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Spain

Carnival in Alicante

On Saturday, we headed down to Rambla Street to check out the “Disabte Rambler” carnival event. This is the day when people dress up in different costumes and have a party on Rambla Street. We did up a costume and prepared to venture out into the madness of the “Disabte Rambler”.

Ray and Shelley dressed for the Carnival

We headed to the bus stop to wait for our bus. When the bus arrived it was full of people dressed in crazy costumes including yellow ducks, ninjas and kitty cats. We got on a street near the Rambla and met some of our friends at a local pub before heading down Rambla Street.

Ray, Mike, Liz, Felipe and Shelley before heading to the “Rambler”.

We headed towards the “Rambler” after having a refreshment to explore the carnival. Along the way, there were large crowds of people in costumes having meals or walking towards the carnival.

People in costumes having a meal at one of the restaurants along the way to the Rambler

We were amazed at the thousands of people in the Rambla Street area. There were costumes of all different kinds and every imaginable type.

View of Rambla Street on Carnival evening

We walked through the crowd admiring some of the unique costumes. People were dressed in elaborate costumes some which must have been expensive and time-consuming to make. We would stop and get a picture taken with some of the people in costume.

Ray with Carnival drag “Queen”
Shelley and Felipe with a group of carnival “girls”
Elaborate costume of the girl in Exorcist on bed which she could move throughout the carnival

Entire families would dress up in a theme and be in costume. We watched an entire family of candy walk by.

A large group dressed at “Congruitos” a Spanish popular candy

Even NASA and Donald Trump were present in costume at the carnival.

Group of people dressed as Nasa space explorers

There was a group of people who did a themed costume of Donald Trump. One was dressed as Donald trump, others were dressed up as a wall and others were dressed as Mexicans. When they would see another person dressed as a Mexican or immigrant they would form a wall and Donald would ask for their papers. We were even stopped at the “wall”

Donald Trump and his wall in the carnival stopping Felipe from passing.

Other costumes were silly and fun like the man in the box.

Costume of a man in a cardboard box

There were two stages set up on Rambla Street, one at each end of the street. They were playing live music and people were watching and dancing away.

Live music on stage on Rambla Street

We walked through the crowd from one end of Rambla to the other and then headed towards home. It was a very enjoyable evening and lots of fun. Next year we will be doing an elaborate costume to take part in the event.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

Correfrocs Ball de Diables

There is a carnival in Alicante that starts on February 23rd and continues until March 5th.  The carnival is full of different activities that include fireworks, dressing in costumes and other events. The carnival begins with a parade through some of the streets of Alicante ending with a big party at the Plaza del Carmen. The parade is full of people walking through the street some are dressed as devils and setting off fireworks and sparklers.

We headed over to the Plaza del Carmen early to check out the area before the big crowds showed up.  There was a stage set up for music another section with a bar and some barbecue pits. We then could hear the parade approaching through the narrow streets so we headed over to watch the parade.

Parade procession through the narrow streets of Alicante

We watched the crowds of people gather into the Plaza del Carmen. Some people were dressed in capes, with makeup and wearing devils horns, others were playing musical instruments and singing. People were pushing carts full of fireworks and they were carrying bicycle wheels with fireworks attached.

One of the many carts used to push the fireworks
Ray standing beside one of the carts

Once everyone was gathered in the plaza they started to set off fireworks in the middle of the plaza. It was an amazing thing to see because the sparkles were raining down on the crowd.

Fireworks and sparklers in Plaza del Carmen

They also stood on the shoulders of other people to elevate the sparklers.

climbing up on the shoulders of another person to set off fireworks
Standing on the shoulders of people to set off fireworks

We stayed and watched the fireworks show for a while and left once the live music began. The experience was unique and spectacular. What amazed Ray was the use of handheld fireworks and the lack of apparent concerns for injury.

Here is a small video to give you an example of the fireworks.

Adios y que tenga un gran dia”

Spain

Residency cards renewed

It is hard to believe we have been here a year already.  We were required to renew our residency card which expired in January 2017. We began the renewal process in November 2016 with the first process attending the “Oficina de Extranjero” to have our documents reviewed to ensure they met the requirements.

We headed to the “Oficina de Extranjero” and arrived early in the hopes of getting served quickly. We took a number and waited our turn. After approximately 30 minutes our number was called and we met with a clerk. She reviewed our papers and informed us that we were missing one form. The form was available online and we needed to return with it completed. We were not permitted to complete it there so off we went back home.   We completed the form and returned another day to have our documents reviewed again.

After waiting approximately 45 minutes our number was called and we met with a different clerk. She reviewed our documents and asked for a new document that was not on the list, however, I brought every document we had, including the one she asked for. We provided the additional document and was advised that we would receive a letter in the mail advising if the application was approved.

A month later we received a letter in the mail advising us to proceed to make an appointment at a different office for our residency card. We went online and scheduled an appointment which was three weeks later at a different office.

Campo de Mirra office

We attended the office located on Campo de Mirra with a copy of all our documentation and met with another clerk. They reviewed our documents and the letter we received from the other office.  We were then issued with another letter which required us to return again in another month to pick up our new residency cards.

