Malaga Feria opening day

Well, a day or two late but hey, I am writing something, so that is a good thing.  A week ago Friday we had lunch in a little restaurant right on the beach.  I just had to take some photos though they really don't do it justice.  

 We had a very nice dinner.  We got there at 8 pm and they were just opening.  It is still funny to me that 8pm is an early hour for dinner.  You can see some of the people that line this 'board walk' in the photo.  It is surprising to me how many people just come out to sit and enjoy the fresh air and visit.  I expect this is partly because AC is unusual here.  I never thought of air-conditioning as a cause of people staying indoors ie  not socializing, but I think it is true. 


Rod has decided to use one of his many expressions just so the photo is more interesting.  This was our salad.  Apparently I didn't invent sautéed pepper salad.

It was yummy fried fish.  I was trying to copy my husband's expression.  Oh well.

 As we were walking home, we noticed the moon just rising.  I had read that we were having a 'super moon' so I had to photograph it.  Again, photos don't come close to how big it looked.

I was trying to get the sculptured man to have the moon on his back but the angle was wrong.  I might have gotten it if I had been willing to risk life and limb in the traffic and stand in the road.  I decided it wasn't worth that.

Friday night was opening night of Malaga's Feria.  It is quite well known here in Spain and runs for a week.  Businesses shut down for it, offices close and there is a special bus that takes people out to the  Fair grounds.  When I said Friday night, I meant at midnight.  They opened the week's festivities with fireworks.

We walked down to the dock to watch, along with several hundred other people.

I thought the reflection  of the fireworks in the water would be cool but my angle was wrong.

I think the fireworks were set off from a boat in the bay.



This is the display at the entrance to the downtown area.  Those flowers are called 'Biznaga'.  The real thing is actually a dried thistle flower with the leaves and thorns cut off  leaving a stiff stem with a round ball of spines onto which they thread jasmine flowers that haven't opened.  Traditionally the stem is then stuck into a prickly pear pad, that has also had the thorns removed, and is carried about to sell when the flowers do open.  They smell wonderful and are really pretty.  People have been selling them all last week on the street. They are a traditional symbol of this feria.

 This Feria is said to have started with the Reconquista... when the Christians reconquered Spain and 'freed' it from the Moors sometime in the 1500's.   Kind of makes our traditions seem a little young.

This is how they decorate the down town area.  There is also a huge fair ground set up and dedicated to this feria.

As we were walking home I was impressed with this painting on a random wall.  The splatter was painted on first then the rest added.  I loved the 'drips' on the bucket and down the wall.

Well, we hope everyone is well and happy.  We are learning a whole new 'job', trying to set up some JAS activities.  It does start slow, but they are eager for some help and there is lots to do.  We sure do love you all.  Take care of yourselves.