Tempo Latino

One of my friends from the orchestra is from further inland, in the Gers department. When she was growing up, she and her family would often go to the Tempo Latino festival in Vic Fezensac, and since the festival started on her birthday this year, she bought some tickets and asked the group of us if any of us were interested in going with her on opening night. I was more than excited about going, and not only because Tempo Latino is the oldest Salsa and Afro-Latino music festival in France and the second biggest in Europe.

We got there quite early - it takes just over 2 hours to drive there from Biscarrosse, but since the festival is so popular and we weren't sure we would be able to get a good parking space if we got there too late - so we spent a bit of time wandering through the town and admiring the night market before grabbing a bite to eat and listening to some of the peformers in the small street concert venues. Unfortunately for me I got stung by a hornet on the top of my head on the way there so I only started to enjoy the music after the drugs kicked in and my head stopped throbbing!

Some of the cool buildings in Vic

Entrance to the arena where the concerts take place

Spectators in one of the street venues

Dinner! (and empty beer cups...)

This year's opening act was Ernesto "Tito" Puentes (link only in French), a Cuban trumpet player, who was also this year's sponsor. Angel Yos y La Mecanica Loca opened for him, and though they were quite good, I adored Tito's afro-cuban music and stage presence. He invited a special guest onto stage with him - Ibrahim Maalouf, a French trumpet player - who blew us away, so much so that Laure and I went to see him again in September when he came to Bordeaux. The atmosphere at the concerts was amazing, and it was totally worth being stung in the head.

People dancing on the arena floor to
Angel Yos

Ernesto Puentes conducting his big band

Playing his trumpet

Ibrahim Maalouf

Amazing!

Pretty impressive for an
87-year-old!!

Toro de Fuego and Bastille Day

The city where we live puts on several celebrations around July 14th, our national holiday. This year on the 13th they had a Toro de Fuego (Fire Bull) in the centre of town, and the four of us went to see it. I had never seen this particular tradition before, and was excited to go. 

A Toro de Fuego is not actually a real bull that is set on fire... It's a bull made of metal which has been decorated with fireworks. A very brave individual dances around with the bull on his back while the fireworks go off in a continuous chain reaction. 

Unfortunately I don't have a better
picture - my phone isn't the best for
photos - but here's the second bull
being carried through the streets

No one is really sure where the tradition comes from, though some sources online claim that it was used as a ruse in 3rd century warfare. At that time, the actual animal would have been used and its horns would have been covered in pitch or resin and set on fire before being sent towards the enemy. However, other historians claim that this is not true at all, and that the Toro is actually a result of wanting to combine traditional southern bull fighting with fireworks. And there is evidence that a bull was set on fire for entertainment at Louis XIV's wedding to Marie-Thérèse of Austria.

Whatever the origins, it was a very interesting spectacle. Aimy loved it - she kept telling me how pretty it was, and that she loved the fireworks.

As I said the photos aren't great, but
you can see the man holding the
bull in this one

Again here you can see the guy
underneath

Not sure if this will work but
the video shows some of what
we saw that night

Sparks

There was a spinning wheel
on the back that lit up about halfway
through the show

Fireworks!

The whole bull ablaze

The next evening was the traditional fireworks at the beach. The girls were both exhausted from the late night so they stayed at home and I went with one of my good friends. Though they were not in the same category as the Celebration of Light, the 14th of July fireworks were quite good. Again, sorry for the poor quality images.

It was a fun few days, but it was just the beginning...

Summer Vacation

This summer was full of events and outings, as you will see in the entries that follow. I've tried to organize everything chronologically but I may end up grouping some of the outings together so that there are fewer entries. I loved being able to take part in some of the local traditions this summer, and the girls had a lot of fun in and out of the sun. But I'll start this off with a few photos of the girls enjoying the summer holidays.

More bike riding

She preferred to run around after her
sister than to get on her own bike

Baking cupcakes

Goofing around

Stirring

Yum!

Playing the piano together

New hobby: knitting

Get 'em hooked young!

Playing in the sand

Selfie time!

Showing us how to swim

Up in the air!

Alixe's Second Birthday

July 2nd was Alixe's second birthday. Since the school year hadn't quite ended yet, it was a pretty low key day, but the girls seemed to enjoy it - the birthday girl in particular had a blast, and I'm pretty sure they would have devoured all the cupcakes if I had let them.

Sprinkles!

Happy girl

Wearing her new helmet

Aimy got one too

*gasp of surprise*

Opening presents is serious business

Admiring her princess tent

Loved her Elmo card

Very proud of her draisienne!