And I still haven't left

I have definitely fallen in love with this city.

My days have been spent walking around the city, up the hill to hang out with Jesus, sunbathing on the beach and playing in the waves, surfing, and going out with others from the hostel. I'm actually slightly worried that my travelling has come to a bit of a stand still for a while. I was initially supposed to be spending only 2 days here but since then I have extended my stay twice and am currently staying here until Monday.

Two days ago was the Fiesta de San Juan (which I believe coincides with Summer Soltice - the longest day of the year.) The celebration of this day begins by the burning of a tree in the town hall and then afterwards the peeling and distribution of the bark to everybody huddled around. What they do with the bark I'm not sure. At first I thought that the ate it, but now I'm not quite sure. This is then followed by everybody making bonfires on the beach and throwing in pieces of paper with their wishes and dreams written on them. The ages of the people who get involved in this ranges from young children to older men and women.

What was even better was that night I went surfing from 9pm to 11pm and so I saw the sunset out on the horizon and the bonfires on the beaches, from the water, and it was absolutely gorgeous. I found a new respect for life out there on the water, it's hard to explain.

I have been hanging out with many of the sole travellers at the hostel but mainly two girls, Jemma from Australia, who has also seemingly taken up residence here, and Pam, who runs the hostel and is from Argentina. They are both very much free-spirited women and we get along very well. During the day we go to the beach and in the nights we go out on the town.

Here the night life begins at around 11pm - midnight and goes until 4am (at the earliest). I have had two 4:30- 5am nights and really don't see how the locals here can keep this up (but perhaps the siesta in the middle of the day is a key part of it. The nightly ritual/custom here in Spain is to begin your night with some tapas which you choose from a wide selection displayed on the bar, and then continue to bar hop from anywhere between 3 and 5 bars. Luckily there is no cover here and you don't feel like you have to have many drinks at each bar.

Tonight is another night of celebration, so I have heard, with a large outdoor concert on the beach. What tonight will bring, only time will tell.