DONGLE SAYS, ' SURF SAFELY'

It is 6am and Beauty is up, scoffing down fromage frais by the bucket load and watching a video on the CBBC website about how to surf the web safely because people may not be who they say they are. The story is about a crocodile who pretends to be a rabbit so he can meet and eat the rabbits!

DONGLE THE RABBIT

She went to bed at 9pm, had a very small episode of night terrors but mostly slept through the night.


This last week saw the Fallas celebration in Valencia in Spain.

VALENCIA

The origins of the Fallas Festivity goes back to an old tradition of the city's carpenters, who before the Festivity of their patron Saint Joseph, burned in front of their workshops, on the streets and public squares, their useless things and other wooden utensils they used to hold the candles that gave them light during the winter season. This is the reason why the night of the cremà (in which the Fallas monuments burn down) is always on March 19th, the Festivity of San José.

THE NIGHT OF THE CREMA

One day I would really like to go and see the burning of the Fallas. Once on holiday I visited the museum in Valencia and I was so impressed that it is one of those memories that really stay with you.

FALLAS MUSEUM

FALLAS

The museum hold a small number of Fallas(obviously not many as they get burnt!, photos and Posters from the poster competition. I once witnessed a Fiesta whilst on holiday on Malta at Rabat and it was an amazing experience, the fireworks were VERY noisy but funnily enough Beauty loved it.

RABAT

Though I think that the burning of the Fallas would definitely be a different kettle of fish.

FUENGIROLA

I have also witnessed a Fiesta in Fuengirola and the one thing I like best was the emphasis on the children, the sale of sweets , balloons and toys. Beauty was happy, she loves getting new toys on holiday. On our last holiday to Fuerteventura Beauty came back with a red parrot called Polly, a blue parrot called Paulie, a camel called Camel and a chess set(she chose the chess set!).

THE PASSION PLAY
OBERAMMERGAU

I have also wanted to visited Oberammergau

1633
At the beginning a solemn promise was made: During the Thirty Years' War the Black Death came to Oberammergau in the year 1632. In 1633 nearly every family bemoaned one or more victims as a consequence of the Black Death.
At the Cemetery (Beinhof) the Black Death invalids promised to act the history of Jesus Christ every ten years. The inhabitants of Oberammergau erected a Symbol for Jesus Christ. This is testified by an etching of the artist Hans Schwaighofer from Oberammergau.On Pentecost 1634 the inhabitants of Oberammergau acted the Play on a stage which was built at the cemetery and constructed over the fresh graves of the Black Death victims.

and in 2010 I will DEFINITELY go. I have wanted to go since 1980 but money or life always got in the way BUT 2010 is definitely the year.

OBERAMMERGAU

Did you know that the men have to let their hair grow to take part

Ash Wednesday 2009: The "Hair Decree" - from this date on all the men in Oberammergau taking part in the play are requested to let the hair on their heads and faces grow

Love it!
I may not be a traditionally religious person but I love to see how people express their religious beliefs in their way of life. Having a high proportion of relatives and in-laws that are Catholic I have witnessed and participated in many Catholic services and celebrations and I have always felt huge surges of spirituality at such gatherings.

THE BASILICA
VALENCIA

When I was in Valencia I attended a service in the basilica which was constructed between 1652 and 1667 .

INSIDE THE BASILICA

It was like stepping back in time with the older women in black dresses and head scarves, the incense and the prayers and the service was all conducted by candlelight

ST JOHN'S VALETTA

Whilst on Malta I visited the St John's co-cathedral at Valetta and it was one of the strangest churches I have ever been in, very eerie.

INSIDE ST JOHN'S