassment. Even stuffing both hands in my mouth was hopeless in suppressing my laughter. Poor guy!

My favourite - The Onomatopoeia Fallas

This is one that I didn't need to understand Spanish to appreciate. Plus I had a few giggles at some of the sounds they had.

Apparently girls go 'Fiu' and guys go 'Proooufh'

Some of the other Children's Fallas
Don't forget you can click on any of the photos to enlarge them!

I later saw them burn this one...

I really liked this one too for some reason

A children's book writer/illustrator perhaps?

In case you missed it, check out the Special Fallas. And don't forget to come back soon for the remaining Large Fallas and Crema-the burning of the Fallas!

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My Favourite Fallas of 2015 (Part 1 - The Special Fallas)

I spent about a week in Valencia. I wanted to be there early enough to get around to see all the Falles and have some time after the festival ended to see what Valencia was like without the festive atmosphere. I'll get into what Valencia was like in a later post, for now, I want to share some of the amazing Fallas that I had the pleasure of gawking at, mouth open, camera in hand.

History
The story goes that the tradition began with carpenters clearing out their scraps of wood at the end of winter on on the eve of the spring equinox and burning them in front of their workshops. This yearly 'spring clean' was moved to coincide with (or actually did coincide with) St Joseph’s day. The pieces of wood morphed into the sculptures seen today. The Falla have a long history of satire although some are just based on a particular theme.

The Special Fallas (Secció Especial)

These are 10 Fallas that are commissioned and are among the largest and most elaborate of the Fallas. And they are LARGE! Towering 4-5 stories high, coming across one of these squeezed into a small square or intersection was mind boggling. Armed with a paper map marking all the special fallas, I wandered around Valencia, spotting a coloured moustache here, towering orange hair there and a large lions head being danced on by a man singing in the rain.

My favourite Special Fallas

Taking pride of place outside the large market hall, this was one of the first few Fallas I saw and easily was one of the more brilliantly colourful ones.

Other Fallas in the category including the winner for 2015

Unfortunately I somehow missed two of the special fallas in my wanderings, oh well, might need to brush up on my map reading skills for next time.

The winner for 2015

See the Queen being pulled in two directions?

Next up will be the Childrens Fallas, other (Large) Fallas, and lets not forget the crema, which is the burning of the Fallas, so be sure to check back soon!

What do you think of the winning Fallas? Would you have voted for it?

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A Room with a View #Linkup

A room with a view, its the icing on the travelling cake isnt it?

Most of my views while travelling have been, sadly, forgetable. A couple have been just horrible, namely a basement room looking on to a brick wall in London and a ventalation shaft in New York. But who cares about that really? Bad views dont make for compelling dreamy photos. So here are the nice, very nice, and downright jaw-dropping views i've had - feel free to daydream about the last one ;)

Most recently in Edinburgh, I had the pleasure of this lovely view.
 

Ive been know to rave about Japan on this blog and it comes up yet again here. I stayed in the heart of Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan.

The absolute best view i've ever has has been in Santorini, Greece. Can you blame me?

Keen to see other amazing views or share your own? Why not join the blog link up and hop over to Kelly's page to add your link and check out some other amazing posts!

What has been your favourite view while travelling?

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Favourite Travel Photo #Linkup

The lovely ladies Kelly, Emma and Rebecca are at it again, this time they seeking to peek into our photo archives for our favourite travel photos. My last linkup was a couple of months ago, having missed a few purely due to life pressures and being at a loss as to what to write about. This time however, the moment I read the theme, a photo popped into my minds eye.

New York City - Top of the Rock

I love this photo. It was taken by my friend J and I confess that it was totally staged. BUT, that day, there was a reflective moment which could have mirrored that photo. It was the end of my first trip to New York which had been entirely surreal; from finding myself in the middle of Grand Central Terminal to picnicking in Central Park, to walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, to seeing the Statue of Liberty. It felt so whirlwind that I had to stop and simply take in where I was, really absorb it, appreciate it and remember it. And that's what this photo is for me. A bitter sweet moment, on the cusp of leaving New York but loving the magic of being there those few days.

I have so many other photos that are favourites so I might do a separate post where I share one favourite photo from each destination. What do you think?

