Yesterday afternoon, I looked up the schedule for Fuengirola’s Cabalgata de Reyes (Three Kings Parade) and I was surprised to learn that the “Kings” would arrive at 4:00 p.m. at our largest municipal sports complex, Complejo Polideportivo Municipal Elola, by helicopter!
(The images get bigger if you truly believe… and click them.)
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| ARRIVAL PHOTO FROM THE WEB. WE DIDN’T GO OUT UNTIL THE PARADE REACHED OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD. |
I’ve read that the Magi didn’t actually arrive in Bethlehem until two years after the birth of Jesus. Camels are a lot slower than helicopters.
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| MARIPOSAS (BUTTERFLIES) QUICKLY FLUTTER BY. |
Following tradition, the participants on all the floats threw “caramelos” to the spectators. Our first year in Spain, I heard the word “caramelo” and I was delighted. But, my first painful knock on the head was another lesson.
“Caramelo” is used generically for candy. Soft caramels (a sweet I love) were not being gently lobbed. Hard candies (boiled sweets) were being tossed or sometimes brutally thrown at us. People wear hats and carry umbrellas to catch the “caramelos” and to protect their heads.
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| THE FIRST FLOAT. |
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| PEPPA THE PIG. |
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| JIMINY CHRISTMAS, THIS IS FUN! |
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| MOST KIDS HERE CALL THEM MARIO BROZE, NOT REALISING ‘BROS.’ IS SHORT FOR BROTHERS. |
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| AND AFTER SUPER MARIO BROZE… SUPER MAN! |
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| THE FLOAT BEARING GASPAR. |
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| GASPAR. (NOT ONE PASSABLE SHOT OF A KING.) |
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| “ALL THE KIDS IN THE MARKETPLACE SAY: AY OH WHEY OH, AY OH WHEY OH; WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN.” |
This year, I really was delighted when the first “caramelos” to hit me were gummy candies. Although there were still some hard candies being jettisoned by some gleeful little ‘imps,’ and even the gummy candies could hurt if thrown hard enough. I wrapped my scarf around my head to protect myself, which caused one concerned little girl to ask why my head was bandaged.
As San Geraldo Scrooge said this beautiful Three Kings Day morning. “I’m glad this is the last day of this damned holiday!”
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| MY PLUNDER. I GAVE AWAY MOST OF WHAT I CAUGHT. DISPLAYED IN MY 1965 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR TIN TRAY… WHICH, YES, I ACTUALLY BOUGHT MYSELF WHEN I WAS THERE 50 YEARS AGO! |