004 torrevieja outlook june 2014

www.torreviejaoutlook.com Nº004 June, 2014

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Nº 004 June, 2014 Hogueras-Alicante!

Parque de Molinos!

Movie History!

Beach Report!

Cultural events


Firecracking Fiestas During June the Costa Blanca deluge of visitors begins. And this is for a good reason as the Mediterranean coastline comes aflame with so many different fiestas celebrated in almost every town along the coastline. Midsummer Night is celebrated in Spain as the feast of Saint John the Baptist with fires and fireworks. Alicante leads the way and in this edition you can find articles about this particular event.!

On the religious side there are two main celebrations. That of Corpus Christi relating to the Holy Eucharist is a big event in Valencia city itself with a medieval pageant. Other towns hold processions, normally children who have recently made their First Communion in attendance. The other religious event is that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which is held for a week in Torrevieja district round plaza Oriente with many events including games and sports for the kids, evening concerts and a flower procession. !



Street bonfires!The principal tourist fiestas of this month are those of Saint John the Baptist on whose birth, according to a tradition, strange mystic fires were burnt. This night of the 24th June is the summer solstice and the purifying pagan fire rites have been adapted to celebrate the corresponding Christian feast of St. John the Baptist. !

Fire plays an important part of many fiestas throughout the year and during the days that lead up to his fiesta on 24th June, many towns build bonfires known as hogueras, that are ceremoniously burned on the saint’s feast day. It is also Midsummer and the shortest night of the year which has its own type of magic and the pagan fire rites have been carried over into Christianity. Fallas, fogueras, hogueras all roughly mean the same thing – a bonfire.. !

Other towns that celebrate hogueras include Benidorm, San Juan, Denia, Teulada, Pinoso, Calpe and Torrevieja. In some seaside towns, including Torrevieja, the beaches have small hogueras and



there are even some people who have white magic rituals on the beach with fire and water, but all in good fun. !

Alicante is rightly famous for its hogueras; as there are over 150 scattered throughout

the city. A museum in the town centre has been

opened where those ninots that have been awarded an indult prize have been saved for prosperity and were saved

from the flames. !


the city. A museum in the town centre has been

opened where thoseninotsawarded an indult prize have been saved for prosperity and were saved

Pundits underline that there is a technical difference as a falla tends to lean more towards satire content and has vivid colours, whereas: a hoguera is more allegorical with pastel colours. The Hoguera is based on s t r a i g h t l i n e s , symmetrical, while the falla seems to have finer features such as those of Lladro porcelain, with the ninots having a grotesque appearance.

Torrevieja has hogueras

Playa del Cura has bonfires only on San Juan feastday


The original Alicante hoguera celebrations were in 1928, organised by Don José María Pi y Ramirez de Cartagena. These are fiestas that literally fire the imagination of the whole population as illusions from the past year are realised in the figures of the hogueras. The figures are set-up in the various points of the city around about the 20th June, only to be burned on the night of the saint’s day of the 24th June. In these figures you can see the pointed humour of the citizens as each one has its own lesson to impart before its final demise in the fires of ‘la crema’. Normally a plaque with a rhyme or poem satirizes the content of the hoguera, which is often relevant to local or national politics. As in most parts of Spain the hogueras celebrations ceased during the hostilities of the Civil War. In 1939 only one hoguera was built in front of the Alicante Mercado Central, but a year later there were 21 hogueras. !

Barracas and Paellas!

At the beginning of the festivities there is a paella competition. Each hoguera has its own barraca, a place where people can gather to feast and dance each night of the hogueras fiestas. The original barraca was a typical Valencian or Murcian house; today it usually means a place of celebrations during fiestas. There is a competition in five categories for the best barraca including the design of the entrance to these barracas, how much entertainment they offer, how long they are open etc. This competition adds an extra dimension to the general hogueras of San Juan. Music and dancing are important elements as people forget their daily work, problems and hardships for these precious few days. This escape from the daily drudge is a fundamental element in all the fiestas held in Spain; it is amazing that this concept has increased, rather than decreased, with the arrival of television in the home, as one would think that most people would prefer to watch the world through the eyes of a TV camera. !

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Firework competitions!

These fiestas dominate the senses with the smell of gunpowder, the noise of rockets and crackers, the smoke and heat of the flames, the crush of excited bystanders, the colourful images and dresses, the music of bands and taped music. Fireworks are a staple element in every Spanish fiesta and here in Alicante there is yet another competition held daily this time at 14.00 from 20th to 24th June for the best Mascletas, the firecrackers set off amid a lot of noise and smoke. It appears that the origins of fireworks, particularly crackers, are because at many celebrations local militia would escort the parade and fire off their guns. On the night of the 24th a

huge palmeral is set off above the Santa Barbara Castle. This splendid firework is, as its name suggest, like a huge palm tree fireball and can take three months in its manufacture of various components. Fireworks continue after the 24th until 29th on the Postguiet beach as another fireworks competition is held. These extraordinary fiery attractions terminate on the 29th with the correfoc which last year took place on the Esplanda. !

Flower offering and Beauty Queens!Almost every day there is some form of parade in some part of Alicante. The fiestas may be in honour of San Juan, but the traditional Flower Offering is made to Nuestra Señora Virgen del Remedio; a procession that also brings in an element of competition as each of the hoguera committees of the various districts vie as to who has the biggest and best flower arrangement. Thousands of the city’s beauties parade in their colourful costumes carrying flowers to the plaza del Ayuntamiento where they are built up into a common floral picture in honor of the Virgen. !

Another important parade worth mentioning is the Folklore one held on 23rd June. This is a long parade with groups of dancing girls in traditional colourful clothes of the countryside and fisherwomen. Other dancing couples dance intricate ribbon dances twisting and turning inside each other until the ribbons seem hopelessly tangled up, only to dance their way once more out of the apparent knot. Horses and their riders also participate with agile displays of horsemanship and dressage, with an occasional large carpet n the ground so that the horse can obey commands to “play dead” to the delight of the crowd. !

Parades would not be fun without the music of the local marching bands and one of these accompanies the “Bigheads”, the traditional representatives of Aragon, Castille and the Moors among other ones. These are heavy effigies carried on the shoulders of strong men who work in groups, taking turns under the clothes of the Bigheads.!



Also the beauty Queens of the Fires take part in the folklore parade, sitting on huge floats of various designs such as a brightly coloured peacock.!

An important figure in any of the fiestas is that of the Beauty Queen. The Queen of the Hogueras of Alicante is known as la Bellea del Foc. This title was instituted in 1932 at the suggestion of a Segovian journalist, Mario Guillén, that the town should have a figure to represent the women of the city. In 1961 the brocaded dresses used by the queens and their entourage were introduced by Torrevejense Don Tomas Valcarcel who was in charge of the steering committee in Alicante for several years. This is not merely a figure of beauty, because the Bellea has to be an ambassador for the city, traveling and speaking at other events in Spain and nowadays at an international level. Therefore, it is not just beauty

that is required but some brains and ability to speak in public. In 2002 one of the streets of the city was named la Bellea del Foc in honour of this position. In 2004 the 70th queen was elected, as there was a break in most fiestas at the time of the civil war, so this is thee 80th Beauty Queen. Nowadays the election of these queens is accompanied by a large spectacular concert, usually held in May where the candidates’ parade, wearing not only the traditional colourful Alicante fiesta dress, and also in gala dresses. !


