San Juan, Party On The Beach Time

San Juan GarruchaThe Summer Solstice in Spain is celebrated on the beach, where else? At midnight on 23rd June, family and friends, young and old all head for their local beach with some wood for a bonfire, food and drink, a blanket to sit on and a pen and paper to write down their 3 wishes.

It’s common to see people jumping over fires which, according to legend, cleanse the body and the soul. Jumping in the sea at midnight is supposed to be a way to wash away evil spirits. It is ritual that rules San Juan. After midnight, for example, people wash their faces and feet three times in order to be granted three wishes to ensure a happy twelve months thereafter.

Whether you want to partake in the rituals or just have a great party it is far more fun than when we celebrated “Midsommar” in Sweden and normally we were huddled together to keep warm outdoors before heading in to thaw out with a large whiskey in front of a fire. (It was warm sometimes!)

If you are here on holiday head down to Garrucha, this is what you can expect.

 

Another Couple Living The Dream

We left the UK 14 years ago to start a completely new lifestyle adventure at Finca Arboleda. This programme on Channel 5 tonight features another couple making the leap. It’s always interesting for us to see how they get on but the main reason for watching this particular one is that the lovely Alex Polizzi is presenting. If you didn’t catch her “Spectacular Spain” series which finished a few weeks ago make sure you look out for it on one of the catch up options that are around.

Casa Cuevas Alex Polizzi lends her expertise to British expats Mark and Shirley, who have spent the past eight years living and working on the southern coast of Spain. A weekend break to a traditional Spanish cave house has inspired the pair to open their own. Setting their sights on a hillside in Granada, the duo plan to use their 25,000-euro savings and a £50,000 inheritance to set up a three-bedroom B&B, but an ambitious 10-week turnaround period could leave them struggling to open the doors on time.

Cuevas Helena

Maraú Beach Club Bar & Restaurant

Maraú Beach Club is all set to be a popular destination this summer. We haven’t tried the food but the menu is extensive and reasonably priced considering the beachfront location. They also have a pool and sunbeds. When we went it was reasonably busy and they were playing pleasant music, not too loud.

It looks like the place to be seen, I prefer a more traditional Chiringuito.

The restaurant is open from 13:00 to 16:00 and from 20:00 to 23:30. Reservations: 950 961 961
Their Facebook page says the bar is open from 11.00 till 06.00

This video does a good job of showing what they offer.

LOS CABALLOS DEL VINO (WINE HORSES), CARAVACA

Tomorrow we are off to Caravaca de la Cruz in Murcia for the festival of the Wine Horses.

The beginning of the fiestas is on April 30th with the Noche de las Migas (Night of the Breadcrumbs). Streets are crowded with charanga bands, batucadas (music events consisting of a group of percussion instruments) and the colouring of the peñas migueras, groups of people meeting to cook this typical dish made of breadcrumbs, garlic, sardines and sausages, that later get together in Plaza del Hoyo to choose the best migas. On May 1st there are very popular events such as the Flower Offering, the Contest of Bareback Horses and the Exhibition of Capes, real pieces of art woven with silk and silver and gold threads that will decorate horses the following day.

In the morning of May 2nd Caravaca celebrates the Caballos del Vino (Wine Horses), the big day of the fiestas. The only requirement for not being out of tone is to wear a red shawl, a white shirt and to bear in mind that you’re going to attend one of the most deafening fiestas of Spain.

Hundreds of thousands of people meet together for the legendary race. Everything happens in the blink of an eye. Four lads run next to each horse in an intense gallop that finishes at the open area of the Castle. This race recalls an incredible event that happened 700 years ago. According to legend, when the Muslims besieged the castle of the sacred city, a group of templars was able to break the siege, introduce saddlebags full of wine with the aid of their horses and prevent the population from dying because of the poisoned water that the enemies had used to contaminate tanks.

You can a video here.  https://youtu.be/v9XCSy9sOeg

The Trip to Spain: La Posada del Laurel

Spain really is the place to be this year, whether it’s Alex with her fantastic “Spectacular Spain” series, endless car adverts with their pristine models stretching their “legs” around our fantastic empty roads or Rob and Steve in this wonderful series.

If you haven’t seen Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan in this spoof that sees them staying in beautiful places and eating great food while supposedly working for a broadsheet with Steve writing a foodie column then you’ve missed a treat. It is amazingly low key with the guys cruising around in their Range Rover before spending time over good food and enjoying the type of conversation good friends indulge in when the wines finished and the Port is on it’s 2nd round, Great entertainment from two masters and Rob’s “Little Man in A Box” always brings a smile. The fact that this, the third series, is in Spain only adds to the joy.

This series is bing shown on Sky Atlantic on Thursdays but it is also to be found on You Tube, please try and find it, you will not be disappointed.

#spectacularspain #thetriptospain #robbrydon #stevecoogan #spainontv #fincaarboleda #The Trip to Spain: La Posada del Laurel.

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