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FROM THE COASTRIDER
The May Fair or ‘Feria de Mayo’ opens in Torrevieja this week. This annual fair organised by ‘La Asociación de Amigos de la Feria de Mayo’ is one of the undoubted highlights of the Torrevieja cultural calendar. It is a hugely popular fair which brings together all the colour and excitement from Andalucia in the south of Spain and mixes it together with evocative music, food and companionship. The spectacle of the casetas or little pavilions is something to behold especially in the evening when the sun goes down and the lights of the individual stalls come on. The crowds in their finery, many wearing the traditional dress of Andalucia with the ladies in their ‘rocerías’ emphasise the cultural background of the event. As you enjoy the entertainment with the opportunity to sample some excellent fare from local providers and from further afield in Spain, one could almost be at that much larger and more famous event the Feria in Sevilla. It is a truly accessible festival, unlike many parades which while enjoyable do not allow the spectator to get too close. At the Feria de Mayo you can wander freely just soaking up the atmosphere if that takes your pleasure or sitting down to enjoy a beer or some Fino sherry and tapas. It is a perfect fiesta to take friends and visitors to, offering a truly magical insight into the colour drama, excitement and enjoyment that being in Spain is all about.
Each year there is also a competition in the schools divided into different age groups with prizes for the best, most evocative pictures that sum up the Feria de Mayo. This year, the 17th year of running the competition, prizes were awarded to 12 young artists from schools in the town.
The May Fair starts on Wednesday 30th April at 9.00 pm when the mayor of Torrevieja Pedro Hernández Mateo, will officially open the Fair. There will be music provided by the Union Musical Torrevejense and the Coro y Orquesta Maestro Ricardo Lafuente, so very appropriate as the composer died earlier this year. There will also be fireworks and there is nothing as guaranteed to get a fiesta of to a good start as a sterling pyrotechnic display. There will also be a performance on the main stage by the Academias de Baile de Torrevieja.
On Thursday night, May 1st, as well as being able to enjoy what the casetas have to offer of course there will be a performance by the duo Kiko y Sara starting at 11.00 pm. This young brother and sister from Cadiz have just received their second platinum disc for sales of their latest album ‘Una de dos’. Their music is light pop, very commercial and most people should enjoy tapping along or dancing to their numbers many of which have a flamenco feel to them.
The Feria del Mayo is the first stop on their summer tour this year.
Friday 2nd May brings an evening of Flamenco to the Feria starting at 11.00pm and on Saturday night the 3rd of May there is the Mass Rociera in the Inmaculada at 10.30 am with singing from Coro Nuestra Señora del Rocío de Almonte. In the evening starting at 11.00 pm ‘El Mani’ will be appearing. ‘El Mani’ was born in Gines on the outskirts of Seville and began singing with the Coro Rociero de Gines and was a soloist with the choir at the tender age of 12 years old. His professional career stared in 1988 and he has become a well established and highly respected sevillanas singer and no doubt will be performing a number of songs from his latest album ‘Ami Aire’ which contains a flamenco bulería, a rhumba as well as sevillanas. He is backed by a small group of musicians, almost all of whom have been with him since he stared and whom he counts as his friends. It is hard to think of a more appropriate performer to appear on the Stage at the Feria.
The Feria de Mayo comes to an end on Sunday evening at 10.00pm when the official closing ceremony takes place with music from the Coro de Nuestra Señora de Rocío de Almonte.
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TRUE! It really is a worth a stop. Flamenco - Fiesta - Sun - Cold Beers 
And if you are lucky - you might even get a dish of free PAELLA!!! Last year they did a massive one for 300 people!!!
AWESOME
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FROM COASTRIDER
Marvellous May Fair
The Fair is always a riot of colour with the ladies and young girls in particular taking the opportunity to parade in the finery traditionally associated with Andalucia and the southern regions of Spain.
The weekend saw the traditional parades of horsemanship with Sunday being the high spot.
Horses and carriages gathered close to the Inmaculada church in the centre of the town and a loudspeaker van announced in Spanish and English that everyone was invited to the specially constructed arena in the harbour area to watch the spectacle of horsemanship at a cost of €3.
