Man in Alora: All over bar the shouting in Álora. Oops! Where's my balcony?

All over bar the shouting in Álora. Oops! Where's my balcony?

This week's caption competition

Semana Santa in Álora was a qualified success. All the main processions took place except for those scheduled for the night of Viernes Santos (Good Friday ) and Domingo de Resurrección (Easter Sunday) when rain stopped play. In fact, the procession of Santo Cristo Resucitado on Sunday could have gone ahead as the expected showers did not arrive until late afternoon. The Friday evening processions, which many regard as the highlight of the week would have been watched or joined by thousands, but, as usual, only a handful of people gathered to see Jesús Resusitado emerge from the parroquia. For most people here all the excitement is over by Friday night. No chocolate Easter Eggs either, let alone Easter bonnets.

While we all waited outside for him to emerge he was being paraded around the interior of the church accompanied by the town band and some important people. He appeared at the door for a few minutes, photographs were taken and back he went. And so did we. He didn't appear in Málaga either. They had seen the same weather forecast.

Waiting for the resurrection

As far as he got

The main event of the week, La Despedía, went ahead this year. La Despedía is unique to Álora and is now listed as a tourist attraction nationally. At about 2.15 pm. on Viernes Santo (Good Friday) Jesús de las Torres and María Santisima de los Dolores Coronada meet in the Plaza Baja to say farewell (despedía).
After they arrive in the square there is a lot of theatrical to-ing and fro-ing around the raised centre of the square, the two thrones showing off their skills in being able to go backwards, forwards and even being held aloft by the costaleros. Finally they mount the centre platform from opposite sides (to great applause) and advance towards each other.

A few seconds before the despedía

At a signal from somewhere the two images appear to dip down and nod to each other as if saying goodbye. (again to great applause). This manoeuvre is a very difficult one and depends on the strength and co-ordination of the young men carrying the thrones. A few years ago one of the Jesús front men dislocated his shoulder and they nearly dropped him.

What happens next is this. Some of the paratroopers who have been escorting Jesús take charge of the throne and make for the bottom of Calle Ancha with Jesús apparently travelling in reverse. Dolores follows him for a bit, they say a final goodbye and then the paras carry him backwards at a fair old lick all the way up Calle Ancha to the Castillo follows by crowds of young people trying to pinch flowers from the throne.

This event is watched by a vast crowd which spills into the streets surrounding La Plaza Baja de la Despedía.
Last year it was cancelled and thousands of people were disappointed, not least the bar owners of the town who lost thousands of euros in lost takings.
This year there was a delay because one of the balconies being used by spectators collapsed. Several people were injured, but fortunately, none seriously.
I had photographed the same balcony only a couple of hours before.
Can you spot the difference? (apart from there being an arm in the first one).