Fiesta de San Anton - Notes from Spain Podcast 54
by Ben Curtis
Every year on January 17th, people bring their pets to be blessed on the Calle de Hortaleza in Madrid. Despite my slight reticence about Madrid’s fiesta scene in the second half of the podcast (click play podcast above), this was a fascinating event. Castizo is the word Marina used - very traditional in a Madrid kind of a way - below is some video from this morning to prove it:
There are plenty more photos from the Fiesta on the NFS Flickr Page.
UPDATE:
A Spanish friend of Marina’s said “This really does make Spain look a bit behind the times, imagine what the same video would look like in Black and White!” Well, it had to be done…
Posted: January 17th, 2007 under Notes from Spain Podcast, Spain Travel.
Comments: 7
Comments
Comment from Hernandez Fiendish
Time: January 17, 2007, 11:51 pm
It’s not just a Madrid thing, it happens all over Spain
Comment from Mike_2
Time: January 18, 2007, 1:07 am
Behind the times? Keeping traditions, I think! My wife thinks its very cute and would like to know the name of the singer for the sound track you added. Muchas gracias!
Pingback from One for the diary - Saint Spliff’s Day! - Notes from Madrid
Time: January 18, 2007, 4:05 pm
[...] Bizzarre city, next thing you know they’ll be blessing dogs… [...]
Comment from Ben
Time: January 18, 2007, 6:57 pm
Hernandez - You are quite right.
Mike_2 - The music is Maria la portuguesa by Carlos Cano, a typical pasodoble.
Comment from Deborah
Time: January 19, 2007, 7:45 pm
Anything behind the times is wonderful.
Comment from ValenciaSon
Time: January 21, 2007, 10:19 pm
I wonder, what is the origin behind this pet blessing fiesta?
Comment from Ben
Time: January 21, 2007, 10:36 pm
There is some history here:
http://www.madridiario.es/2007/Enero/distrito/centro/6898/san-anton.html
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