Our first procession was witnessed in Cadiz, in the week after we arrived in Spain, followed closely by another in our first week living in Antequera. These are processions to the Virgin Mary, and this one in Antequera to La Virgen del Rosario.
Escorted by a band, 32 men hoist a large, and judging by the struggle - presumably heavy, statue onto their shoulders and do a slow march, resting every 100 metres or so, around town stopping at each church - there are many. Each arrival is announced by tolling bells, and throngs of nuns. This is forerunner of much bigger things at Easter.
Christmas here, as the Spanish name, La Navidad, suggests is really, oddly enough, about the birth of the child Christ. Santa Claus, or Papa Noel, is a more recently and commercially introduced figure. But you don't, not in Antequera anyway, see characters dressed up as Papa Noel, or stores with a resident Santa. A custom of hanging an inflatable Santa, or small 'stuffed' one from front of your house is taking off. Kids are, of course buying into him pretty quickly.Towns, and businesses within towns (organised by the local Ayuntamiento - town council, who in turn usually enter the biggest) compete in Belén competitions - nativity scenes. Some are downright spectacular. Needless to say I have seen more nativity scenes this Christmas than the rest of my life total.
We saw Belénes in Granada, Cordoba, Malaga all set out in pastorial magnificence, but I like the poetic licence of this one setting the whole Christ birth and surrounding pastoral activities with a backdrop of the Antequera Alcazaba.
Christmas Eve as we call it, but Nochebuena (the good night) in España, is a big time family affair. It is reputed that TVs are actually turned off that night - something I find a little hard to believe! But the norm is a big feast of seafords, fish, and meat and then los dulces ... the sweets: el turrón, el mazapán, y los polvorones. This all takes place at Mum and Dad´s place.Next day, Christmas, is yet again another family bash with much eating, and la cava ... the champagne.
Next on the fun calendar is 28 December, Santos Inocentes, and the equivalent of our April Fool´s Day. TV and radio stations play practical jokes, and it´s the aim to stick un monigote - a little paper cut-out stick man - on the back of an unsuspecting friend. All harmless stuff - until someone pokes an eye out!
New Year's Eve, El Nochevieja - the old night, is of course another big night. A big celebration is held in la Puerta del Sol (the Sun Gate) in Madrid and broadcast live nationally. Everyone takes their lead from the clock in Puerta del Sol, for with each toll of the bell una uva (a grape) is eaten - doce en total (12). Then washed down with a quaff of cava. The custom is to wear red undies (ropa interior roja) for good luck in the forthcoming year. This is celebrated more likely at friends, but the family tug is still strong.
On the evening of 5 Jan, the kids get all excited. We witnessed it in Majadaonda, Madrid, with our nephews Reece and Aidan. It's all about Los Reyes Magos - or the Three Wise Kings as we know them. A big street parade is held with lots of floats, bands, jugglars, acrobats etc, and buckets and buckets of sweets and balloons thrown out to the kids. The last three floats have the Three Kings riding aboard. The kids go berserk and scream what present they want brought that night (equivalent to Santa coming to kids back home).
We returned home to discover Antequera had again boxed above its weight and the parade included camels, bears and the Three Kings actually rode the parade on horse back.
The first weekend of February and we celebrated Carnaval in Antequera. A celebration of fun during the last days before Lent, this celebration was pretty much quashed during the austere Franco years. It's now making a big rebirth, especially in Cadiz, and takes place the same time as Rio's Carnaval, New Orleans' Mardi Gras and the other big ones. Antequera, again, did it pretty well. From media dia, kids all start appearing in elaborate fancy dress. About 60% of adults go fancy dress once dark falls.
Antequera celebrates with a parade through town of a giant mollete (the famous bread roll) dressed as a local balomano (handball) player (?). This starts about 11:30. Music is already blazing away from two stages in Plaza San Francisco. At about 12:30 the mollete is set alight, in a great blaze.
Then molletes, aciete de oliva (olive oil), cola cao (hot chocolate) and café (coffee) is served to all. Then, in that typically Spanish way, there's games for the kids in the Plaza at 1:30am! At 2:00 a fantastic un grupo tambor (a drum band) kicks off. At least 100 drummers and percussionists play at fever pitch for an hour with no break in a spectacle that would go down well at Wellington's Fringe Festval. Fantastic!
They finished at 3:00am and that was pretty much it for us. The stages continued to host live rock bands.
You know, I could get used to all this
Max
aka Mad.
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