Last night (Saturday 5 October) the spectacular parade of the Moors and Christians too place in Benidorm. The event is celebrated in many Spanish towns and cities and commemorate the battles, combats and fights between Moors (or Muslims) and Christians during the period known as "Reconquista".
The festivals represent the capture of the city by the Moors and the subsequent Christian conquest, with many reenactments taking place during the week. Neighbouring Altea celebrated just a fortnight ago. Alcoy has THE biggest one and next year takes place at the beginning of May.
Spectators lined the route, down the avd Ruzafa and then down the Gambo, standing shoulder to shoulder, clapping and cheering as the procession passed. Each group wore different and eye-catching costumes, with plenty of intricate face painting and accompanied by a band.
There were also horses and floats interspersed between the rows of marching men and women. It is certainly an event to be witnessed at least once... the next really big one will be for the 3 Kings which takes place on Sunday 5 January.
This week we have not one but two bank holidays - on Wednesay, October 9 it is a regional holiday “Dia de la Comunidad Valenciana” or The Day of the Valencian Community. It marks the anniversary of the capture of the city of Valencia by King James I from the Moors, back in 1238, which at the time was an independent kingdom. It did not become part of Spain until 1707 and was not even officially recognised and celebrated until 1976, when the Valencian Regional Government decreed it a Bank Holiday – the year after Franco died.
The second Bank Holiday takes place on Saturday, October 12 a National Holiday across the entire country – “Dia de la Hispanidad”, the National Day of Spain. It commemorates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s first arrival in the Americas and also widely celebrated throughout the Americas, where it is known as Columbus Day in the United States.
Surprisingly, everything will be closed on Wednesday – including Carrefour but most will be open on Saturday and bars and restaurants will be extra busy!
Don´t forget – Thursday November 14 is the British Fancy Dress Day!
