Mi viaje a Barcelona : La Mercè: Correfoc

You would think with all the numerous Spanish classes I would figure out what "correfoc" meant before I was actually there. Wrong. It was only when I was on the side of the street watching devils dance and twirl torches with sparks, people running and screaming in every direction, that it occurred to me. "Corre", en español, means "run." Foc, although not Spanish, is clearly Catalan for "fire".
Therefore, fire run.

And that is indeed what it was. The Correfoc is a tradition which dates back to Medieval times, where people would run through the streets with fire and purge the bad spirits one day a year. It lives on in Barcelona during this festival, which, if I haven't mentioned it yet, is one of the biggest celebrations the city puts on.
This massive parade begins at one end of a long street towards the beach, with a structure that (quite appropriately) is called "Hell's Gate." Gruesome creatures, drummers with red and black face paint, and dozens of people dressed as devils emerged from the Satanic arch, wielding torches and sparklers that spun wildly, singeing and burning anyone in range. As the Correfoc sizzled it's way down the street, the city looked like it was on fire, with smoke and red hues rising from the crowd. The metros moving underground shook the pavement and in the distance you could hear laughter and screams, as well as loud pops from the firecrackers going off. When the great beasts ran out of steam, they would pause and be re-lit, and then the helicopter fireworks would twirl once again. Most intelligent people were wearing long pants, scarves, hats, goggles and boots; my friends and I, on the other hand, brought light cardigans to cover up with in case the sparks happened to get us.
Well, didn't we look like fools.
I ended up putting on my large pink sunglasses and wrapping my sweater around my hair to avoid potential baldness. Also, mental note, sandals are a bad idea if you are going to run in the Correfoc. I have a small burn on my foot that I am proud to say happened dancing in fire on the streets of Barcelona.
The whole tradition of Correfoc was simply unique and so unreal that it is impossible to wrap my head around it. I am so grateful for the amazing opportunity I was given to experience Barcelona in this way. Oddly enough, it feels wrong to say I am experiencing Spain. Barcelona is a culture in itself.

I can't get over how much fun I had dancing in the streets with demons, to music that spoke no language, with devil drums pounding and sparks tingling at my feet. Sometimes being burned is worth it.