h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

They're also great for the hurling at each other by two groups of people who live in the western Mediterranian at a special festival in a place... where the name eludes me.

A lot of messy fun though.

I seem to remember they do that in Pamplona before the bulls run through the streets. I could be wrong though - I'll just go and check...

No - I was wrong. It's a Spanish festival called La Tomatina, held the last Wednesday of August in Bunol (about half an hour from Valencia).

My, isn't the Internet great!

Yeah! That's the one, do they say what else they do there?

I was wondering how tomato lovers feel about that festival; whether it be a horrible waste of tomatos or a way of increasing the knowledge of tomatos throughout the world? Or neither?

trust me - there are no tomato lovers. They are evil.
I know - I worked for Wight Salads at the Arreton Valley Nursery all summer with tomato plants, in houses 5-15, and I got to realise just how nasty the critters are. Don't trust them - they are evil!

There are indeed tomato lovers. Beefsteak tomatoes rule!

Oh no! I've been betrayed!
The best thing to do with a tomato is turn it into ketchup.

Or put vinegar on it...yummy....

I must admit I haven't tried that.... I've been covered in them, though... Had my hair turn green by them.

Do tell!

It all took place over the summer, when I was working 8 hours a day in Tomato Greenhouses... Not a nice experience for the whole summer.

That's quite funny actually - because ketchup is a well known cure for green hair. Chlorine in swimming pools can leave a greensih tinge to your hair if you're a frequent swimmer -and ketchup is recommended to remove it - the green, not the hair)

It was the constant rubbing with tomato vines, especially when changing the drip irrigation, that turned my hair green. The vines are nasty stuff - itch like mad, and give you a nasty rash. ANd changing the drips can REALLY give you a backache.