For the second year Alicante Infants Fire Queens spent a couple of days in Cabo Cervera Hotel, Torrevieja getting to know each other and learn about their forthcoming duties and protocol - foto: Objectivo Torrevieja


Each hoguera has its own queen and dames of honour elected, including many for children. These local beauties are important figures in the life of each of the districts and they dress in the beautiful traditional dress of the Alicante ladies of the past. But it is not only the Queens who dress up, a fiesta is an occasion for all the ladies to bring out lovely classic costumes and the men also to use the occasion to put on their traditional glad rags. As from 2008, the regulations in choosing a Bellea were altered so that women of any age above 18 could be picked, as well as permitting a transvestite to be chosen in line with the national Law of Equality. Almost every traditional fiesta has its own type of music and the Alicante Hogueras Queen has music dedicated to them. This is the “Himno a la Bellea del Foc” written by Luis Torregrosa with words by José Ferrándiz Torremocha, first heard in the Plaza de Toros, Alicante on 22nd June 1933. Although it is considered a great honour to be the Fire Queen one of the saddest functions is to press the computer button that sets off the final fireworks that ignites the hoguera and see something so beautiful destroyed in the flames. !

!Ninots!

Those specialists, who work all year round designing and making the various ‘ninot sculptures’, are justly proud of their handiwork and it must pain them to see so much hard work and illusion go up in flames. For months the chosen artists will be fully occupied designing and planning their work, aware that every detail will be highly criticized. A competition of these Ninots is held and judges decide which two are the best for saving from the flames and they will eventually find their way into the museum in la Rambla, Alicante. A committee judges all the Hogueras, and those considered to be the best receive a prize. The streets are ablaze with streetlights throwing shadows in multi-coloured shapes. Hoguera celebrations play an important part in keeping alive the fire and spirit of the people of the city. !

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Blood and Faith: the purging of Muslim Spain 1492 – 1614 !

by Matthew Carr !

A thought worth bearing in mind today is that there are only thirty-one miles of sea between Tangiers and Spain. The Arabs arrived via Gibraltar and when they met with little resistance they continued their thrust to take in most of the Iberian Peninsula governed by the Visigoths. Gibraltar takes its name after the Umayyad general Tariq ibn-Ziyad who led the initial incursion into Iberia in advance of the main Umayyad force in 711, less than a Century after the death of Muhammad.!

Mass extermination or genocide are terms that we tend to think of about modern times with national ethnic cleansing programmes such as those by the Nazis. This book takes a good long look at the perpetrators of a 16th century pogrom against the


Bookshelf!

by Pat Hynd

Blood and Faith!

by Matthew Carr


Jews and Moors in the Iberian Peninsula. When the Muslims landed it is likely that they were only thinking of terms of a raiding party, but once they defeated the Visigoth army, it seemed obvious to take the initiative and carry on, thus conquering the larger part of the Iberian peninsula. !

Although the idea of a Reconquest by the Christian nobles of Spain

began only ten years after the first incursion in 711, it was eight centuries before this that the Reconquest became a reality. !

Historical experts and many visitors to Spain in the 18th and 19th centuries are divided on the benefits or otherwise of the Muslim invasion and the subsequent expulsion of them. With the conquering of the Granada and the expulsion of the Arabs in 1492 many decided to convert to Christianity, rather than leave their children under age 12 to be brought up as Christians. In the late 16th century Spanish nobles and the hierarchy put their heads together to find a way to get rid of the group of Arabs who had remained in Spain once the main body of Jews and Moors had been expelled. There is no doubt that the Moors brought many innovations and it was because of their agricultural knowledge that many were allowed to stay on to pass on their skills to the Spanish; in some places one in ten was chosen to stay because of their farming experience. !

Those Arabs who “converted” to Christianity were known as Moriscos and the new rulers frowned upon their presence. There were several solutions put forward to King Philip III - that they should all be deported to Newfoundland where they would likely soon die, or that they all be castrated and the race die out, or used as slave labour on galley ships till they dropped dead. This is in contrast to the usual depiction of the chivalrous knights going forth to fight the Muslim dragon, when it seems that there were massacres. !

Over the centuries there have been mass migrations, usually as in this case caused by force. In the 20th century we witnessed the Armenians being 'Turkishised', the Nazis transfer of millions of slave labour to work camps, the creation of India and Pakistan and subsequent brutal migrations, the kicking out of Palestinians from the new Israel state, and today we daily see the desperate refugees from Third World countries trying to reach a haven in what they consider to be a rich country.!

This is not a new book as it was published in 1955, but it is a well written book that still gives us plenty to think about in our own modern fixation with Islamic terrorism and gives an idea why AlQuaida are pursuing the line that AlAndalus is theirs. !



A neighbour of mine with a holiday home here but living in England came out on his own for the first time and asked if I would like to take a trip somewhere, as normally his house is a base for exploring nearby towns with his family. I suggested showing him parts of Torrevieja. We went to the sports complex and he was astonished at the quality facilities. Then over to nearby park of La Mata which he never knew existed and was delighted by the possibilities of rambling and photography, his two passions. Next was a quick drink in a seaside bar at La Mata, a part of Torrevieja he had never bothered to visit. On the way home we stopped at the Parque del Molinos del Agua which he never knew existed. !


Parque del Molino!by Pat Hynd

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One of the nicest parks of Torrevieja is the Parque del Molino del Agua on a h i l l s i d e o v e r l o o k i n g L a Mata's long sandy beach. My friend c o u l d s e e t h e possibilities of a photsohoot. It really means the "park of the watermill" as at one time potable water from here was pumped to the centre of Torrevieja, but please note the water used in the cascade i s not potable.!! In 1987, under the socialist municipal group, the general plan for the future of Torrevieja’s urban planning was laid out, the GPOU. Within a decade the town centre spread along the coastline and within another decade inland to the urbanisations that were, at first, largely ignored by the town authorities in respect of infrastructure and services. Water was

crucial to development and in the 1970's when the water pump providing water from la Mata broke down the Mayor, Francisco Diez Martinez (1972-79), faced unexpected protests when people blocked the N332. He managed to buy a second hand pump from Murcia, which was all that the town could afford. Although this solved the immediate problem of providing potable water the pump was insufficient until a local mechanic and plumber managed to turn out and repair other parts. This meant that the summer visitors could still come and also that locals could continue to rent out their houses to provide crucial extra income. !!! The Parque del Molino del Agua is one of the protected areas in Torrevieja. It is located almost on the seafront, and it has more than 500 metres of underground aquifers galleries in the


The chimney is the air vent for the underground water galleries.


subsoil. There is a cascade that tumbles down the hillside of the park, water bouncing from one pond to the next. It is surrounded by straggly Mediterranean pines and paths that lead to the beach. Although there are a couple of designated picnic areas no fires are permitted.!!From the top of the park there are m a g n i fi c e n t v i s t a s o f t h e Mediterranean Sea and the coastline. There is also a restaurant in the form of a Mississipi boat at the top of the park with its own parking, but the road alongside the park has plenty of parking spaces. !

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F o r t h e s e c o n d year there

will be an exhibition of models of military significance and anyone who missed the Model Boats Exhibition before Easter can catch up as some of the military naval vessels will be on show in this June exhibition.!

This year's Military Model Exhibition will be in the Sala Vista Alegre on the paseo Vista Alegre from 7th to 29th June, with a corresponding military presence in the fairground area. This is the work of a local association of model makers and will not only demonstrate the type of aircraft, tanks and shipping used in warfare but will include one of the capturing of Berlin by the Russians in the Second World War, as well as a typical Spanish village during the Spanish civil war; both the work of a local taxi driver Fdrco Javier Perez Lopez. These models of a destroyed city and bridge battle illustrates the horror of war. The aim of these exhibitions is a reminder of the negative effects of war, but also of the technology that arises from warfare.!


