Mercadona will be shut on Friday. It is a national holiday and goes by many names. In the USA it is 'Columbus Day' celebrating the day when Christopher Columbus arrived in the West Indies and not when he 'sailed the ocean blue' in 1492. As we in Spain know, his real name was Cristobal Colón so the day should be 'Colón Day'. I expect there is already one of those.
It is also the 'Day of Hispanidád' (the day of Spanishness ) and 'El día de la Raza' ( the day of the race). It's 'National Armed Forces Day' too and there will be a parade of weaponry in Madrid watched by King Juan Carlos the First and the Royal Family (less a couple of royals who are in disgrace at the moment.)
It is also the Day of' 'Nuestra Señora la Santisima Virgen del Pilar' who is the patron virgin of all Spain and the Guardia Civil.
If that wasn't enough reason for a day off work it's the 'Day of the Guardia Civil' too.
The real name of the day is 'La Fiesta Nacionál de España'. which was decided in 1987 as a compromise between those who wanted to celebrate Spain's glorious past and those who wanted to celebrate the new developing democracy.
All it will mean to most people, Spanish and extranjeros alike is that the shops and banks will be shut. We will not even get a chance to go up to the Plaza de Fuente Arriba to sing the national anthem as it doesn't have any words.
On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to be invited to the Guardia Civil party up at the 'Cuartel' you are in for a few hours of fun, dancing, drinking and eating. I have been twice. Both times I had too much to drink and made a bit of a spectacle of myself, which is probably why I am no longer invited. It's a great 'do' and a chance to 'network' with all the nobs of the town . The toilets are in the cell block and you can wave at the prisoners as you go for a wee. Another plus is that you are unlikely to be stopped on the country's roads for traffic offences or spot checks as all the Guardia will be at the piss up.
We went with some friends from Rochdale who were here on holiday one year. They had a great time. I had explained that the Guardia used to be very unpopular for their support of Franco's oppression. At the airport I overheard Christine telling someone in the check in queue about it. 'We went to a fabulous party at Gestapo headquarters.'
Have a nice (national) day.
10/10/2012
Lol. I've been to the Guardia Civil party too. The food's always excellent and the storeroom out the the back is always full to the ceiling with spirits.
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