Noche.

Noche.

Night. 

Leeds had it's annual (and may I add fantastically family/student/suitable for all ages fun and cultural) Light Night on Friday 4th October. Not to be outdone, Oviedo held it's annual Noche Blanca on the 5th; entailing another last minute look-up online and a quick scoot to the bus station.  

Both nights have a similar premise; late opening hours (although the Spaniards win hands down on this, some events began at 10 and were 'toda la noche') and a range of cultural activities and events across the city centre. 

This time armed with a map, if not daylight, I managed to semi-accidentally stumble upon el Museo de Bellas Artes and joined the queue for a Jacobo de Miguel's 'UNO' improvised piano set, he's a well-known Spanish Jazz musician apparently. We were let in after being given newspaper size guides to the night with an hour to see the gallery before the concert began at 11. They had a Miró and a Dalí!  

   

Dalí. 'Metamorfosis de Ángeles en Mariposa'

Miró, 'La Grande Escaliaré' 

 The set was pleasant and the place was packed. After, crowds were following people holding masses of glowing globos (balloons); there's something magic about illuminated balloons, something entrancing. We all trailed after them to La Plaza de la Catedral where we stretched and elbowed our way to receive one. Then at 12, balloons filled the sky with a new constellation. It was beautiful. The event was 'Lightdrops', to illuminate the night sky.

 

I was by then, like any child to a new toy, too attached to my balloon so I was tied it to my rucksack. I popped into a Sidreria feeling it was about time to try the sidra here (Asturias is very famous for it's cider and as it's not fizzy they pour it from above their heads into a glass held at the waist to make bubbles, it's all very skillful and impressive). It's strong, cheap stuff at 2,50 e per 70cl bottle at 6.5%. I had to ask to take the majority of my bottle home... 

I saw this big installation enroute back to the bus station, while purchasing a cream and chocolate waffle.

I got a few strange looks waffle in hand, bottle under-arm and globo bobbing along behind me. I had to wait 40 minutes at the bus station for the supposed 1 am bus. However, there were 2 teenagers sparring and one kicked the other in the face, making him spit red blobs in various locations by bay number 3. Pleasant. I knew then (even before I collapsed into bed at 3) that: