Valencia Part 6
Valencia Part 6
October, 2009.
Over the weekend the marina has been hosting a three day festival called “The Moors and Christians”. Two days before it started a large marquee was erected at the rear of the restaurants just by the children’s playground and gardens. On the first day we went to investigate what was happening. The marquee was filled with tables and the older citizens of the town appeared to be enjoying drinks and food which had been cooked over a BBQ. Music was being played in the background. It appeared a very sedate affair.
On Saturday, the second day, a large paella was being cooked by several gentlemen outside heated by a very large wood fire. The number of people had increased and it appeared there was to be a display from the Moors and Christians at 7 p.m. Chairs had been placed in the road with banners around, a large platform had been erected and there were signs everywhere saying that cars would be removed at 5 p.m. by the police in the two roads closest to the marquee.
After we got back from El Puig we did indeed see the car removers very busy lifting cars and away they went. We hurried back to Ariel for a cup of tea after our long walk back from the monastery. We walked back to the marquee to await the parade or floats at 7 p.m. but we were not sure what to expect. 7 p.m. came and went; lots of local people had also gathered and kept looking at their watches. Jim was getting hungry so I walked back to Ariel and heated up our very own Spanish Tortilla to rush back to Jim who was left to keep our seats. It was now getting dark and chilly.
Around about 8.30 p.m. a few fireworks could be heard in the distance but also a marching band.
When the parade arrived we were amazed at the wonderful costumes and the amount of people taking part from very young children to the elder members of the community. The four different sections had a marching band of 50 people of every age from school kids upwards following them.
Two highly trained black horses and their riders came at the end performing all sorts of tricks for the audience. With all the noise they just followed their rider’s instructions and responded to their every command.
The Moors were dressed in very bright costumes divided into male and female groups. The Christians were dressed in costumes of heavy head wear and their costumes very less fancy.
The slave girls were acting their part and giving their captors lots of trouble. The little boys and girls were dressed as Arab children and there was even a genie who danced her way out of the large basket. The costumes and makeup were marvellous and a lot of time and energy of planning had been given to this great parade.
It was indeed a wonderful evening.
On Sunday it was the turn of every motor cyclist in Valencia to join in the fun. They arrived, paraded their bikes of which they were very proud and joined in with the “rock and roll” music playing in the tent. The large pan on the wood fire was again busy cooking a chicken dish.
Yesterday, Ariel was lifted out in a sling to have a new Volvo stein tube seal fitted and we are now back in the water and ready to move up to Barcelona in the next few days.
The whole area around Fornalls is very nice and we have enjoyed our stay here.