Álora.What's happening this weekend?
I've just been across the street to see Juannie's exhibition of tronos en miniatura (miniature thrones) which he has been advertising for the last week. It's in his zaguán (entrance hall) and he's very proud of it and so is his mum who will have a busy week ahead of her as Juanie is the biggest fan ever of Semana Santa. He will be in all the processions and seems to be an honorary member of all the hermandads. He's a Real Madrid fan too.
The neighbourhood kids have been marching up and down the street, bashing their paint can drums Now and then sound of real drums drifts across the town as the hermandad bands practise for next week. The ´no parking' signs have been set up along the Passion Saturday and Palm Sunday route and reminders put under the windscreen wipers of parked cars. Most people will ignore them. Houses are getting a lick of paint if they are on the route of a procession and the ayuntamiento will be dressing the balconies of steep and narrow Calle Ancha (Wide Street) with pot plants (free!) ready for Jesús de la Torres's return trip down from the castle on Thursday night and back up again on Friday afternoon.
The castle itself is being tarted up too. New floodlights have been installed in more secure housing (they tend to get stolen) and the weeds have been strimmed. Soon most of the balconies on Calle Ancha will be draped with the purple mantas (sheets) of the Jesus de las Torres hermandad. Calle Ancha is Jesús territory and the vecinos (locals) are very proud of their affiliation, even some of the Brits who colonised this street during the property buying boom of 2002-2007 will put them up. Back in the Plaza Baja (de la Despedía of course) the dark maroon mantas of Dolores supporters will be more in evidence. Antonio of the estanco (tobacconist's) opposite the side door of the church is a big Dolores fan and hermandad member and his house will be a picture of devotion. He has a great view of the Despedía from his balcony too. We have not been invited to share the view yet..One day he may even be voted Hermano Mayor. He'd like that, I´m sure.
We've got a pretty good view too. Most of the processions pass by our door. This year we are expecting to go up the the top square to my sister's new flat for drinks and nibbles. The view from her balcony will be one of the best in town and she doesn't even know it yet . If you're reading this, Anne, red wine for me and Mercadona does lots of interesting snacks.
NB. Mercadona will be shut on Thursday and Friday.
The bars in the Plaza de la Fuente Arriba have taken delivery of extra coolers and are clearing the decks for their biggest sales of food and drink of the year.....if the weather holds out.
Tomorrow, Friday, is Viernes de Dolores. There is a little procession inside the parroquia.
On Saturday at 8.00pm. Jesús atado a la Columna (Jesus tied to the Pillar) will set off from the Plaza Baja.
On Sunday (Domingo Ramos) at 11.45 am. La Pollinica (Jesus entering Jerusalem on an ass, accompanied by María Santísima del Amparo Auxiliadora) will set off from the Plaza Baja.
On Sunday evening at 8.00pm. Jesús Orando en la Huerta (Jesus praying in the Garden) will depart from the little chapel, La Hermita de Calvario at the top of Calle Calvario and head downhill into town.
Here's a taster.
http://www.alora.es/Inicio/V.asp?IdVideo=220&pag=1
Thursday 21st. March 2013
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