Military Model Exhibition


One of the most common summer illnesses is diarrhea which, though it may appear to be amusing to others, really pulls a person down and can spoil a holiday all together. If it happens to children it can be really serious as a child can lose a tenth of his or her weight in a day from gastroenteritis. !

Diarrhea can be provoked by badly cooked food, food in a bad condition, poor hygiene, or even a swimming pool with insufficient chlorine to kill off bacteria. In Spain common sources are homemade mayonnaise or ali-oli because of the egg content; far better in summer to use a commercial brand of mayonnaise. Ice in drinks can be another source, though most bars and restaurants have a sterilized machine producing the ice.!

Gastroenteritis symptoms include a swollen abdomen, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea , fever and a headache. Hygiene is of the utmost importance as the bacteria could take at least three weeks to eliminate completely.!

It s paramount to drink plenty of water, especially suero either in a form of a commercial brand obtainable from a pharmacy, or a home made one of a litre of bottled water, with Lemon juice, a half teaspoon of bicarbonate soda, a spoonful of sugar (of if diabetic then a sweetener) and possibly a pinch of salt. The bought version is an invention of an Indian doctor who realized some of hfs patients were not recovering because they continued to lose salts and minerals from their body and his preparation replaced the lost ones.!

Even without any of these problems it is important to drink plenty of water in the summer and don't think that drinking other fluids is the same as it is not. Body dehydration is a common complaint and can lead to other complications of the body organs such as renal problems. !

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Ooops There I go Again - a spoilt holiday

How to use the 112 emergency number!

Ambulance, Fire, Police!

- Calmly state what the problem is and whether there are any injuries or endangered persons. Presume that no one else has phoned.!

- Where exactly is the emergency.!

- Wait for the service to arrive and offer any information.

112 for ALL

emergency services calls are

free


Every year thousands of holidaymakers descend on the resorts of the Costa Blanca to enjoy themselves with particular emphasis on the sea and beaches. Every year people drown and statistics show that 90% of them are over the age of 55. The sea is one of the most dangerous places to be if the weather conditions are bad and often undercurrents cannot be seen from shore. The Red Cross, whose volunteers man many of the first aid posts set up on the beaches during the summer, offer advice for sun worshippers and those who like to swim in the sea. !

- Obey the warning flags: if it is red then do not swim; if it is yellow then swim but don’t go far and be extra careful; if green then the sea is considered to be safe. By law bathers must obey the lifeguard's instructions.!

- Do not rush into the water, take the time to adjust your body to the water’s temperature, wetting various parts of the body before actually swimming: this is essential if you have been sunbathing or eating copiously beforehand. Some beaches have disabled assistance.!

- If you feel caught up in a current don’t try to fight against it but go with the flow and try to swim parallel to the shoreline then try for the shore itself.!

- Get out of the water immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms - shivering, sensations of fatigue, headache, pins and needles in the neck, itching in the belly, legs or arms, dizziness or vertigo, drumming in the ears, blurred vision, tired muscles, pain in the ears.!

- If you find that you are in the water with any of these symptoms ask for help and if anyone nearby has something that floats ask to use it to get ashore safely. !

Urbanisation or community pools of 200 square metres or more require the presence of a life guard during the hours in which the pool is open. !

- Never force your body beyond its limits.!

- Do not swim until at least two hours after eating.!

- Never take too much sun: always have a shower before entering the water to adjust the temperature of your body. !

- If you have some form of infirmity advise the life guard - just in case.!

- Children will play in the water, but they should be supervised, especially with games using balls. Care should be taken when sunbeds are in the pool as kids can get caught underneath. In Torrevieja the Red Cross supply identity wristbands for children or disabled in case they are lost.!


Swim Safely and Enjoy Your Holiday


For Torrevejenses, going to the movies became a popular way to spend an evening since it's inception a hundred years ago. In December 1907 the first film was shown in Torrevieja as part of the patronal fiestas. The round Teatro-Circo Guerrero Mendoza became the centre of attraction, showing the silent films backed by music, sometimes supplied by a small orchestra and at other times pianist Manuel Capellín played. It was also served as a theatre for drama and for concerts. !

Once the Nuevo Cinema was built this circular building gradually fell into disuse, although it became known as the Teatro Viejo. The Nuevo Cinema was constructed in 1925 and inaugurated on the 6th December of that year projecting the film “Violetas Imperiales”. It could seat an audience of 1,176 and included the mandatory (1921) red lights to inhibit couples from holding hands in the dark. It was used by generations of Torrevejenses, not only for cinema productions, but also as a theatre that was home to many famous entertainers. Just after the end of the civil war fire broke out in the projection room during the showing of “La Espia de Castilla” and the people were bereft of this refuge from real life for three to four months. By law the majority of films had to be Spanish productions. !


GoingTO

THEMOVIES

by

Andy

Ormiston


At the end of the civil war on the 8th May 1939 the Nationalist military officer in charge ordered that all relationship with the previous Republican “red” government should be deleted from the town – street signs, posters, street names etc. The main square was originally plaza Mayor then became plaza de la Republica and after the civil war renamed as the plaza of the Generalisimo, later changed to the plaza de la Constitución with the arrival of the democratic monarchy state. The plaza in front of the cinema was renamed the plaza de los Caidos, the plaza of the Fallen (Heroes) with a large Cross Monument set up later. This monument disappeared when the plaza was revamped and the plaza renamed Miguel Hernandez, after Orihuela's famous poet who was a late victim of the civil war. Originally this was the plaza de la Torre because the original tower was metres from here; then it became the plaza de Maria Cristina, changed to plaza de Victoria, then renamed plaza de Capdepon, next Los Caidos and now the poet Miguel Hernandez. The Nuevo Cinema finally ceased operations on 2nd June 1997 after an important 61 years in the life of the Torrevejenses, to be replaced by the present Municipal Theatre. !

There was the open-air Cinema de España, better known as “El Royale”, with shade provided by its eucalyptus trees; this was located where the Hotel Fontana now is (presumably why the Bingo Royale has its name,). The Royale cinema was also the venue for boxing and clandestine cock fights. Later the “Cine Gloria” was opened in the Plaza del Salero: both cinemas also doubling up as theatres. Seating tended to be uncomfortable wooden benches and the first technicolour film viewed was Gary Cooper in the 1940 “Northwest Mounted Police”. The dances and theatrical events were a welcome diversion and often went on until three in the morning when the youths would continue their festivities in the rocky area on the seafront where the concrete benches are located. In 1942 after the Civil War, the Franco government founded No-Do (Noticiarios y Documentales), which has provided some excellent archive material of life in post war Spain, albeit with a right wing slant. !


On of the most notable buildings in Torrevieja is the former ice factory whose rooftop was used during the summer as an open air cinema and sometime theatre. It is in a bad need of repairs

and is in an ideal situation near the harbour, but is private property.


