Thursday, June 07, 2007

Moros y Cristianos: Mojácar, junio 8 - 10

Moors and Christians

The Moors and Christians celebrate the story of Mojácar's defeat in 1498 and how the two sides managed to turn the event into a companiable 'draw'.
There will be a medieval market in the Plaza Nueva with animations, falconry, snake charmers and the odd firework.

Friday 8th June. The event starts in the pueblo at around 6.30pm, with the troops arriving (noisily) at the fountain at 10.30pm and from there up to the pueblo, where the opening of the celebrations is officially proclaimed. The six troops ('Kabilas') will then withdraw, around midnight, to their various 'barracks' about the town where great toasts are drunk, great noise is blasted about and festive bands of musicians join in the aimiable bedlam.

Saturday, 9th June. 6.30pm. Moorish troops land on the Playa de Descargador (opposite the Provenzal Hotel) with the merry explosions of blunderbusses. There will be 'a hawking show' (hopefully involving wild birds of prey) and a belly dancing show. A medieval tournament will be staged. Then, accompanied by some really heavy fireworks and explosions, the deafened armies will march towards the Parque Comercial. From 10.00pm, the barracks will once again be opened where great amounts of cheap liquor will be quaffed etc.

Sunday 10th June. From midday, a truly cacophanous number of blunderbuss discharges will be held on the beach as the two armies meet. The main parade - quite unmissable - will take place from the Plaza Nueva in the pueblo, going down the road to the fuente below, from 7.00pm.

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