We returned a month later and after having our fingerprints scanned we were able to pick up our new residency cards. We are now good for two years before going through the process again.

“adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

The Seneca Bomb Shelter in Alicante

The city of Alicante has a very long and diverse history. Throughout the years there have been numerous battles and wars fought on the shores of Alicante. In 1936 there was a civil war and Alicante became a vital stronghold for the republican government.  The Seneca Air Raid Shelter was part of a network of approximately 100 underground bomb shelters located throughout the City of Alicante. They were built by the republican Authorities during the Spanish civil war (1936 to 1939).  Alicante was heavily bombed over 70 times during the civil war.

Map with locations of bomb shelters in Alicante during the civil war 1936-1939

These shelters were intended to protect the civilian population from air attacks by the German and Italian aircraft. Alicante was bombed more than 70 times between 1936 and 1939.

Image of one of the bombing runs over Alicante during the civil war of 1936-1939

The Plaza Seneca was renovated uncovering the entrances to the bomb shelter, which has now been opened up to the public. We went to check out the bomb shelter and learn about the network of shelters in Alicante.

Ray at the entrance of the Bomb Shelter R31 which is located in Seneca plaza

We began our tour in a small area with photos and documentation of the bomb shelters. Our guide spoke only Spanish and it was a challenge to understand some of the commentaries.

Our guide explaining the civil war and the creation of the Bomb shelters in Alicante

We had an opportunity to see some of the original documentation outlining the locations and designs of the various bomb shelters in Alicante.

We then saw a short video on the history of the creation of the shelters and the outcome of the civil war which ended with a dictatorship in Spain by Francisco Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975). He was a Spanish general who ruled over Spain as a dictator for 36 years from 1939 until his death in 1975.

After the video, we headed to see the bomb shelter. The door to the shelter provided access to a set of stairs which went down 21 feet underground. We headed down the stairs into the bomb shelter which has basically remained intact since its construction in 1936.

Stairway into the bomb shelter

At the base of the stairs, the shelter corridor turns to the left. The design of the shelter reduces the blast zone through separated small cubicle rooms throughout.

Model of the Seneca bomb shelter showing the layout of the divided rooms along the corridor.

The walls of the shelter were constructed with stone and the floor was a dirt floor.

Shelley in bomb shelter

There were different messages painted on the walls providing some instructions to people in the bomb shelter.

A message, “Keep silent for the duration of the alarm” painted in Spanish on the wall of the shelter.
“Respect the shelter is belongs to everyone” written in Spanish
“The center is the best of the shelter” In Spanish encouraging people to go to the center for safety.
“Give seats to children and the elderly” in Spanish on Bomb shelter wall

Along one end of the shelter, there was a small medical section for people who may be injured.

Medical station at the end of the corridor in bomb shelter

The main corridor of the bomb shelter was 51 meters long and adjacent to the corridor were 38 cubicles. Each cubicle was intended to protect the people from the bombings.

Ray walking along the corridor of the bomb shelter
51-meter long corridor of bomb shelter with 38 cubicles
Cubicle in bomb shelter

The entire bomb shelter was able to hold 1200 people. There were no washrooms and very limited space and seating. The intent was simple to protect people for the duration of the bombings. We walked along the corridor and imagined the horror children and parents would have endured waiting in the bomb shelter while their homes were being bombed.

It was an interesting day but somewhat sad thinking about how people had to live during those years.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

Ostrich Egg Breakfast

We went to the central market and decided that we would buy an Ostrich egg to try it. We went to an egg market stall called “Huevos Yolanda” that sold ostrich eggs. We asked for an egg and she explained that they are ordered and she would call when it arrived.  We ordered one which took three weeks before we received it. We picked it up at the market and was surprised at the size and weight of the ostrich egg.

Ostrich egg being sold to us from the central market

We walked home carrying the egg like a football, being careful not to drop it.

Ray bring in the ostrich egg into the apartment

The egg was bigger than we expected and weighed 2.6 kilograms. Apparently, one ostrich egg is equal to approximately 2 dozen chicken eggs.

Ostrich egg compared to an extra-large chicken egg

We invited some of our friends over to enjoy an ostrich egg brunch. The brunch began with Champaign and orange juice and the breaking of the ostrich egg. I gathered up my hammer and a screwdriver to gently crack the egg. Everyone gathered around the table for the event. It was quite the adventure cracking the egg.

We put the egg into a medium-size stainless steel bowl.

Stainless steel bowl for the Ostrich egg.

We whisked the egg in the bowl and then cooked scrambled egg.

Cooking up the egg required two large frying pans.

Ray cooking up one scrambled Ostrich egg

After cooking the ostrich egg everyone enjoyed brunch. The egg was similar to a chicken egg but was a bit creamier in texture and taste. The one egg was big enough to provide enough scrambled egg for eight people.

Liz, Barbara, and Denise eating Ostrich egg brunch
Mike, Filipe, Ray and Mike having Ostrich egg brunch

Although the experience was very enjoyable and fun, I am not sure I would buy an Ostrich egg every week. The cost of one Ostrich egg is  33 euros or $46.5 Canadian dollars.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”