January 14

Saint Sylvester was a Joker

9  comments

This post could be titled, “Spaniards Really Love to Dress Up in Costumes, Part One,” but I thought that my subsequent posts would beat the heck out of that theme! Just wait!

Gentle reader, you may have never seen a race like this before. On December 30th, La Carrera de San Silvestre is run through downtown Valencia. It’s a 5K (3.2 miles) race that is heavily attended by viewers watching 15,000 people go by in about an hour and a half. It is also heavily “costumed.” The Race of Saint Sylvester is an annual event, and worth seeing!

I put that word in quotes, because I am not sure what some of the costumes were, exactly, but these folks were dressed up in spectacular fashions. All ages were present, from little kids to parents pushing strollers, from teenagers to grandparents, and from men dressed in Little Red Riding Hood costumes to a troop of women dressed as mops. Seriously.

Of course, with Spain being what it is, there were some costumes that might offend more sensitive spirits, but here, they were cheered on by an encouraging crowd. Plus, they were running too fast to get reasonable photos of them, anyway. For example, four guys who were front runners in the race were extremely aerodynamic in shoes, thongs, multicolored wigs, and gold body glitter. Two other guys ran buy in shoes, aprons, and chef hats… period. Women and men in bikinis, couples dressed as an ensemble, and whole families who, while pushing their decorated stroller, were both fashionable and fit on this evening. And lots, lots more. (Considering that it was a chilly evening, I guess they deserve some sort of a bravo or brava!)

I saw at least two dozen guys (and girls) dressed in Flinstones costumes. There were plenty of leftover Halloween costumes, and even more Christmas-esque regalia surrounded by so much more than just holiday-wear. Curiously, because I was taking pictures, I was the target of a lot of posing and waving. One man, inexplicably dressed as a letter, was insistent… I HAD TO TAKE HIS PICTURE. I saw him again on the walk home, but he was too far away and I couldn’t catch up before he got home.

One final note… my camera. I love my camera, and it takes some amazing pictures. However, in lower lighting situations that involve motion, there is something to be desired. I apologize for my inability to give you extremely clear shots, but, considering the circumstances and the fact that I took over 300 pictures, I was just playing the odds and hoping to get something that was worth sharing.

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Tags

Carrera de San Silvestre, costume, race


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  1. I love your photos and I think they give us the sense of motion that a race has. And it sounds like a VERY entertaining way to spend an evening.

    1. Oh, my, yes. It was spectacular in the sense of “spectacle”! The funny thing is that this is all semi-normal for my adoptive culture. Everyone enjoys it!

    1. Me, too! The bishops and pope were very close to the end of the race, and drew quite a bit of applause. Who knows? Next year, I may be in there, too!

  2. Of course you will be in next year’s 5K fashion run…but mmnnn…what will you dress up as? That is the real question! Looks festive and fun!

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