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...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES
SOLTIMES AUGUST 2013
have you got a prop e it here! sale or rent? advertis ers!!!
THE SPAINIAC | Fiestas De Las Virgen Blancas | Candice Parsons
reach over 30,000 read
Qualified Professional Estate Agents since 1982
Mojacar Office Tel: 950 478 935 Fax: 950 478 524 Turre Office Tel: 950 468 275 Fax: 950 478 524
Hours: 9:30-14:00 / 15:30-18:00 Saturdays: 10:00-14:00
info@mojacarestates.com www.mojacarestates.com
O Olive
turre
Contact: 607 705 085 or 687 938 466
C/Llanos, Bedar (Next to the Miramar Restaurant)
Open: Monday-Friday 10.00am-3.30pm
www.olivehouse-es.com
64,950€
OLV709
A fabulous 2 Bedroom apartment situated in the centre of Turre, walking distance to all of the shops and tapas bars, just off Plaza Constitucion. Immaculate with fabulous communal rooftop terrace and pool.
If you are looking to buy or sell a property in the Huercal Overa / Taberno / Zurgena / San Juan de los Terreros area, please contact us NOW!
Call 0034 950 616 827 / 0034 678 002 006 155a Carretera Estacion, Huercal Overa. 100m from LIDL
www.vosshomesspain.com
David Vickers
Location & Property Consultant Mobile: (00 34) 616 760 409 Email: david@indalorealestate.com Office: (00 34) 950 091 137 UK: (00 44) 1865 522 648
www.indalorealestate.com Albox • Arboleas • Huercal Overa • Mojacar • Vera
1 Bed, 1 Bath Apartment reduced to Cortijo Grande Golf, Turre
T: 664 291 793
€29,995
jescott29@hotmail.co.uk
...CALL 902 750 190
EMAIL: SALES@SOLTIMES.COM
If there’s any one notable trait that foreigners will take from Spanish culture alongside its rich history, enticing cuisine, and vast array of natural sights and landscapes; it’s the nation’s vivacious party culture, that has somewhat formed a niche character and atmosphere of its own. Countless street parties and fiestas are constantly held each month throughout the year in cities all over this country, with each event commemoration being a different excuse for people to celebrate together. Fiestas de las Virgen Blancas (The Festivals’ of the White Virgin), is held every year from August 4th to 9th in Vitoria-Gasteiz, to honour the patron saint of the city,
Virgen Blanca.
the beginning of the festival.
Usually a tranquil, quiet and calm city, the capital of Álava and Basque country becomes quite the opposite during the days of these celebrations.
When the celebration opens, Celadon descends from the top of the tower on to a balcony in the square, holding an umbrella and wearing a typical blouse and beret - almost reminiscent of a Mary Poppins scene.
The festivals were first celebrated in 1884 and have been a significant feature of the regions cultural calendar ever since. Although the actual festivity is on the 5th of August, celebrations commence the night before as crowds gather together in the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca, to await the chimes of the San Miguel clock tower. The traditional “chupinazo”, a firework rocket, and the ‘Descent of Celadon’, a large ragdoll symbol of a native village man from Alava, mark
Candice Parsons is a writer and avid Spain and Spanish culture lover from Melbourne, Australia. ‘Like’ my Facebook page: www.facebook. com/pandemicrhapsody and follow me on Twitter @MiLlamoCandi
Celadon then makes its way through the streets of Vitoria, amongst the streams of people celebrating around. The six-day long party that follows this opening event entails live bands, brass bands, groups of ‘blusas’, street processions, bullfights,
sporting events and theatre to name a few. Festivities will carry on till 5 or 6am the following morning, and then proceed to continue again the following evening of the festival, till it all ends – a standard occurrence for most festivals in Spain. The Fiestas de las Virgen Blancas attracts approximately 40,000 visitors each year, and simultaneously changing along with the times, it now incorporates and caters for modern tastes whilst still retaining its longheld traditions
pause for thought So what sort of person would be daft enough to make a 90 mile round trip each week just to go to Church? So asked a friend of mine from the UK recently, knowing perfectly well that I do: driving each week from the hills above Albox to the Anglican Church at Mojacar. He seemed appalled at the apparent waste of time and money in my regularly making such a journey, and spluttered an indignant denial when I suggested that he travelled even further to his Church; until of course I reminded him that along with many others, his Church was a football club - in worship of which he regularly travelled the length and breadth of Britain. It’s all a matter of priorities really; and for me, as for a considerable number of others who regularly travel similar distances, the opportunity to worship Almighty God in a language and style I understand, is more than worth the small sacrifice of driving a mere 90 miles just once each week. After all, using words from the Creed, I truly believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I really do believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, my Lord; who was crucified, buried yet rose from the dead; so that in spite of my frequent failures, I with all who believe in Him may stand forgiven when he returns in power, as I am certain in due course he will, as judge of all. And so, whilst surely enjoying to the full the life and opportunities I have, I also enjoy preparing, so much as I am able, for that time when I progress from the life I have here, to the next. For as Jesus himself put it ‘Don’t set out to amass great wealth for yourself on Earth, but rather store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ Further information about the Anglican Church and details of forthcoming events may be seen on the web site www. mojacarchurch.org . Duncan Burr is Licensed Lay Reader for the Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Cálida and may be contacted at djburr@avired.com
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