13 Aug 2011 – Parcent Fiesta

Hard to tell from this photo of a deserted Parcent, but the annual fiesta is in full swing.   It all happens at night, usually very late a night.   In the past week we have been treated to very loud music each night, from about midnight to 6am.   Even though we live outside the village, it is still loud enough to ensure a sleepless night.

Today is children’s day.   The village square was transformed into a play area for small children.   Behind the camera is a large portable stage for the nightly disco.

We were quite surprised that there were so few children, but perhaps their parents were sleeping off last nights disco.

The fiesta is a celebration of the “coming of age” of the village teenagers.   The home of each “festeros” is decorated and the road painted.   As you walk around the village you can see the faded decorated pavements and street.

This is a particularly impressive example.

Another square was closed for the children’s tennis match.   Not a lot of spectators, obviously another example of recovering from last night’s entertainment

In previous years the decoration seemed to be more traditional, hand drawn with name, year and perhaps a flower or similar.   This year Lightening McQueen seemed to be particularly popular, and many seemed to be very professional.

2 Aug 2011 – Calpe Old Town

 It’s too hot to do much during the day, so we have decided to spend one evening a week looking for new restaurants

 This week it was Calpe.  We discovered the old town many years ago, but have not been back for a meal recently

 It was just after 8pm when we arrived, too late for the tourists and too early for the Spanish

 Its quite an expensive area to eat, and there was no sign of our much preferred menu del dia

 There is lots of choice, many of the small streets packed with tables

Dos Canones, close to the old town gate, was our choice