A VERY WARM & SUNNY MANILVA ON THURSDAY - " FERIA DE SANTA ANA "

THURSDAY 26^th/ JULY 2018.  

  

We had another very ‘ clammy’ night, which was unusual, as yesterday evening when we were out a very stiff & pleasing breeze was blowing down the main street. ‘Prince Paddy’ had a good night sleeping on the marble floor at the foot of the bed before joining us on the bed this morning for his cuddles, after a quick freshen up we took him out for his first walk of the day, keeping in the shade, when we returned we all had our light breakfast!

We then had Amie call in with her ‘Podenco’ puppy ‘ Lex’ – yet another ‘ rescue dog’ – she’s a lively puppy and got on with ‘Paddy’ despite having a cone on, as she was neutered last week, she’s going to be with us in ‘ Doggy World Heaven ‘ from Sunday for 7 days, the cone is coming off on Monday, we have just heard from Eileen, over in Seattle, the folks fly back next week but will not be collecting ‘ Paddy’ until Thursday, two days more than we expected, we’re not complaining!

Yesterday evening, after supper, we popped out to watch the crowning of the ‘ Feria Queens’ – it takes place on the top stage in front of all the village family’s – our friends daughter, Laura, from the other night, was also the main ‘Queen’ this year, the whole village went mad and applauded as she was led up by her Grandfather, Manuel, to the stage, as you can see in the pictures above. 

I also took a picture later with her Mum, Nancy, when we went back up to ‘Bar Rojas’ for a nice cool drink, which Monica served to us in our regular glasses, not Plastic cups! All the Bars in ‘Calle Mar’have to use Plastic, as it’s a local by-law, when the ‘Festivals/Ferias are on! Juan in Bar Castillo’ does the same for us!!

The group later were very good and even played a couple of songs in English, including ‘ Stand by Me ‘ – by Ben E. King and the Drifters ( 1960 ) – which I saw at the ‘Empire Theater’ in Liverpool, back in the 60s, when my school friends, ‘The Dennisons’ – one of the original ‘ Merseybeat ‘ groups, who were the opening act!  “ Happy Memories “

This morning as the breeze had dropped it is back to normal, for the time of the year, clear skies and very hot & sunny, by lunchtime reaching 33 degs+ - the rest of the week and over the ‘ Feria’ weekend its’ going to be more of the same, getting a little hotter each day, next week is looking the same, but going a little cooler by Wednesday, watch this space.

See below Llandudno yesterday and the sunset last night over the Bay.

Later this morning I’m making a large pan of my famous ‘ Beef & Vegetable Stew ‘ – which will end up as ‘ Scouse ‘- which we will come back to over the weekend, as we are out & about ‘ Drinking, Dancing & Drinking’ Watch this space.

Today’s ‘ Stage 18 ‘ of the “ Tour de France “ is a ‘ sprinters day’ from Trie-sur-Baise to Pau, over 171 kms, yesterday in the final climb of the day Nario Quintana won, as Geraint Thomas extended his lead in the ‘Yellow Jersey ‘ as his team mate and the past four times winner, Chris Froome, faltered on the final 2 kms of the climb!

See below the route map;

This evening we will be going out to watch the parade of the ‘Tableu’ of ‘Santa Ana ‘ led by the Manilva Brass Band’ along the new ‘ Calle Mar’ for the first time, the ‘Feria’ will then be declared open and the whole village goes into ‘Party Mode’ for the next four nights & three days! It all ‘kicks-off’ with two bands on the stages, as one finishes the other one starts! Watch this space.

Thoughts for the Day; See above.

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