In post-war Spain there was a strict censorship with cuts in the films and additions to posters if, for example, actresses showed too much cleavage. Major Hollywood stars who had been sympathetic to the Republican cause - James Cagney, Joan Crawford or Robert Montgomery - had their names pulled from Spanish movie posters. A proposal arising from the 2011 local elections was that summer open-air cinemas should be reactivated and are now held in the patio of the library. In the second half of the 20th century several open-air cinemas opened up for summer use, but most of these have given way to housing development. The cinema “Segovia” opened its doors in June to the summer visitors with the documentary, “Torrevieja, blanca de sal y morena de soles”: this film has been reissued in DVD format. Other open-air movie centres were the “Gloria”, the “Rocas”(renowned for the smell of its toilets as it had no running water), and “Vista Alegre”. The Gloria also featured boxing bouts with the screen as a backdrop. Often people ask about the triangular building in calle Orihuela, a distinctive listed building, privately owned, that was an ice factory whose flat roof was used as a cinema and theatre during the summer. In the 1990’s the indoor market was decamped to a temporary position on the seafront while a new complex of market, shops and multi-cine was constructed. This was known as “La Plasa” but was never successful, partly because the units were far too expensive to rent. The indoor market was eventually subsidized by the town hall and the cinema failed as youngsters would prefer to go to a more luxurious cinema in a modern shopping mall in Alicante or other cities. !

A new ten-hall cinema complex was built in the summer of 2001 in the developing OCIO leisure area near Carrefour that made a difference to the youth of the town. A few years later a group of movie enthusiasts got together to form a club that successfully projected weekly Version Original films (original language) in the Virgen de Carmen cultural centre. It was the former Nuevo Cinema that was the setting for one of the tragedies of the Civil War and of Torrevieja - as we shall see in another article.!!



!F o r t y y e a r s o f censorship!

By Bienvenido Llopis!Continuing our look at Spanish film industry I would like to have a look at a Spanish book on censorship in post-war Spain. One of the most popular forms of forgetting the misery of post war life in Spain was to go to the movies. But the censors' scissors were never idle as the Franco dictatorship took over every part of a citizen's life. Hollywood in particular was censored because of its provocative images. Censors cut the celluloid when they believed that something was not for the public morals connected with religion, divorce, adultery, politics even the army. Sex seems to be a particular public enemy on the screen. But posters were also hit. Original artwork would be changed to hide a cleavage or a shapely leg. And definitely passionate kissing scenes were OUT. !

This book is about Franco’s regime attitude to film posters in particular. "La censura franquista en el cartel de cine" (or, Franco's censorship in movie posters), by Bienvenido Llopis, scours through and analyses 40 years' worth of censorship in Spain through films. Bed scenes were no go. I remember as a child going with my mother to see John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in what is now a classic ‘The Quiet Man’ where he chucks her onto the wedding bed and it collapses. The next morning their friends turn up and Barry Fitzgerald peers at the broken bed with a leer and my mother laughed and laughed, but as a child I couldn’t see anything funny about it. But her laughter has stuck with me through all the years and on reading this book I wonder if that scene was cut from the Spanish version of the film. "Movies were banned and stills were cut out," Llopis writes. "But it was just as important to control movie advertising". Bienvenido Llopis spent more than three decades acquiring posters, programmes and magazines that reveal the work of the draftsmen and censors of the era. "It was no easy task because many documents had been lost.” Esther Williams, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida were seen in Spain wearing dresses that had little in common with their original designs as low cut dresses were rearranged to covering too much fleshy bosoms.!

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Bookshelf


If you want it - we got it: this could be the catch phrase of Alicante. As befits a large city Alicante has fiestas throughout the year sometimes national ones, sometimes very localized celebrations in different ‘barrios’ or districts. Most famous are the hogueras of Saint John the Baptist. The religious Santa Faz processions, just after Easter, attracts thousands of devotees.!

5th January: On this day the Three Kings arrive bearing gifts for all good children; one year they arrived by helicopter with a bright star of Bethlehem attached underneath to show the way. They then precede to lead a large cavalcade through the streets. !

17th January: The blessing of animals in the bullring is held in honor of San Anton with a special street market opened in the district of San Anton selling local products. February: The annual carnival lights up the world, before the Lenten period starts, and once again some of the main streets are jammed with gaudily dressed people intent on enjoying themselves. This normally takes place on the Saturday (before Ash Wednesday) known as the ‘sábado ramblero’ with street


Alicante - a fortress city with all year round fiestas - by Dave Stewart



Fotos: Jenny Ormiston


entertainment, bands and orchestras and colourful fancy dress. On the Piñata Sunday, the mandatory closing ceremony involves the ‘burial of the sardine’ representing the abstinence of the Lenten period. Fun for everyone at these moveable fiestas whose dates depend on those of Easter.!

Holy Week (Semana Santa) processions take place nightly combining religion, tradition and art in an awesome atmosphere with brightly clad hooded figures walking alongside huge floats carrying masterful images of events of Christ’s last hours. An emotional week with the sadness of the Descent from the Cross, and the joyful encounter of the Resurrected Jesus with his mother, Mary, pointing-up the principal Christian beliefs. Thirteen of the images by sculptor Antonio Castillo Lastrucci have recently been restored.!

Two Thursdays after Easter Sunday another magnificent event takes place - the Romería

de la Santa Faz when thousands of people assemble to walk to the Monastery of the Holy Face of Jesus (Santa Faz). This fervent procession is based on a tradition dating back to 1489 when the ‘miracle of the tear’ happened. This is a five kilometre route in which nearly quarter of a million people participate carrying their pilgrim’s stick with herbs attached. If you are driving through Alicante on this day expect delays. Free buses are on the pilgrims' route both ways.!

This year it happened to coincide with 1st May and a holiday weekend.!


de la Santa Faz when thousands of people assemble to walk to the Monastery of the Holy Face of

A day's pilgrimage or romeria with the herb on display on the canes.


Moors and Christians: Because of its founding history Alicante has a strong relationship with the Moors and as such there are five Moors and Christian fiestas held in different districts on various occasions. So we will list them all here in the one place: Some of them meet up later on the 6th December when the city’s patron saint’s feast day is held - San Nicolas of Bari.!

From the 1st - 3rd May: the Cruces de Mayo festival is held in the district of that name which clings to the side of the hill surmounted by Santa Barbara Castle. !

The small narrow, hilly, streets are filled with flowers and colour as neighbours compete for the best dressed cross, with a great deal of song and dancing. !

As reported elsewhere in this edition June 24th: Midsummer’s Eve is Alicante’s bonfire night: Alicante is rightly famous for its hogueras (made of papier-mache and wood). A museum of hogueras saved from the fire is in calle Rambla.!

In addition there is an International Folklore Parade on 23rd June with prizes awarded and each day the Bigheads (cabezudos) and Giants (gigantes) entertain the children, accompanied by tambourines and pipes. An emotive scene is the Floral Offering held during these days with a patterned tapestry of brightly coloured flowers laid.!

A medieval market is held in the plaza de la Santisima Faz at the end of June with the sale of crafts, music and spectacles in the true spirit of the Middle Ages.!

July/August: Throughout the summer there are innumerable concerts held in the annual International Festivals of Music, Theatre and Dance. These concerts feature some of the best known national and international performers in various fields of the arts. Details of this entertainment is announced nearer the dates.!


Moors & Christians of Alicante City 16 - 19 March - Villafranqueza.

June - San Blas district. July - Rebolledo area.

12 - 16 August parades in Altozano. August in B. José Antonio area

Bigheads for Moors & Christian fiestas


5th August:- Celebrations in honour of Alicante’s principal patroness - Nuestra Señora del Remedio with the highlight being a procession carrying the virgin’s image and a floral dedication. !

The first two weeks of September amateur theatre is to the fore with a new sense of innovation and creativity during the Alicante a Escena.!

This is followed by a further two weeks of the Festival Internacional de Música Contemporánea with concerts and musical spectaculars taking place at different venues throughout the city. !

In the middle two weeks of September vanguard theatre with seminars, drama workshops etc. takes place during the Muestra de Teatro Español de Autores Contemporáneos. !

