8/23: Massive food fight (thanks Doc)
 

http://cellar.org/pictures/foodfight.jpg

This one was on the nightly news, from a yearly festival in, I think, Spain; where everyone throws massive amounts of overripe tomatoes at everyone else.

It's only fun until someone puts an eye out. And then sorry won't be enough.

spanish culture lesson (part 2)
 

My spanish co-worker buddies to the rescue again. This is what happens when you combine 30,000 people and 132 metric tons of tomatoes.

Back in the 40s, there was an economic fight between the growers and the buyers so the growers decided they would rather have a big tomato fight instead of selling the tomatoes at such a low price. Reminds me of the boston tea party, but I'm not sure why...they both wasted food I guess.

There is only one rule, and it must be followed strictly. A tomato must be opened before it's thrown...we don't want anyone getting hurt ;)

Surprisingly, it only takes a few hours to clean up.

more photos on the official website I like the germans with the goggles!

what do you mean by 'the tomato must be opened'..?

I don't think that anyone in that wild chaotic muck is stopping to carefully and delicately peel away the skin from the tomatoes.... ;)

open tomatoes
 

you gotta rip the thing apart before it is thrown the first time. After that, it's basically mush so it's no big deal. But an unbroken tomato apparently hurts.

"opened" was the word the spaniard used.

Re: spanish culture lesson (part 2)
 

I saw that on TV once... They use several fire hoses to wash all of it down the sewers.

They must have the most well-fed sewer rats in the face of the planet. :p

(Unless, of course, if rats don't eat tomatoes.)