Viva San Mateo!

What a bienvenidos! This past week, Logroño celebrated the 66th festival of San Mateo. The feast of San Mateo is specifically observed on September 21st, but the festival lasts nine days, from the 16th to the 24th. The regional fiesta is dedicated to Saint Matthew, the city’s patron saint (saint of merchants/business people because the apostle was a tax collector). San Mateo also marks the grape harvest, the city’s main industry and source of income (viva la vino;)). All week long you are likely to spot locals and visitors alike, dressed in white and wearing pañuelos, or red-colored handkerchiefs around their necks.

Beginning with the transition of the Plaza de Espolon's fountain water to wine on Friday afternoon, the alcohol begins flowing all over Logroño. Red wine, Calimocho (red wine + coke), Tinto de verano (red wine + lemon soda), and La Rioja’s special Zurracapote (peach, lemon, cinnamon, sugar + red wine) make up the majority of the drinks we saw and partook in having this week. On Saturday morning the festivities officially kicked off at the largest event: the Chupinazo, where my friends and I naively took to the streets just 30 minutes before noon figuring (naively) that we could casually roll up to the event. We were sorely mistaken, fiercely humbled by our stark sobriety, but ultimately fascinated by the event. Soon we would learn just how hard San Mateo goes. For a bit of context about the intensity of this festival, we woke up last night, *WeDneSDaY* to a literal percussion and marching band at 3am (so our mid-week prayer for peace went unanswered). Other clues of just how serious San Mateo is included events like concerts and fireworks BEGINNING between 11 pm- 1 am- buah (Spanish groan).

Despite having our sleep schedule interrupted we are having a blast with the festivities. All day... all night.. (9 am to 1am), Logroño hosts local craft booths, performances (concerts, puppet/magic shows, rap battles- highly recommend), Tragantua (“swallow” a silly looking slide for kids), parades, markets, sports games (handball, bull fights, etc), the international firework competition (winner plays at San Bernabe- a festival in June), and “degustaciones” (tastings). Some highlights of the latter were bocadillos de calamares, mejillon (mussels) en salsa de tomate, and chocolate caliente y galletas BUT there are dozens of other local dishes served up by various community clubs and they usually hover around 2-4 euros, including a copa de vino from La Rioja ;) Another notable event is the infamous stomping of the grapes where people who are traditionally dressed smash the first grapes of the harvest by foot in a large barrel. Our cohort agrees that San Mateo pulls everyone in, from locals to visitors and those passing by on the camino, to revel in the authentic lifestyle found here in the capital of La Rioja.

Overall, arriving in Logroño during San Mateo has been an absolute treat. The week off from work has given us the chance to settle into our new apartments, familiarize ourselves with the city, stock our pantry, prepare for the school week to come, and experience the culture of Logroño at its absolute best! Cheers to the constant music in the streets, the long afternoons spent people-watching in the sun (and rain), and the chance to really dive head-first into the heart of La Rioja.

Un abrazo,

Annie

(Paella en frente de la catedral)

(Fellow grantees and I en frente de la catedral con tinto de verano y calimocho;)