Old meets new in Calabardina, Murcia, Spain.

Welcome to this week's post. This part of Spain is still  a fascinating blend of the traditional and modern way of life. During the years under Franco, (1936-1975) contraception, divorce, abortion and homosexuality were illegal and women were not even allowed to work without the written permission of their husbands. Now all of this has changed; divorce, abortion and gay marriage have all been legalised. (Although the current right wing government is trying to repeal the latter).

Most Spanish people in my experience welcome these changes, but of course (as in every country) one never knows how much is hidden. We were once with two older Spanish chaps when a dreadful comedy programme with a man in drag came on. One of the two muttered, "In Franco's time this would never have been permitted," whilst the other laughingly made a throat cutting gesture.

Calabardina is a small holiday resort close to Aguilas. Recently there was a local bank holiday week-end in celebration of the Crosses' of May and Carmen, the Virgin of the sea.




 On Friday a street was closed off and a large awning erected. On Saturday evening from ten p.m. there was to be music and dancing and free sardines to eat. A chiringuito  appeared-a  snack bar selling hot chocolate and churros (a delicious and horrendously fattening deep fried pancake with sugar.)





Some men had previously arrived in a van and erected this extra-terrestial saucer on the nearby waste ground.







On the Sunday morning we found a cross and small statue of the virgin being carried along the road towards the jetty. It was accompanied by the 'faithful' (mostly old), the obligatory marching band (mostly young) and a motley crew of onlookers (including ourselves and a lady in traditional dress.)

At the end of the jetty thirty or so people were about to go on a diving expedition. Dressed in wet suits they were lugging oxygen cylinders around and resembled huge black beetles.

                                        The church group were in their Sunday Best.

The band played on.

The two groups met in the middle. The divers in their suits and the faithful carrying the Virgin. The divers, (depending on their nationality) either continued with their preparations or just stood open-mouthed. The church group simply turned around to return back along the jetty.

Many others (mostly Spanish) were happily enjoying the unusually hot weather. They swam, sunbathed or chatted on the beach seemingly oblivious of the scene just a few yards away.

In my next post we look around here a little more and find out what went in that saucer!

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