6 - 8th September: the fiestas of Raval Roig are traditional street festivals held in the fishermen’s district, the Raval Roig, located at the foot of the Benecantil Mount overlooking the sea. The Virgen of Perpetual Socorro is the patroness and the decorated streets are host to a varied programme of activities including music, dance and popular games (such as shinning up a pole), rowing events and the traditional procession when the image is carried by sailors.!

Incidentally in Torrevieja the Virgen of Perpetual Socorro or Help is patron saint of the doctors and there is an image of her in the main church.!

6th December - San Nicolás de Bari is the co-patron saint of Alicante with various events including groups of the various Moors and Christians parading. In recent years immigrants from Eastern European countries have taken part dressed in their own national costumes. The co-





cathedral is dedicated to San Nicolas (Santa Claus to some of you) a n d t h e r e i s a permanent Christmas Crib display here.!

Throughout the first ten days of December the Festival Internacional de Titeres takes place with groups from all over Europe and America participating with marionettes. !

Alicante fortress city!As befits a large city Alicante has fiestas throughout the year, sometimes national ones, sometimes very localized celebrations in different ‘barrios’ or districts. !

Dominating Alicante city is the 200 metre h i g h h i l l M o n t e Benacantil and Santa Barbara castle offering breathtaking vistas of the city and of the port, now open to cruise ships and a large leisure

industry. There is an exciting nightlife, especially around the port area: plus large shopping complexes and department stores. There are several first class museums especially the MARQ with a display of the history of the province.!

Fundación MARQ´ Plaza Dr. Gómez Ulla. Provincial Archaeological Museum with modern audiovisual effects in theme rooms from pre-historic to modern with Iberian, Roman and Middle Ages cultures. !

Museo de la Asegurada, Plaza de Santa Maria, 3. Collection of 20th century art with works by Picasso, Dali, Miró, Chagall, Gargallo, Juan Gris, Julio González, Bacon, Giacometti, Adami among others.!

Regular exhibitions in the Santa Barbara Castle Contemporary sculptures with works by Benliure, Macho, Serrano, Oteiza, Dali and others. The castle dates back to the Middle Ages with



alterations in the fortifications up to the 18th century. Access by road or there is a lift from the beach area costs 3 euros - accredited pensioners go free. !

Pozos de Garrigós, Plaza del Puente. Here there are ancient wells and an exhibition about water and ceramics.!

Museo de Belén. Calle San Agustin 3. Alicante Province has a strong tradition of making Christmas cribs (belens) and here one can see examples from all over the world. !

Sala Municipal de Exposiciones ‘Lonja del Pescado’ Avda. Almirante Julio Guillén Tato. This is a converted fish auction hall that always has various art exhibitions.!

TOURIST OFFICES!

Calle Cervantes, 3!Alicante, Spain!+34 965 14 34 52!!Av Salamanca, s/n!Alicante, Spain!+34 965 12 56 33!!Edificio Carbonell!Paseo Explanada de España, 1, Alicante, Spain!


MARQ Museum was formerly an hospital



There are plenty of gardens and hidden plazas in Alicante and large stores, shopping malls !as well as little narrow streets full of interesting small shops.


+34 965 14 70 38!

Photomarathon 8 June!!The Agrupacion Fotografica de Torrevieja is a photography club located in the former Guardia Civil station in Calle Apollo 62. This year on 8th June they will hold the Fifth Photomarathon of Torrevieja that is open to anyone with the starting point the Hombre del Mar statue at 10:00 in the morning.Contact number: 608020331; 690125893; it should be noted that the number of participants is limited, so the earlier you register the better. !The idea is to photograph anything with a digital camera in the streets of the town and present the photos for a prize. Inscription is 3 euros for those over 15 years of age which falls in the adult category and those under that age have a separate category. Images must have a minimum resolution of 2MB and maximum of 5MB and presented in a JPG format. Each person takes a photo of the assigned number at the beginning, which will be their first photograph. !Ten photos are required, five will be obligatory and five of your own choice. The end of the competition will be at 14:00 and photos can be entered by email to [email protected] until 13 June. Or leave the photocard with the organisers and collect it back on 13 June at the clubhouse between 21: and 22:00, OR put the images on a pendrive, CD or the same card and present them in the club on Wednesday 11,12 or 13th from 18:00 to 20:00 on each night. Prizes are worth 200 euros, 100 euros, 100 euros and two others at 80 euros. The judges will select photographs for an exhibition in the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre in the evening of 8th August and they reserve the rights to these photos.! !


mailto:[email protected]



Torrevieja Rotary Club offer a unique fundraising concert un aid of ALPE children on 13th June at the splendid International Music Auditorium with the soundtrack

from the prize winning film 'Chicos de Oro' and the actual

choir performing

Its nice when someone who has done a good job receives praise. This is the case of Derek Francis, a tenor who over many years has sang and raised funds for a variety of charities in Torrevieja. On 30th May his professional peers of the Lirico group are presenting a homage to Derek in the Cultural Casino, where Derek has performed many times.


!!!!!!! ! !The express Alicante airport bus link with

Torrevieja seems to have been successful as in the first three quiet months of the year 13,000 passengers have used it. There is a similar express

route connection for Benidorm, so one suggestion is if you want to visit either resort then use the express bus and changeover at the airport. The bus now has its own easily recognizable

distinctive markings.!!Timetable Express bus Alicante Airport - Torrevieja - Mondays to Sundays!All year round via motorway A7!!Torrevieja-Aeropuerto: 7:00, 9:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00!Aeropuerto-Torrevieja: 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22:00!!Departure and arrival in Torrevieja at the bus station in Calle del Mar, 50, taxi rank alongside.!Departure and arrival at airport at 2nd level.!Price 6,92€!Under -4 year olds go free with identification.!Pensioners accredited to Valencian Spanish Social Security can claim 30% discount with identification.!Disability access: free wifi, tickets on sale at bus station or at airport.!Approx. one hour journey with no stops.!Tel. : 96 571 01 46!!


Express Torrevieja

Express bus colors and the airport terminal ticket office.

Alicante Airport - Torrevieja

Express Bus


Torrevieja has 14 kilometres of coastline and several award winning beaches, plus many small coves. Once again beaches of Torrevieja have been awarded Blue Flags 2014 for quality of water, environmental care, security, services and installations. The Real Club Náutico and Marina International are permitted to fly the Blue Flag for the same reasons as the beaches of La Mata, los Locos, El Cura, los Náufragos and Cala Piteras. Most maritime sports are available as well as several rambling routes. To the north the longest beach is the two kilometres of Torrelamata adjacent to a dune park with a cascade falling down the hillside and close by is the natural

parkland a good alternative to the beach. The water here has some dangerous currents so care must be taken and the warning flags obeyed. There are plenty of good bars, cafeterias and international restaurants in the proximity of the sea.!


Torrevieja Sea and Sand by Dave Stewart

La Mata beach and village


Cabo Cervera is mostly rocky with a small beach and this is one of the oldest parts of Torrevieja. On the top road there is a replica of a watchtower in a small park that has a rusty monument dedicated to the sun and tourism, plus a bust of a Swedish businessman. Nils Gabel, who sailed into Torrevieja and built the first urbanisation nearby for Scandinavians. There is an aparthotel as well as some excellent restaurants.!


Cabo Cervera looking towards Torrelamata beach. Below Cabo Cervera beach and Red Cross lifeguard - always obey the lifeguard's instructions.


