Tuesday 30 September 2008

Moors and Christians in Benidorm

MOORS AND CHRISTIANS
BENIDORM 2nd to 5TH OCTOBER 2008

Thursday, 2nd October:
22:30 h. MOORISH ATTACK. At Levante Beach (opposite to Valencia street) the Christians will set their camp and the Moors will meet next to the Old Town Hall to go to the christians camp, where there will be a BATTLE between the Moors and Christians.

Friday, 3rd October:
10:30 h. REVEILLE. ITINERARY: plaza Neptuno, Almendros, Paseo de la Carretera, Martínez Alejos, Gambo and Plaza de la Hispanidad. Around 11:30 h will take place the DELIVERY OF THE CITY KEYS by the Major of Benidorm to the Christian Queen.
18:00 h. MOORISH EMBASSY. The Christians won´t leave the Castle, so the war will be declared with the ALARDO (boasting), that will take place in the streets surrounding the Castle, finishing with the taking of the Castle by the Moor King.
19:00 h. CHRISTIAN EMBASSY. Now the christians are the ones to ask the moors to leave the Castle. ITINERARY: the same as before. Afterwards will take place the RECONQUEST of the Castle, by the Christian troops.

Saturday, 4th October:
10:00 h. REVEILLE. Same itinerary as the day before.
19:00 h. ''ENTRADA''. MARVELLOUS PARADE OF MOORS AND CHRISTIANS. ITINERARY: Plaza Neptuno, Venus, Ruzafa, Martínez Alejos, Gambo, Plaza de laHispanidad and Av. Bilbao.
MOORS:Filà Musulmanes Tagarinos, Tuareg, Nazaríes and Benidarhíms (Moor King).
CHRISTIANS:Cavallers de la Baronía, Cruzados and Contrabandistas (Christian Queen).

Sunday, 5th October:
12:00 h. PARLEY between the Prince of Kairuán and the Governor of the Castle. Around 12:30 h. GREAT FLOWER OFFERING TO SAN JAIME. ITINERARY: Plaza de la Hispanidad, Gambo, Martínez Alejos, Alameda and Mayor.
13:00 h. Solemn Mass at San Jaime Church, singed by the Choir La Barqueta of Benidorm. 19:30 h. PARADE OF FLOATS.ITINERARY: Tomás Ortuño, Venus, Ruzafa, Martínez Alejos, Gambo and Plaza de la Hispanidad. Afterwards there will be a magnificent NOCTURNAL ''MASCLETÀ'' (bangers sound show and fireworks) at Av. Mediterráneo.

IMPORTANT: The hours before mentioned are departing hours and they can be changed by the Organization.

Source: comunitatvalenciana.com

Tuesday 2 September 2008

Cosmopolitan Benidorm

It's official. Benidorm is one of Spain's most cosmopolitan cities with no less than 121 nationalities living within its boundaries.
The town hall has just completed a survey of its residents which shows that 35% of them, 25,760 people, are foreign nationals, a massive increase from seven years ago when the figure was 10%.
On the other side of the coin, the number of Spanish people living in Benidorm has actually decreased by almost 4000 in the last seven years!

Source: benidorm-spotlight.com