Refreshingly, Easter here does not mean supermarket aisles stacked full of easter eggs, as it remains the most important religious festival of the year. Good Friday evening we joined the crowds in front of the Church of San Salvador. When the doors opened a cloud of incense emerged, & so many processioners that it was difficult to see how they had all fitted inside. The two effigies of Mary & Jesus, each mounted on very heavy gilded platforms, were borne on the shoulders of parishioners. Beautifully decorated, with hundreds of blue irises & tall altar candles, they paused in the square under a balcony where Antonio Cortes (handsome local flamenco singer) sang a passionate religious prayer. The processioners ranged from tiny tots to Nerja grannies, mainly in flowing silk robes, carrying crucifixes & candles. They proceeded around the streets of the town behind the smartly uniformed youngsters local brass band, drums beating out the funereal pace. (Photo: Statue of Mary)
