I get confused with all these fiestas!

My kids are off school (Javea, Costa Blanca) on Monday the 8th, they go back to school the following day.

Is this a national holiday only I want to go to Madrid to visit a government office and obviously don't want to waste the day!

mark

It's not a national holiday but it may be a "teacher training day" or a day for the teachers to get the school ready.

We are up the road from you and our children are at school that day.

Try here for Spanish holidays.

It is only a local fiesta for Madrid on the 9th.
Here is a link to a more official and fully comprehensive website.
http://www.lexnova.es/pub_ln/Calenda...ario_2008.htm#

Your schools are starting back a good week or two before the schools down here.

Monday 8th is the final day of the fiesta of Vigin de Loreto del Mar in Javea. It amazes me that with the fireworks taking place at 1am that the kids go back to school the next day.

It's a good point and slightly related - most Spanish kids stay up very late all the time - this must impact them at school surely!

I would be falling asleep in the classroom myself. Although workers do have a siesta, our kids have a very long lunchtime at school but they certainly don't sleep.

I may be wrong on this but I've heard a lot of comments like - my kid is the top of the class - despite having moved from UK six months ago and having started the language from scratch.

Sorry I'm going off-topic thanks to those who have helped. I'm off to Madrid on the 8th and will be back in time for the 1am fireworks in Javea - and my wife will do the schoolrun next day!

Mark

They do near us from the beginning of the schol hols to the end they are up most of the nights, but back to school and back to bed during the week. the schools where we live close at 2 so most of the kids sleep in the afternoon.

Make sure that the office is open and manned by the person who you need to speak to too. Because the public holiday is on Tuesday a lot of workers use the Monday as a "puente".

What public holiday is this then - there's not a national one nor a regional one. Is it just Javea?

It's a local holiday in lots of places, but it's also not a holiday in lots of others. It's a local holiday where I live, but sadly not where I work.

A Puente is literally a 'Bridge day'. Because the public holiday is during the week a lot of workers take the day between the public holiday and the weekend off. Thus spanning one day to make a long weekend. hence our warning that you may and we stress may find either the office closed or the person you need to speak to away.

It's a local to Javea holiday - our schools get speacial permission for an extra day or two till the end of the fiesta

it can be crazy - there are fireworks really late the night before - great display, and I remember that one year they went back on the Friday

if you're in the port don't forget that tomorrow is Dia de los ninos y las ninas - loads for the kids all day, including free paella for lunch


Sun 31 Day of the Children...........absolutely the best one of the year according to my girls...........

9am Raspall tournament in Calle Virgen Loreto......a bit like pelota
10am Free chocolate & merengada for the kids - street games - Fiesta de Agua
11am Childrens park opens - a little funfair
11am Game of llargues (sorry, no idea ) in the street
1.30pm sangria-a-go-go
2pm Free paella, drinks & ice cream for the kids in the calle Severo Ochoa
5pm & 7pm more Raspall
8pm - Gran Cabalgata through the streets............all the Peñas wear fancy dress & there is a prize for the best – as far as the kids are concerned this is the best procession of the year – not just because of all the sweets they get thrown at them, but the floats are usually amazing. At the end there is a show.
Midnight – Correfocs ‘La Nit Mágica de Xarxa Teatre’ procession of street fireworks