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...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES
SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2013
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THE SPAINIAC | Las Fallas | Candice Parsons
The sound of firecrackers ripping through the streets and the sight of various effigies burning brightly is only a mere insight to
how wild Spain’s parties are. Listed as one of the nation’s best festivals of the year, Las Fallas lasts four days long between
March 15th to March 19th within the city of Valencia. Filling up the streets of Valencia from early morning till late into the
night, both national and international voyeurs and party-goers gather for what is, in essence, a carnivalesque giant puppet show. The festival name derives from the Valencian word “falla”, which translates to fire. Therefore, Las Fallas, ‘The Fires’ or ‘The Torches’, conveys the main highlight of this festival – building and destoying the ‘ninots’. The giant and colourful puppets or sculptures that are created from either paper-mâché, styrofoam, wax, wood, or cardboard, can measure up to 30 metres high. Local Valencian’s of the different neighbourhoods in the city create these ninots, which often take the entire previous year to craft together and even cost up to US $75, 000. As they attract and entertain the crowds of visitors whilst parading around the different neighbourhoods of
Valencia, the ninots are usually crafted as satirically humorous and mocking of celebrities, politicians and distinctive media figures, depicting a whimsical and entertaining parody of the world. Alongside the ninots parading around the city, other street parties and activities, such as paellacooking competitions, bullfights, concerts and parades are available throughout the various barrios and plazas of Valencia. Locals take over and disperse around the city, flaunting traditional Valencian costumes amongst the culturally festive atmosphere. The grand finale of Las Fallas takes place exactly
at midnight on the last day of the festival (19th). Fireworks are lit whilst each of the fallas are blown up to create a large fiery explosion and burn them down into ash. For this reason, the festival is often compared to Guy Fawkes day in United Kingdom, which also traditionally involves lighting fires. Historically said to have originated in the late 15th century from pagan celebrations of the spring equinox, plus almost being banned by a number of governments during the 20th century due to the civil war; Las Fallas stands as a day in honour of Saint Joseph from Spain’s Catholic church roots.
Candice Parsons is a writer and avid Spain and Spanish culture lover from Melbourne, Australia. ‘Like’ my Facebook page: www.facebook. com/pandemicrhapsody and follow me on Twitter @MiLlamoCandi
LEGAL CORNER WITH MICHAEL DAVIES, ABOGADO/SOLICITOR
If you wish us to print an article about a particular topic, please e-mail info@daviessolicitors.com
Q: DO I NEED A SPANISH WILL
A:YES...and here’s why... 1. Your estate will be left to the people of your choice and not to those determined by law 2.You can mitigate inheritance tax by planning the distribution of your estate. A will can be the single most cost-effective document you will sign during your lifetime. 3. You will have the peace of mind of knowing that things are in order for your heirs and that your heirs will not end up dealing with a complicated and costly procedure in a foreign country. I like the challenge of complicated inheritance work but we will never stop insisting that all our clients should make a Spanish will. Since setting up office in 1993, I have been surprised by the amount of people who have come to ask whether it is convenient to make a will in Spain concerning their Spanish assets. The answer to this is most definitely yes. In England if you do not make a will, then the law has rules, which will determine the distribution of your assets. These rules could mean that your assets are distributed in a way very different from what you would have liked. In Spain the situation is the same, with an additional factor. Your heirs will have to deal with a foreign language and legal system. All the more reasons to leave everything as organised as possible. Some people include their Spanish assets in their English will. This is legally binding, but to obtain probate in Spain, it will be necessary for the will to be translated and legalised. This is a long and costly procedure. My advice on the subject is to have two separate wills, one in England for your English assets and one in Spain for your Spanish assets. Drawing up a will in Spain does not take long and is not expensive, and will definitely save your heirs a lot of time, problems and money. Your Lawyer will draw up a rough draft, and then he will make an appointment at the notary to sign the final document. One copy is sent by the notary to the central register in Madrid. He will hold on to the original copy. You will be given a copy that I suggest you inform your heirs and lawyer in England about, and then put it in the bottom drawer, with the peace of mind of knowing that everything is taken care of. At Davies Solicitors we will listen to your wishes and advise you on the most tax efficient way of dealing with your Spanish estate. We will explain in detail the tax implications of your decisions for your heirs and ways to deal with it.We will prepare a will in both English and Spanish for signature and in general we will provide you the peace of mind of knowing that everything has been left organized for your heirs. Please call or email us for an appointment Michael Davies is a Spanish Abogado and has been practicing law in Almería since 1993. He is member of the Law societies of Almería and Madrid and has offices in Mojacar and Almeria High Street.