Back in Barcelona, at last at last! And just in time to celebrate my second annual Mercè Festival! The Mercè is the week-long major festival of Barcelona and explodes every September in a breathtaking array of music, lights, parades, and dance. It’s fun to walk through the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter and find random stages set up around every corner. I marched in the parade with Los Gigantes (the giants), danced at dozens of concerts in plazas all around the city (from jazz to drum and bass to Catalan folk music), watched the Castellers create their eight-story high human castles, and was awe struck by the hour long fireworks display in Plaza España that was synchronized with a concert and the colorful fountains in front of the National Palace. But the most memorable event of this year’s Mercè was the Correfoc (the fire run). I ran with this parade as devils and dragons shot fireworks at anyone attempting to get close. The idea is to grab a devil from behind and dance or run with him down the street as they shoot everyone else. Wear thick clothes and protect your eyes! Only minor burns from this one.