Processions.....

Saturday evening was Sue E's delightful birthday dinner at Pacomari's restaurant, with guests from far & wide (well at least Ruthin, North Wales!)

Yet another excuse in Nerja for a fiesta was the Lenten Carnival - three days of celebration prior to the dark days of Lent!!! This culminated in a procession through the town to the beach. The many participants all wore flamboyant costumes, including much elaborate cross-dressing. The theme was bizarrely the 'Funeral of the Sardine'! Accompanied by much wailing (whaling?) & the usual brass bands, a full-size coffin was carried through the streets, then towed out to sea behind a local fishing boat. It was then blown-up, accompanied by a large firework display!

Sue & Graham E. showed us the way through the farmland up to the Maro Torre (no wonder we missed the path when we tried as it was a tiny obscure track). The Tower is in a natural herb garden of thyme, basil, rosemary & lavender, with wide coastal views.

On a midweek evening at the Cultural Centre de Nerja, we enjoyed a very professional & funny tribute show to 'Flanders & Swann', including the famous Gnu & Hippopatamus songs. Our robust audience participation could have been due to the drinks & tapas we consumed prior to the performance. Knowing the words also gives away our ages!!! We have no idea how the Spanish people in the audience understood any of this peculiarly British humour!

The other processions we saw in the week were those of the previously mentioned poisonous 'Processionary Caterpillars' They are now leaving their nests in the pine trees. We rode our bikes over several long lines of the nasty little critters, & will have to watch out for them when walking in the countryside from now on.

We are now looking forward to our next visitors - Mike's sister & hubby (Jenny & Richard) for a few days, then our friend Jeannie from Plymouth for a week (she is temporarily a motorbike widow whilst hubsband Roly bikes the length of South America!)