As always the ‘Feria de Mayo’ in Torrevieja has been a huge success.
The casetas and stage area have been packed every night and progress through the fairground was almost impossible. The casetas were filled with people enjoying an amazing selection of food and drink and there were Sevillanas being danced in every quarter. The caseta of the Junta Mayor saw a visit from some of the International Cofradia on Thursday night and it was an opportunity for some of their members dressed in the authentic clothes to show what they had been learning at Sevillanas dancing classes, and very good they were too.
There then followed a parade through some of the main streets of the town down to the fair ground where the alleyways had been roped off to allow both horses and carriages to ride around between the casetas making several laps of the Feria much to the enjoyment of the huge crowds that were gathered in the fairground, along the access road and also up on the Dique. It was a truly wonderful spectacle of horses, riders and carriages in all their finery. I also noticed a contingent of English horsewomen amongst the Spanish riders.
Paul Mutter
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FROM COASTRIDER
Europe Day
The European Union started celebrating May 9th as Europe Day in 1985. It is a celebration of Robert Schuman presenting his proposal to create a Union of countries within Europe in order to secure peace in the future. This so called Schuman Declaration was formally announced on May 9th 1950. Prior to the acceptance of May 9th as Europe Day, May 5th had been celebrated as the day since 1964 because that was the day in 1949 that the Council of Europe had been established.
Robert Schuman was the French Foreign Minister at the time and his declaration was primarily concerned with linking together France’s, Germany’s and other European’s countries coal and steel production to be managed by a separate body. In this way he believed it would be very difficult for either country to go to war with the other because the materials for making weapons would not be in the hands of one government.
It is a day to celebrate being European and support further harmonisation and progress amongst the member states. It is marked in most countries by speeches, the raising of the European flag of gold stars against a blue background and the singing of the European Anthem.
The anthem is that magnificent piece from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the musical setting of Friedrich von Schiller’s ‘Ode to Joy’ which is particularly appropriate being an expression of his own vision of the human race becoming brothers which on a smaller scale is the exact same vision of an integrated Europe.
In Torrevieja there will also be a celebration this Friday in the main square of the town where there will be speeches, the raising of the flag by the mayor Pedro Hernandez Mateo and the playing of the European Anthem. Before that there will be a number of acts representing music, song and dance from a number of different European countries. The complete programme is here.(Don't forget to click blue link).
Paul Mutter
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Everytime I go to Spain I time it just so I MISS out on all the ferias etc.!! But that was before EOS!!!! Could anyone tell me if there are any special events on the weekend of the 16th May so that we can really sample and enjoy Spanish partying!
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From THE COASTRIDER
Food lovely food – but not pie and chips
This week is Gastronomy week in Torrevieja. Many towns in the region have special weeks where the best local restaurants ‘strut their stuff’ and offer a selection of excellent dishes and fine wines. The event runs until Sunday with a different restaurant each day featuring a special menu. On Monday it was the turn of the ‘Brisas del Mar’ followed by ‘El Méson de la Costa on Tuesday and then ‘Luz Mar’, ‘Queen Mississippi’, ‘Restaurante El Puerto’, Rincon de Capi’s’ on Saturday and the week long feasting is concluded at the ‘Salones Bahia Costa’. The range of dishes on offer is staggering with examples such as gazpacho of strawberries, Fig sorbet, Lobster salad with a citrus and saffron vinaigrette, Sea urchin stuffed with eggs and merluza and crêpes filled with spinach and langoustines with a cream sauce of smoked salmon. These are just a few picked at random from the week. You can make reservations directly with the restaurants or obtain more information from the Tourist information offices.
Paul Mutter
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From THE COASTRIDER 20/5/08
Back in time to the Medieval Market
The Medieval market came to Torrevieja last weekend. Officially opened on Friday evening, the market was open Saturday and Sunday as well filling the pathways at the top end of the Park of the Nations in the town. There were over 100 stalls selling all manner of goods and some extremely appetising looking food stalls.
I attended on Saturday morning and the weather was extremely kind in fact it was very hot and the market was very busy.
