Welcome Reception
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Welcome Reception Cocktail and Castellers (Typical catalan human towers)
The organization of the conference will offer a free Welcome Reception cocktail accompanied by one of the most spectacular  sights observed during Catalan festivals, the Castellers. Teams of enthusiasts form human towers -castells- which can be up to ten people high. This complex task of organisation and perfect timing starts with a square of strong men linking arms to form a base, so that lighter men and women can climb onto their shoulders. Concentration is etched in their faces, as more lighter and smaller people climb up, increasing the storeys. Finally, the "anxeneta", a young boy or girl, clambers bravely to the top, some 10 metres above the ground, and lifts one arm to show that the castell is complete. Immediately after this, the castell begins to unravel -and sometimes the tower will collapse- to gasps from the surrounding crowd who all immediately strengthen their arms in readiness to break the Castellers’ falls. |