Before I go, here is another favourite. It was taken in 2005, my very first day in London. Ever. You can tell a lot by my smile. And I still have that guidebook!

What is your favourite travel photo?

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Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach Coastal Walk

One of the nicest walks in Sydney is a coastal walk between Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach. Its along this walk that the Sculptures By The Sea yearly art exhibition is held. But you don't have to wait for that to enjoy the beautiful views on this walk.

Last weekend Sydney cleared up enough for trip to Bondi beach I hadn't gotten around to yet. After lazing for a while in the sun (it was hard but someones gotta do it) I headed out for the walk. The entire trip, Bondi to Coogee took me about two and a half hours but that's including several photo stops. I have to say, last time I did this walk was in reverse and I think that was better for the views. 

Winding my way along the coast, going from one gorgeous view to hidden beach gave me ample opportunity to try out my new point and shoot camera. Judging by some of my photos, I still need to work out the settings. Regardless of all that, the walk was relaxing, refreshing, peaceful and a really nice way to spend the afternoon.

If you are interested in doing the walk you can start at either Bondi Beach or Coogee Beach. If you don't want to do the whole thing, you can always try the shorter version which is from Bondi to Bronte Beach. The start of the coastal walk is to the right of the beach where the Bondi Icebergs club is located.

To reach Bondi Beach just catch the train to Bondi Junction then hop on a bus from the main terminal (just follow the signs from the station) to the beach - you'll know where to get off once you see the beach ;) Some of the buses that go there are 381, 389, 333, 380.You can buy a ticket to Bondi Beach, it includes the train and bus fare and will also list the bus numbers the ticket is valid on. Just be aware that the coastal walk is not mobility friendly.

What's your favourite walk?

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Jenolan Caves, Blue Mountains

Before I left for London in 2012, there was one thing I wanted to tick of my list of touristy things to do in my own backyard - visit the Jenolan Caves. They are limestone caves in the Blue Mountains about 2.5 hours outside of Sydney. They are a bit pricey to visit but they are worth it. And here is a tip, if you want to book 2 tours, which can easily be done in a day, you get the second for half price. By the way, this is NOT a sponsored post.

 

I went twice because there are just so many caves to choose from, each stunning in its own right, and some, like the diamond cave, are more intimate tours to cave with less common formations. They also hold night tours and classical concerts in some! If you're a little more adventurous, they do a number of adventure caving tours. Cant say I have tried them but if its your thing, give it a go and let me know :)

Some of the delicate formation in the Diamond Cave...they are not quite sure why these are growing this way.

Going through the caves is not for the claustrophobic or with mobility issues. I found myself climbing stairs that were as steep as ladders, walking through narrow passages and going down into goodness knows where...kidding, there was always a guide and paths are lit but still, if you are not keen on dark small spaces, maybe skip this one. or take a tour of the larger caves. Also keep in mind that you might need to stoop or duck occasionally if you are tall.

 

I found it facinating to hear that the stalacites grow at a rate of, on average, 10 to 11 millimetres every 120 to 130 years! Now looking at some of the photos here, try to image that. Its a bit hard to wrap your head around the scale and just how old the formations in these caves are.

Dont be fooled...this pool is a LOT deeper than it looks.

After I'd finished my tour of the caves, I spotted this guy just chilling by the small dam. The colour of the water is NOT photoshopped, it is naturally like that after filtering through the limestone. There was also the Devils Coach House to explore...have a look at the scale of this place, see the people in the bottom left hand corner? Sometimes people use this space for weddings.

Getting to the Jenolan Caves is best done by driving - you do get nice views of country NSW on the way. Some coach companies offer a direct service from Sydney and there is also a service that runs from the Katoomba train station. Have a look here for details. If you are visiting Sydney and would like to visit the caves, be sure to look at the official Jenolan Caves website.

I did enjoy exploring the Jenolan Caves. It was so different to anything else i've done. Also, they are some of the oldest in the world and it is just amazing to me how long it takes for the simplest of formations...you could live a thousand years and only see marginal change. Puts things in perspective dont you think?

Have you been somewhere that has changed your perspective?

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