When Monday is a holiday, it is a day taken from the universe to live happily. He himself was discovered today, rinsing his feet in the cold sea. And weekends are not without reason, because Althea celebrates the most lively and spectacular holiday of the year - Moros y Cristianos.
It can be said without exaggeration that the whole year is being prepared for this holiday, which always happens at the end of September. And there is a reason: thousands of people participate in actions, and arranging and holding holidays requires a lot of time and money.
But let's order.
Where is the vacation
From Spanish history it is known that from the 8th to the 15th centuries, part of modern state land was under the auspices of the Arab sheiks. These are mainly coastal areas from Alicante, Valencia and to the coast of Catalonia. 7 centuries - this is a very long time, where the appearance of the Spaniards, namely the population of the Iberian Peninsula, has changed significantly. There is evidence that Iberians were tall blond, like their neighbors who were far from Scandinavia. Now, Spanish swings and machos are stocky, dark-skinned, mostly small-sized ... Nothing in vain in the course of history.
So, in the 15th century, the Catalan Prince Jaime I made a series of trips to the land of Valencian and drove the Moors back to the coast of Africa. In history, it was remembered as a time of conquest.
Now, to remember and honor these events, Moros and Cristianos celebrate in many cities and villages on the Mediterranean coast. In Altea, the procession took place for 4 days in late September, in Alkoe in April, and in Vilakhojos, for example, in July.
Lively activities begin in the morning, hours from 8 and will continue for 4 days without sleep and rest. Divine services were held in churches, the participants began to deviate into groups and sing songs. The cherry on the cake is a lively procession itself, a cross between performances and carnivals.
On the first day, the bright and triumphant entrance of the Arab forces to Spanish soil occurred. Brave soldiers, both men and women, wore costumes made of feathers, scales and animal skin.
Usually, polluted people form a line of men with a leader, then a woman and after everything comes the orchestra. The road is long, one ensemble will not be enough to convey the significance of the event and its entertainment.
The parade began at 8 pm and lasted for midnight with bright respect and shooting from weapons. There are more than 50 lines like that, and everyone will have a different costume from them!
During desphile, participants can play small scenes, sing songs, communicate with the public, and children at the same time spread candy right and left.
Every year before the start of the holiday, you must choose Queen Moro and King Christian. These characters wear the brightest and most expensive clothes and lead the procession, each on their day.
A truly amazing beauty action! All villages and nearby cities, tourists gather today along the main road and try to occupy the best place.
A special office supplies viewers with seats for 7 euros each. This makes a lot of money, apparently. In my experience, taking a chair is not needed, and you can stand up. But very often clever people and waiting for "chair conductors" to step aside, set their fifth point. In general, we also, by the way, at the suggestion of a policeman standing next to me and explaining to me not knowing what happened here.
It seems to me that, in fact, the actors in the march are not people, but costumes! Splendor - one word!
Color riots, textures, fabrics and hats. Make-up also deserves attention, on the road, for now +26, strong men and women!
Each group of demonstrators is divided by age and texture, as I understand it. These are boys, girls, or even women! Very bright. Rate it!
Well, man! Real warrior!
So who are these people? And how can you be a star for one day and walk through the city with feathers and scales, like in Rio de Janeiro, and is that possible?
Each individual costume team is called peña. All teams are subject to the same president, who is a good friend of mine. Here he drives a fat husband in fur and armor to go quickly, because you are many, and tsigel-tsigel!
So, everyone can become a member! Equality, age, and appearance that really isn't important. The only requirement is a complete commitment! Many meetings, training, equipment and, of course, joint offerings! How else to raise a team! Oh yes, another little thing - you need to make a membership fee! And not many can, and the biggest of 300 euros per month! With this money the living commune lined up, the material was bought and this extraordinary costume was sewn. If you pay 300 euros, then you will rent a dress and sandals, and if you pay 500, then you will make everything new for you! So the costumes will be placed in the museum for everyone to see.
And, of course, you need to decide which side you will impure: devout Christians or barbarians of the Arabs. I will choose the second one! Not politics, but beauty for! No one has been fighting with anyone, and everyone is a friend, and such a holiday binds the participants and the audience!
Today there will be a Christian parade which, according to history, has expelled Arabs from the Iberian region. And tomorrow is the last day of the holiday, the participants will say goodbye to gather again this year at this festival of life and beauty!
PS Dear reader, I apologize for the quality of the photo. I am an enthusiastic observer and narrator, but there are no photographers, and even mediocre phones.