There are several coves (cala) including - Cala del Moro, Cala del Mojon, Cala de la Higuera. Cala de Redonda, Cala Ferris, Cala de la Zorra, Cala del Mojón, Cala del Gambete, Cala de los Trabajos, Cala Tia Roqueta, Cala Cornuda, Cala del Palangre. At the top of Cabo Cervera is the Torre del Moro, an emblematic symbol of Torrevieja with picturesque gardens. !

The next beach of Los Locos that takes its name from the sanatorium that was located here until 1936. This is a fairly sandy beach, but with some protruding rocks. In summer it has every facility lifeguards, kiosks etc. and across the road is a pub zone with several English/Irish bar-restaurants that are open all year round, often with live music, karaoke, quizzes, snooker and everything one would expect. Where the high flats are that stick into the sea there are a couple of good Spanish restaurants. The main promenade begins here at Los Locos and wends its way into the town centre and beyond. Los Locos beach has kids play areas; in summer there are ski jets for hire and an offshore raft to swim out to when the water is safe, newspaper kiosk.!


Torre del Moro above and Los Locos beach



Palangre Curve leads onto the promenade and s rocky beach area before arriving at the columns and the playa del Cura.



As a seaside resort there are obviously

many sea attractions. Throughout the season

there are several regattas, a rowing club,

diving clubs, scuba diving, cruises to

Tabarca Island and evening cruises along the nearby coastline.

Sunshine Sunset cruises provide boat

parties with music including kids parties.

There are three marinas with boats for hire for

fishing at sea, although people fish off the rocks and require a

license for this.

www.torreviejaboatparties.com


Next there is a bend and a small sandy area at the Palangre curve taking its name from a type of fishing net. Here there is a boardwalk and then a rocky area and pebble strewn artificial beach until the wide paseo leading to the columns which are a monument to the various civilizations that have used the Mediterranean as home. !

The next sandy beach is playa del Cura, once known as the playa Genovese as these Italian sailors used to use it in the 17/18 centuries, then a priest's body was cast ashore here and known ever since as the playa del Cura. !

This is the most popular beach and boasts different quality flags flying. Pedaloes are available for hire in summer as well as hammocks under straw umbrellas, plus several seafront restaurants. !

Between the playa del Cura and the harbour there are a few man-made swimming areas with imported sand. Often these areas are used for outdoor concerts and in July the 2,500 metre swimming competition ends here. Almost in the town centre where the Real Club Nautico is located, another with a Blue Flag qualification.!

!


Playa del Cura watched over by lifeguard

Playa del Cura promenade leads towards artificial bathing areas



Fotos: Real Club Nautico, Floating museum, Tourist Office with salt quay, Marina Salinas, wildlife, and Lola looking out to sea.



Marina International and Acequion beach and salt conveyor belt.


From here the main harbour wall can be seen that is an extra dimension to the promenade. There are three interesting statues in this area. One, representing the women of Torrevieja, is Lola sitting on a concrete bench wistfully looking to sea for her lover. Another is The Hombre del Mar, a seaman safe in the hand of God, with an octopus representing the dangers of the sea trying to pull him under. !

On the harbour wall there is another large statue of Lola waving her kerchief to her man out at sea. At the end of the one and a half kilometre walkway there is a small lighthouse to guide vessels into the harbour area where the fishermen’s wharf is located. The harbour area has three leisure marinas with plenty of restaurants at hand. These are located near the town centre, so there are many good shops around. Inside the harbour is the open-air theatre the Eras de la Sal and soon the Sea & Salt Museum will be located here. The main Tourist Office is alongside the Eras de la Sal. Round the next curve takes us to the International Marina and Acequión beach, which is reached, from here by a bridge across the canal. The Acequión beach is within the harbour area and hence the water is not so clean as elsewhere. At the southern end of the beach is the salt conveyor belt and beyond that the Naufragios (shipwrecked) beach where before the harbour was built many sailing ships were washed ashore. !

A further couple of kilometres south we come to the Mar Azul beach which has lovely gardens. The next beach is one of the few untouched areas the palm trees of Lo Ferris that also has a history as contraband drop off point, and was used after World War I as a wreckers yard for unwanted ships. Here the area is largely pristine area that takes us towards Rocio del Mar before we reach the final beach Punta Prima that takes us into the Orihuela Costa area.!

of



Spanish Cookery Assault the senses by Pat Hynd

Tapas are tasters of a restaurant's menú in miniature. An alternative is a real meal known as degustacion which is a sample of each dish of the restaurant's menu, so you could end up with about 16 or more small dishes to taste.!!Gastronomy is a crucial asset of Spain's culture and economy. It is part of a national heritage that is built upon by introducing new methods of cooking, new ingredients from other countries, innovations of science and technology in equipment and material, and in presentation that has a "wow!" Factor. In the Basque country four restaurants belong to the top chefs in the world and the Basques are proud of their traditional and innovative culinary skills.!!

Each recipe, every meal, should be an assault on the senses, engaging each one. How many times do we hear, "Oh, that looks good", or "mmm smell that". The chef has won half the battle by the client engaging positively with the vision and the odor. Presentation is of the prime essence - it has to look not only edible, but desirable. This can either blind the other senses or make them more acute by anticipation of better things to come. The texture of a dish has to be agreeable, either in the mouth or, in some cases by touch

using the hands. A diner also has satisfaction by crunching, slurping, smacking lips as expressions of liking or disliking what is in the mouth. Obviously the actual agreeable taste is the most appreciated as individuals detect sweetness or savory, identify individual ingredients, Herbs, spices etc. !A chef has to be an artist combining colours, textures, odours, excellent ingredients, to place a palette of art in the natural oral palette of the mouth and which can be appreciated by all of our senses. Presentation is all important.!

Spain can boast four out of ten top restaurants in the world, and several first class catering colleges and Torrevieja has one dedicated to catering and training for the tourist industry the CDT, allied to a Language College.

!�42Torrevieja Outlook june [email protected]


Asado is a term for roasting meat or fish.!

Asada de Vaca is an Aragonese dish of pot-roasted steaks with a hot tomato and oinion sauce. !

Atun is tuna fish and is a meaty type of fish, often served in steaks cooked in oil and garlic with parsley. It is popular in tins and used in a variety of salads such as Salade Ruso.!

Russian Salad!

Ensaladilla Rusa!

Potatoes were brought to Spain at the time of the Conquistadores in America and although usually found on menu del dia as chips, are actually used in a variety of ways. Russian Salad has to be one of the most popular tapas on the Costa Blanca. It is cheap and easy to prepare, looks good and goes a long way. One of the distinguishing flavours of a true Russian Salad is the addition of capers. !

8 medium potatoes!1 medium carrot, diced!175 grams fresh peas!2 hard-boiled eggs, cooled, shelled and cubed.!A 200 grams tin of tuna fish, drained and flaked.!1 diced red pepper.!115 grams tinned sweetcorn!40 gr. black olives!350 ml. mayonnaise. - A large spoonfull of chopped capers.!Boil the potatoes and cook until done. Drain, and when cool, cut into 6 mm cubes. Boil the carrots, and peas for about 5 minutes, drain.!

Mix the potatoes with egg, tuna, carrot, peas, pepper, corn and olives in a large salad bowl. Just before serving add the mayonnaise to the vegetables and coat the ingredients. Smooth the salad down and dress with slices of red peppers and/or anchovy fillets. Remember that in the summer heat you must handle mayonnaise with care. making sure that it is fresh to prevent food poisoning. Some people cut corners by using frozen prepared vegetables. !