The changeable weather on Saturday evening and for most of Sunday meant it was “hit and miss” for stallholders with the park crowded one minute and the next, people were frantically trying to escape the thunder, lightning and rain!
These markets are becoming ever more popular with their combination of items to buy, exhibitions and demonstrations.
One of the most popular stands was the bread stall with its real oven baking lovely looking round loaves. There is always something very interesting about watching others working particularly when you can see the whole process.
That is one of the best aspects of these markets whether it is bread making, leather working or making stain glass ornaments. It is just so fascinating to see the old crafts still in operation. Mix this with live demonstrations of handling birds of prey, a heraldic exhibition and you have a heady mixture. And talking of a heady mixture, the smell of herbs, coffees, teas, incense and spices as you walked up and down the alleyways was amazing. There was plenty for the children to do with a games section where old games made of wood, no computer consoles in sight here, kept the younger members occupied fishing for orange wooden fish or taking a ride on the miniature roundabouts. There was also a train of donkeys, if that is the correct expression, taking children around the park. It was nice to see they were enjoying these ‘old fashioned’ treats just as much if not more than their modern counterparts. Meanwhile a glass of cold beer could be enjoyed at the Tavern while waiting for some delicious looking barbecued sausages or ribs or even some vegetable cous cous. While we are on the subject of food there were a few stalls with artisan products such as hand made cheeses and sausages, dark skinned handmade chorizos and Iberian sausages.
The cheeses many of which were made from goat’s milk looked very inviting and there was a lot of interest in these natural products. The weapons of the medieval times also hold a fascination for both young and old alike and the stalls with swords and bows and arrows proved popular gathering points. Wandering through the market in the morning was a snake charmer with a beautiful python draped around his neck.
We humans seem to have this love hate relationship with reptiles in general but plenty found the animal friendly and welcoming of a stroke or two. It was wonderful to watch the expressions on the children’s faces as the handler uncoiled the animal and draped it around someone’s shoulders. Also in the animal line was the display of birds of prey. As well as the demonstrations you could have your photograph taken with one. There were many different species varying in size with a magnificent large owl amongst them. I cannot say they looked enthralled to be in the full glare of the sunshine though. Around 40 thousand visitors attended the fair in 2007 and it will be interesting to see if this year’s numbers have increased.
Certainly those people I talked with seemed to be having a good time and said they would certainly come back next year.
The Park of Nations was also host on Saturday morning to the Norwegian community celebrating Norway Day when the constitution declaring the country to be an independent nation was signed in 1814. The celebrations took place at the bottom of the park by the bandstand with a huge crowd filling the entire area. Many went to enjoy the Medieval Market afterwards.
Paul Mutter
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I thought this looked funny when I tried to watch another forum today. It makes it look as if Torrevieja itself is undergoing maintenance.
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Taken from the COSTA BLANCA NEWS
Promenade work ends in time for summer rush
By Dave Jones
TORREVIEJA’S Paseo Vista Alegre has reopened to the public following a 3.1-million-euro refit.
The town hall reported that the project, which was started last year, has now been virtually completed.
As part of the refurbishment scheme, pergolas have been installed to produce shady areas with two sets of benches sited on opposite sides of the walkway.
New lampposts will provide improved lighting at night, a council spokesman said.
He also revealed that more pedestrian crossings have been installed to allow safer access to the town centre from the promenade.
Green areas and gardens have also been constructed to improve the aesthetics of the area.
“With this project we have improved the quality of the seafront of the town by giving the walkway the necessary infrastructure to allow residents to enjoy it properly,” the spokesman said.
He added that some jobs will be completed at a later date.
These include installing wood on top of the new pergolas to create the shady areas and the renewal of pavements and street lighting in the vicinity of the promenade.
The spokesman also reported that traffic flow along the seafront road is now back to normal after a several months of disruption.
Mayor Pedro Ángel Hernández Mateo was joined by regional infrastructure boss Carlos Javier Eleno for a low-key opening on Monday evening which will be followed later in the year by an official ceremony.
djones@cbnews.es
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