What a visual feast
If there’s one thing that the Spanish know how to do well then it has to be their fiesta processions!
Last Sunday many towns across Spain celebrated the arrival of Three Kings with a parade and I was spoilt for choice as to which one to attend – Alfaz, Altea, La Nucia, Finestrat – they all had one… but Benidorm won. Sometimes it’s a shame that they all take place at the same time otherwise I could race from one to another! The only drawback with Benidorm is the parking… but I have my trusty little black Smart car that I normally manage to manoeuvre into the tiniest of spaces, like a contortionist. On many occasions I have had people stop to watch, obviously thinking to themselves “she’ll never get in” and then I smugly get out, once to a round of applause from a shocked looking group of men! I just smiled and shrugged my
shoulders with a ‘easy peasy’ expression and hoping that they’d be gone by the time I was leaving or that one of the cars on either side would have left otherwise I’d be going back and forth a multitude of times.
Considering the Spanish aren’t regarded as the best timekeepers, with a ‘mañana’ attitude, it was surprising that it was only about 20 minutes later setting off than the advertised 6pm start time. The spectators were certainly out in force, lining every inch of pavement from Dove Park to the town hall square, where it finished. Pensioners and children eagerly awaited that very Spanish tradition of catching, or rather elbowing each other out of the way, to catch some of the 4,000 kilos of sweets being thrown out. I have learnt from experience to just duck now as it can and is very painful to be hit in the face or on top of the head by a hard boiled sweet being hurled from a height! I am surprised that no -one has had an eye taken out, especially when older children (normally boys) throw them out. Rather than gracefully and gently toss them to the crowds they catapult as if aiming at the coconut shy on the fairground.
The first part of the parade had a carnival like theme, with cartoon characters from popular children’s films and books – Aladdin – painted a mesmerising deep blue colour, Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on a beautifully decorated sweet float, Mermaids, Woody and Buzz lightyear to name a few. The second part was concentrated on the religious aspect, with nativity scenes, shepherds, soldiers and numerous animals – a gaggle of very well-behaved geese, so many donkeys, goats, sheep but no camels, horses or ox this year. Then the stars of the show were on the very last float – the Three Kings themselves, sat upon their thrones. It was an exceptionally long float and I really don’t know how the driver managed to negotiate the sharp bends, but they successfully ended up at the planned destination somehow.
After a short performance there then followed that other Spanish tradition – fireworks. At least this time it was dark so you could actually appreciate them, let off from the roof of the town hall building. It was a fabulous display and then for once, children wanted to get home and to bed in anticipation of the gifts they’d be left by the morning. Naughty ones are supposed to get a bag of coal and many supermarkets sell sweets in hessian bags made to resemble lumps of coal!
Monday was a Bank Holiday and I, like many others went out for a walk in what was an exceptionally warm and sunny afternoon… obviously I posted pictures on social media to those in the UK to share our glorious weather and people sunbathing on the beach! I promptly got a picture back from my sister-in-law in Manchester showing a very grey sky and told that her heating was on max. The promenades in Albir and Benidorm were both heaving, with many excited children riding new bikes, on roller skates and little girls pushing dolls in prams – all obviously left overnight. Goodness, Spanish children are doubly lucky getting presents twice!
Well the ‘rebajas’ have now started and shops will soon be full of summer clothes. Mind you, we’ve still got our winter to come – generally temperatures take a tumble next month so make the most of the current mild weather as we won’t be able to be quite so smug with those back in Blighty!
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