Benidorm fishermen were renowned for their expertise in catching tuna using la almadraba system and at one time most of the captains of the tuna boats from the south of the Mediterranean, off the African coast and even Italian boats, came from Benidorm or Tabarca Island. As a fishing village the riches of the sea have always been a prime ingredient in most dishes and today there are many restaurants that continue this tradition, offering diners a succulent taste of the sea and a real bit of Spain rather than the prevalent English style fish and chips.!


Benidorm tuna


ATUN CON SALSA DE ACEITUNAS!

Tuna with pepper and olive sauce !

4 tuna steaks, about 150 grams.!30 grams seasoned flour!4 tbsp. olive oil!1 crushed clove of garlic!1 red pepper, sliced into thin julienne strips!3 chopped anchovy fillets!100 grams black olives, pitted & chopped!100 ml.fish stock!Juice of 1/2 lemon!Salt & freshly ground black pepper!3 tablespoons of parsley (or dill) finely chopped.!Coat the tuna steaks in the flour. Heat half the oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan, add the tuna and fry over a high heat for 2 minutes. Turn the steaks over and fry for a futher 2 minutes. Remove and set aside and keep them warm.!

Add the rest of the oil, the garlic and red peppers, frying them for a couple of minutes. Add the anchovies, olives and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.!

Increase the heat, add the tuna steaks and cook over a high heat for 4 - 5 minutes. Baste the steaks often with the cooking liquid. Just before serving squeeze in some lemon juice, correct the seasoning and add the chopped herbs. Serve with rice or plain boiled potatoes.!

!Bacalao - this is salt cod, soaked overnight. The Basques were famous fishermen of cod sailing as far as the North American coasts (possibly before Columbus) and salted their catch to make this nutritious addition to Spanish cuisine. Salt cod is a traditional fish, easily preserved and forms the basis of many recipes. It can be used, once soaked overnight, in thin strips in a salad.!

Once soaked and most salt removed, it is delicious when stewed with onions, tomatoes, potatoes and green peppers. !

Bacalao a la Gallega is salt cod baked with garlic, onions, green and red peppers.!

Bacalao a la Llauna is baked salt cod with tomatoes and garlic.!

Bacalao a la Vizcaína is a layered salt cod casserole with tomatoes and hot peppers.!

Bacalao al Pil-Pil is a classic dish of sautéd salt cod with garlic and hot peppers.!

The Basques are proud of their cuisine and salted cod features in several recipes. One of the most famous is Bacalao al Pil-Pil which is cod fried with garlic and chili pepper until the gelatine is set free and turns into a delicious sauce. !



Bacalao al Pil-Pil!

Salted Cod Dish!

600 grams salted cod (bacalao)!Half a litre of good olive oil.!1 whole bulb of garlic!1/2 guindilla - (chilli pepper).!Soak the cod in cold water changing the water several times over a 36 hour period. Wash the fish before cooking, removing all the scales. Place the fish in a pan with fresh water and put it on the heat to warm up - but not to boil. When froth begins to form on the surface, remove the pan from the heat.!

Take the pieces of fish from the pan and spread them on a cloth to dry.!

Now heat the oil, together with the garlic cut in lengthwise slices, plus the pepper. When they have turned a golden colour, remove from the oil and keep them aside on a plate. Now put the fish in the oil with the skin side to the bottom and shake the pan carefully in a rhythmic manner. As the hot oil passes over the fish the gelatine is brought out of the skin and serves to thicken the emerging sauce. This will take about 15 minutes, depending on the quality of the cod. !

When the sauce appears to be rather emulsified, like a light mayonnaise, the dish is ready.!

Now the garlic and pepper are put on top and the dish is heated briefly to warm it up again. Keep shaking the pan gently so that the sauce does not lose its consistency. !

Serve immediately. !

Bacalao Zaragonzano is salt cod stewed with garlic, onions, potatoes and tomatoes.!

Bacalao is also applied to fresh cod and is cooked in various ways similar to other fresh fish. !

Baila is sea trout, cooked on a grill normally with oil and herbs, sometimes served with almonds. !

!Ajo or garlic is a staple part of the Mediterranean cuisine, associated with vampires, it is packed with health providing qualities that help cholesterol, heart, blood pressure, glucose control and acts as a fat blocker. Coming into the Spanish market now is black garlic used a lot in Korean kitchens and

has been allowed to heat slowly over weeks to achieve its colour and benefits. Eaten raw it has the taste of licorice and is very good antioxidant with claims of longevity. !

!!



The first known hoguera in Torrevieja was that of 1912 when neighbours got together to burn old furniture. It became a recognized event in 1944 after the Civil War. The fiesta of San Juan has become an important one in the festival calendar of Torrevieja where usually there are three hogueras set up in the streets in different districts. This year it appears that there is only enough money for the one in Calvario district. Each hoguera has its corresponding Hogueras Queen and her court as well as a full programme of entertainment at the barracas. !

The firemen attend each hoguera as it is set alight around midnight to keep the flames under control and, as part of the general fun, turn the hosepipes on the crowds. In passing a big thanks must go to the firemen, Red Cross and security forces not only at the hogueras, but who faithfully attend all the fiestas throughout the year. In addition the town’s cleaning department whose staff warrant a special commendation for swiftly and efficiently cleaning up after all the fiestas, whether it be the horse deposits of the May Fair, or the romero branches of Corpus Christi or as in this case the ashes of the hogueras. !

Hogueras are set up in the streets of Torrevieja when different districts organise, not only the hoguera, but festivities around it. For the week preceding the 24th the adjacent street(s) will be blocked off to traffic and tables and bars will be set-up. Each night there will be live music, food and drink for those who want to take part in the nightly festivities. !

Another important event is that on 23rd evening fires can be lit on the playa del Cura, the only time fires are permitted. These form the centre of families and groups who gather round their own bonfire, bring chairs, sandia, tortilla and bocadillos and have a party. Some brave souls jump over the flames and others dip in the water as part of a pagan purification rite. !

Torrevieja’s Anis Candela!

The first falla raised in Torrevieja after the Civil War was in 1944 put up in the junction of calles Chapaprieta and San Pascual. The subject was Anís Candela, the famous factory of liquors. It was in the shape of a bottle of anis guarded by two warriors and was so good that the company asked for the design so that a similar one could be constructed for the Alicante Hogueras, which actually one first prize there. The people of Torrevieja who had worked on the falla were awarded with several crates of booze from the factory.!

Nowadays there is plenty of booze each evening as live music and dancing are the rule of the night. Each hoguera has a stage setting with live music, a bar and an area for dancing each night of the fiesta week. The town hall used to install a hoguera; but after one disastrous year it could not be burned because a stray cat had got on the top of it, the hoguera was saved and used the


San Juan Hogueras of Torrevieja by Dave Stewart


following year...and the cat was saved! Then the hoguera was put on a raft alongside the rocky area within the harbour, which meant it not only could be burnt safely, the remains were in the rocks and water, but it could be seen by thousands of people lining the harbour wall. This was changed and the town hall u s u a l l y p a y s f o r a s p e c t a c u l a r s e a s i d e fireworks display on the 23rd June evening along the main promenade, but with a tight budget it doesn't look as though this will happen this year. !

The recent revival of San Juan festivities in Torrevieja has been thanks to the people of the Calvario district, who started it and have continued to organise and support the others in the town. However, it now requires to be enlarged as a tourist attraction and to include more districts of the town, but this needs sponsorship. !

Most certainly not as grand as those in Alicante but good fun just the same. !

! Each hoguera has a satirical rhyme poking fun at a local or national event or personality. In Alicante these are usually in Valenciana. !

So be prepared for some fun the week prior to the 24thJune and feel free to join in. !


