Euskal Sukaldaritza

IT WAS WINTER A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN I STEPPED OFF THE TRAIN INTO THE TOWN SQUARE OF SAN SEBASTIÁN, WHICH WAS VIBRANT AND RAUCOUS WITH THE SOMEWHAT BIZARRE LA TAMBORRADA FESTIVAL. THE SQUARE WAS FILLED WITH MEN AND CHILDREN DRESSED AS BAKERS DRUMMING OUT A CACOPHONY ON HUNDREDS OF DISCORDANT DRUMS. THE DRUMMING WENT ON DAY AND NIGHT AND THE NEXT DAY. THE ADDITION OF MEN DRESSED AS FRENCH SOLDIERS REALLY CONFUSED ME. BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IF I FOUND LA TAMBORRADA BEWILDERING THEN I’D BE BLOWN AWAY BY EL ENTIERRO DE LA SARDINA — A FESTIVAL WHERE MEN DRESSED AS 19TH-CENTURY WIDOWS CELEBRATE THE BEGINNING OF LENT BY PARADING AROUND TOWN WITH AN ANCHOVY IN A COFFIN.