Madrid, July 18: Spaniards gave one another a good soaking during the Vallecas annual water festival on Sunday.
The Battle of the Water, as it is popularly known, sees residents of Madrid's Vallecas neighbourhood having fun as they get drenched.
Now in its 30th year, festival goers use water pistols, buckets and pots, refilling their vessels with water thrown off balconies.
Many participants dress as pirates, as the festival dates back to an ironic demand by locals for a port of Vallecas, which lies over 350 kilometres (217 miles) from the Mediterranean Sea.
But the real reason is to cool off in the sweltering heat which reached the high 30s Celsius (high 80s Fahrenheit) on Sunday.
This year had a political backdrop as organisers protested the proposal by the regional government to privatise the water supply in Madrid. AP
