A small rock in the Atlantic: 04/07/2010

Saturday, 10 July 2010

Programme for Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th

9 am Children’s sport

Canoeing in the port
Aerobics in Calle O Daly
Basketball in the sport area, just outside the port of Santa Cruz
Skating in the sea front car park
Tai Chi Plaza José Mata
Death slide / zip wireSanta Catalina castle
Cycling A route around the town

11 am Children’ ballet, “The Dance of the Mermaids” First performance: Plaza de la Alameda; Second Acera Ancha; third: Plaza de España; y fourth, en la calle Apurón, Performed by the pulpils of teh Municipal dance school, , the children’s choir of the Music School and the Municipal band.

5 pm A dance by Mascarones (I think this means gargoyles) from the old hospital by the children’s park along the following streets: San Vicente de Paúl, José López, Avda. El Puente, A. Pérez de Brito, Plaza de España and O’Daly to the stage in the port.

8 pm Canarian wrestling. A team from La Palma takes on one from the rest of the Canaries. In the Plaza de Santo Domingo.

10 pm Concert by Melendi inthe main stage.

Midnight Public dance at the sea-front stage.

Sunday
6 am Marching bands paying in the street at 6 am.

9 am Children’s sport

Canoeing in the port
Aerobics and Spinning (I’m not sure what they mean) in the Plaza España
Basketball in the sport area, just outside the port of Santa Cruz
Skating in the sea front car park
Tai Chi Plaza José Mata
Death slide / zip wireSanta Catalina castle
Cycling A route around the town

9 pm Concert of sacred music by the Ainur Choir from Gran Canaria in the church of the Saviour (ont he Plaza España)

10 pm Comedy special at the main stage.

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Monday, 5 July 2010

Moving the Throne

The huge crowd accompanying the Virgin's throne, Las Nieves, Santa Cruz de la Palma

The main event on Sunday was the huge procession to bring the Virgin's throne down from Las Nieves to Santa Cruz de la Palma.

The throne comes apart into perhaps twenty pieces, each mad of wood, covered with silver. It's a great honour to carry one, but some of the sections look like they weigh a ton.

Pieces of the Virgin's throne, Las Nieves, Santa Cruz de la Palma

Last time I went to the bajada del trono it was baking hot. Sunday was cloudy, which is most unusual for July. That made the light less attractive for photography, but much pleasanter for walking along in a crowd.

And what a crowd! According to the island government, there were 72,000 of us. Certainly the full width of the road was jammed solid for at least the half-kilometre I could see. Considering that the normal population of the island is 86,000 that's amazing. Of course lots of ex-pat Palmerans come home for the bajada, and lots of tourists come too. I wouldn't be surprised if the island sank a little lower into the sea under the weight of all the visitors.

Child in traditional dress, Las Nieves, Santa Cruz de la Palma

Many of the crowd wore the traditional dress. I think they look lovely, especially the little kids, but the costume is very slow to make yourself (all that embroidery!) or expensive to buy. Maybe for the next bajada. And cute as the infants are, I think a lot of them found it all too much.

Child in traditional dress, Las Nieves, Santa Cruz de la Palma

People come from all over the Canary Islands. I enjoyed the group of guitarists and singers from Lanzarote, but my favourite was the group of musicians and dancers from El Hierro, dressed in white and red.

El Hierro is the smallest of the Canary islands, and they ahve their own bajada every four years. Although El Hierro is only 12 km across, they carry the statue of the virgin right the way across the island, dancing all the way (in shifts.) When I first heard the music on the TV, I found it far too shrill, but when you hear it live, the WHUMP! Of the big drums balances out the flutes beautifully, and you want to dance.

Dancers from El Hierro, Bajada de la Virgen, Santa Cruz de la Palma

Lots of other groups of friends brought their guitars and mandolins, and were singing traditional songs as they went. Most of the crowd bring along drinks and snacks, either in shoulder bags and traditional wine-skins, or on wheels. I saw quite a few decorated supermarket trolleys, including one that had a barbecue going. Yup, they were grilling sausages as they went.

Mobile BBQ, Bajada de la Virgen, Santa Cruz de la Palma

Although this is was a big event, the really big procession takes place on July 17th, when they bring the statue of the Virgin herself down to Santa Cruz. That's usually a much more solemn, religious affair.