Today marks the start of a peculiar holiday in Barcelona. L’ou com balla – the dancing egg – is a ritual dating back to the 1600s for which nobody seems to know the exact origin or explanation. Some say it’s tied to Christianity and the Eucharist, some say it’s the continuation of a pagan fertility rite. Perhaps, of course, it has no deeper significance than that it’s simply fun. Throughout the center of the city, in medieval patios, fountains are adorned with flowers, and hollowed eggs literally dance all day on the water sprouts. People walk from one patio to the next to see each dancing egg. I went too. I figured it might be good luck. I’m still not sure as to the purpose of this, but perhaps it’s meant to be somehow life-affirming.
Not sure about the egg part, but any celebration that includes flowers and fountains works for me. Have fun!