go to the tomatina!

I cannot wait to attend this. Not sure when, but this is absolutely on the top of my bucket list.

I went backpacking in Europe in 2005 and although Spain was one of the countries on my list to visit it was the one we could not go to! Guerra De Tomates is on my bucket list for sure!!!!

I just cant imagine the chaos. I have to see it for myself!

I went to la Tomatina last August. It happens on the last Wednesday of August in the little village of Buñol, Valencia, and it’s absolute chaos. 30,000 people hurling several tons of tomatoes at each other. There really isn’t room to move in the narrow streets, and when the dustbin lorries full of tomatoes come rolling through it’s a wonder everybody manages to get out of the way; some of them even climb in. I wasn’t impressed by the way that a lot of people (mostly Spaniards) were tearing people’s shirts off, especially girls shirts (which I think a lot of at least the Anglophone participants thought was out of order), so either don’t wear or shirt, or be prepared to use a bit of “persuasion”. One of my mates even had a nun costume ripped off his back. I wore goggles to it (mainly because I wear contacts), but all they did was get steamed up and I still managed to get tomato in my eyes. I also kept my money in an empty film canister in a safe pocket that fastened, which kept it relatively dry and tomato free. After the carnage has ended, you can wade your way through the river tomatoes (which gets to a foot deep in places, people were swimming in it) down to the river, which is to the left looking towards the end of the battle, where they have showers set up. Just ask for “las duchas”. There are also plenty of obliging locals with there hose pipes dotted about.

There are places to leave your valuables for a few euros, however that seemed far to sensible for us. We decided to get absolutely sodden with tomatoes then buy new shirts, so we really had been there, done that and bought the t-shirt.

We were stopping in Valencia, as just about everybody does for la Tomatina. If your stop in Valencia you’ll need to speak some basic Spansish at least, because very few people speak English (Subway sandwich shop was the only place we found where they actually spoke English). Taxis are reasonably priced – it’s more on nights and there is a 3.50€ charge for luggage. Valencia’s full of them as well so you can just flag one down, except on the morning of la Tomatina, when unless you’ve booked one early you won’t find one for love nor money.

There are special trains leaving from Estación del Norte for Buñol every 10 minutes. In 2006 a single ticket cost 2.40€ (we didn’t buy return tickets, because we were doubtful they’d survive). You can just get a ticket from the windows in the main hall of the station. The trains are rather primitive (i.e. no toilets, no air conditioning, manual doors) and the number of passengers is quite unbelievable. It takes about an hour to get to Buñol, and at times it seems like it’d be quicker to walk. You’ve got about as much chance of getting as seat as Estonia has of winning the world cup. When you arrive in Buñol it’s pretty easy to find where all the action starts, just follow the rabble. Everyone gathers in the narrow streets near the centre of the village, while the locals throw buckets of water (and one accidentally threw the bucket) on them. Then at 11.00am the firework sounds and all hell lets loose.

It may also be an idea to just throw away the clothes you wear for la Tomatina in one of the big dumpsters outside, because I speak from experience when I say the smell’s enough to make a hotel room uninhabitable. Also the tomatoes manage to get absolutely everywhere, and I mean everywhere – you really do need to wash behind your ears.

As a little side note, the main nightlife areas in Valencia are the Barrio del Carmen (which we never actually found, so I couldn’t say whether it’s good or not), and the beach or “playa”, which is best at weekends and where the clubs stay open until 6 or 7am – plenty of time to get blathered.

Also, change your money before you go, because there’s only one bank in Valencia that changes money (near Plaza del Ayuntamiento in the city centre) and they charge extortionate commision. Just take euros and a card with you, because the cash machines charge less than the bank, and there’s plenty of them about.

All in all a pretty legendary holiday if you ask me.

my boyfriend and i want to go so bad. well i want to go so i can sock him in the head with a tomato!!!! ha ha :P