Type to enter textFires on playa del Cura beach


Corpus Christi is a feast on 5th June celebrated in nearly every town in Spain with a procession. This usually includes white robed children, girls in pretty dresses and boys in a naval uniform, who have recently made their First Holy Communion, scattering flowers and herbs in front of the Holy Eucharist carried by the local priest. Each parish in Torrevieja holds their own procession on the nearest Sunday, although the one in the town centre often stops at homemade altars en route to bless the sick and sing a hymn. The feast day arrived in Spain sometime during the 14th century, but it is difficult to establish the order of events with regard to this, although it would seem that Girona and Barcelona were the first to accept it, followed by Valencia, Lleida, Seville and Toledo. !

However in Valencia it is a totally different event of medieval plays and dances depicting the continuous struggle between Good and Evil, Heaven and Hell.!

The processions which take place in Valencia are inevitably colourful, lively and baroque, dating from 1413 at least. Relevant to this feast day, mystery plays began to be performed and although they have not been handed down in their entirety, several important subjects have been added to the many representations. The struggle between Good and Evil, and between Heaven and Hell are performed in the dances. A group of dancers perform in each of these processions and have recuperated many of these old dances.!

Valencia Roques!

All types of characters take part in the celebrations --members of guilds and brotherhoods (the feast of Corpus Christi has always been closely linked to the guilds), all the parishes, dance groups, devils, the virtuous, dwarfs, giants and eagles. In Valencia, mystery plays are performed on wooden floats called roques dating from 1413. In 1435 the Casa de les Roques started to be built as the chapel of the Roques; this was completely renovated in 2004. This is a medieval type fiesta with wonderful gaily coloured costumes of that epoch and an e m p h a s i s o n r e l i g i o u s teachings...with fun. The building houses large floats known as Rocas, with a principal figure and other related characters. !


!Detail of roque float showing the angel driving Adam

and Eve from the Garden of Eden


1 June Sunday"

Music gala "Explosion" with Jay Markwick Dance Company!- Municipal Theatre 19.30: 20 euros 15 euros !!Virgen del Carmen CC!

20:00 Theatre "Viaje en Autobus" by IES Mare Nostrum!Free entrance with invitation.!!5 June!19:30 Virgen del Carmen CC !College Dance Festival Free entrance with invitation!!6 June!20:30 Teatro Municipal !Gala Municipal School of Dance 3 euros!21:00 Palacio de Musica!Duo Piano & Oboe 8 Euros!21:30 Virgen del Carmen!IV National Short Films Contest 2014 !!7 June!20:00 Palace of Music!Chorale Coro Nuevo Amanacer!3 euros!21:30 Virgen del Carmen CC! IV National Short Films Contest 2014!Entrance free with invitation!21:30 Teatro Municipal !Tribute to QUEEN !12 euros and 10 euros!!8 June!9:30 Hombre del Mar statue meeting!Fotomarathon!20:30 Virgen del Carmen CC!Hijos del Sol benefit show for Lend Me Your Eyes project!entrance 5 euros!!13 June!21:30 Auditorium International!Chicos de Oro!30 euros, 25 euros, 15 euros!


Torrevieja June Cultural Programme

Palace of Music

International Auditorium


14 June!18:00 Eras de la Sal Theatre!Monnroes Roock festival for 25th anniversary!The Faith - The Cages - Sensa Yuma - !8 euros in advance or 12 euros at entrance.!!20:30 Palace of Music!Trio for Violincello!entrance by invitation!!21:00 Virgen del Carmen CC!Municipal Oriental Dance School Gala!Entrance free with invitation!!21:30 Teatro Municipal!Musical revue La Sal de Torrevieja!10 euros.!!15 June!12: Gardens of Doña Sinforosa!Concert Coro Sol y Sal!!19:30 Virgen del carmen CC!The Best of Times is Now by THE RASCALS.!price 6 euros!!19 June!San Juan Hogueras!Calvario district!!20 June!San Juan Hogueras!Calvario district!!21:00 Teatro Municpal!Latin American Orchestra and Jembe Group!5 euros!!21:00 Palace of Music!Los Vernes Teatreros!5 euros!!21 June!San Juan Hogueras!Calvario district!19:00 Palace of Music!Nueva Generacion Choir!Entrance free!21:00 Virgen del Carmen CC!Gala Coronation of Queen of Sacred Heart Fiestas!


Municipal Theatre

Tourist train at night market

RASCALS

FLOATING MUSEUM


22 June!San Juan Hogueras!Calvario district!19:30 Palace of Music!Concert by Bella Torrevieja Choir!3 euros!21:00 Teatro Municipal!VII Anniversary Ricardo Lafuente Concert!2 euros!

23 June!San Juan Hogueras!Calvario district!

24 June!San Juan Hogueras!Calvario district!

25 June!Fiestas of Sacred Heart Parish, plaza Oriente!children's events!

26 June!Fiestas of Sacred Heart Parish, plaza Oriente!20:30 Teatro Municipal!Gala of dance school Lola Morales and Arantxa Blanco.!

27 June!Fiestas of Sacred Heart Parish, plaza Oriente!with 21:00 Los Salerosos band and precession!

28 June!Fiestas of Sacred Heart Parish!morning Rocio Romeria!

20:30 Virgen del Carmen Benefit Gala Academia Darma!5 euros!21:00 Teatro Municipal!Benefit Gala by Paya's Dance School !10 euros!

29 June!9:00 Rapid Painting Competition Virgen del Carmen CC registration!Fiestas of Sacred Heart Parish!Romeria Rocio!


SACRED HEART FIESTAS IN PLAZA ORIENTE

PAYA'S DANCE SCHOOL

RAPID PAINTING COMPETITION


!SATURDAY JULY 5TH! ! GEORGE BENSON!GUEST: ANDREAS VARADY!SUNDAY JULY 6TH! ! MICHEL CAMILO TRIO!MONDAY JULY 7TH! ! BOBBY MCFERRIN!FRIDAY JULY 11TH! ! LLUÍS COLOMA SEPTETO!LUCKY PETERSON!SATURDAY JULY 12TH! ! PINK TURTLE!BOOKER T. JONES!WEDNESDAY JULY 16TH! ! SERGIO MONROY !! ! ! ! ! SEXTETO!PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND!SATURDAY JULY 19TH! ! !MARY STALLINGS & ERIC REED TRIO!THE FAMILY STONE!WEDNESDAY JULY 23RD! ! !PEGASUS!CHICAGO BLUES "A LIVING HISTORY"!FRIDAY JULY 25TH! ! TRIOSENCE!BASSMENT PROJECT!SATURDAY JULY 26TH! ! FREDDY COLE!SOLE GIMÉNEZ AND THE SEDAJAZZ BIG BAND!"RECORDANDO A BEBO: LA MÚSICA DE CHICO Y RITA "!FRIDAY AUGUST 1ST! ! GIOVANNI MIRABASSI WITH MELANIE DAHAN!MARC BERTHOUMIEUX QUARTET!FEATURING GIOVANNI MIRABASSI!SATURDAY AUGUST 2ND! ! LUCRECIA & HAVANA STREET BAND!SPECIAL GUEST: MONCHO! ! CHUCK LOEB & FRIENDS!FEATURING ERIC MARIENTHAL!TUESDAY AUGUST 5TH! ! LEE RITENOUR & DAVE GRUSIN!


Colourful Torrevieja Rocio Celebrations with parade and

weekend camp combined with games and prayers on

28th and 29th June (the Feast of SS. Peter & Paul in Rojales

Documents

004 torrevieja outlook june 2014