The most important fiesta in Alicante is the Hogueras de San Juan, a week-long celebration culminating on June 24th. But already now there are various related events taking place. On Saturday it was the Desfile del Ninot, a gathering of about 90 civic associations in the centre, all dressed up in themed costumes. We also had a new event at the office, a charity party in an outdoor amphitheatre in the park that is part of our campus. I also did the usual walks with the dog and bike rides.
23_1
I start with some canine pictures. I spotted this driver in the parking lot of the Consum supermarket:
23_2
A furbaby in the centre:
23_3
Then some photos from my morning walks with Mochi, taken during the week. First, a woman exercises on the beach (this is very much a thing here in Alicante):
23_4
23_5
23_6
The rubbish bins on the beach are full in the morning. We are now in full season, but at least people are mostly doing the right thing:
23_7
One morning, the sunrise on the beach was golden:
23_8
23_9
Preparing for the day:
23_10
Footsteps in the sand:
23_11
Hazy morning:
23_12
Keeping a safe distance from Mochi and me:
23_13
Sunday 1 June was the second round of Poland’s presidential election. Since there are many Polish people living around Alicante, two polling places were set up in local hotels (there is no Polish consulate in Alicante, so the consulate in Barcelona rents space and sends some members of staff to supervise the voting). My daughter and I went to do our civic duty around lunchtime:
23_14
Afterwards, we went to have a drink on the terrace of this hole-in-the-wall (almost) bar:
23_15
Afterwards, we went for lunch at a place my daughter wanted to try, called Mango Sushi & Wine, described as a “Japan-Mediterranean” fusion place. It was actually excellent, a feast for both eyes and palate:
23_16
23_17
On Thursday afternoon we had a new kind of event at our office. Part of the office complex is a park, accessible to the general public during working hours. Our charity club organised a “sunset party”, with a concert by a local band, and drinks and snacks for sale to raise funds for the charities they support. Our executive director said a few words before the music started:
23_18
The leader of the band introduces them (most of us had never heard of them):
23_19
The band in action:
23_20
Fany records the proceedings:
23_21
Overall view of the amphitheatre:
23_22
The audience:
23_23
I walked around the crowd, stopping to photograph people I know particularly well. Here, Raymond, Caroline and Inge:
23_24
Katarina from Croatia caught me in the act:
23_25
On Friday I met for lunch with my former trainee Antanina, now a lecturer at London Metropolitan University. She was visiting Alicante, and as always, we got together for lunch. This time we went to a restaurant in the centre called Casa de Leo:
23_26
While Antanina and I were waiting for our food, I noticed another restaurant across the narrow pedestrian street. As a testimony to the increasing number of Polish visitors and residents here, the menu was in Spanish, English, French and Polish:
23_27
I love Casa de Leo. It is owned by French people, and the food is an eclectic mix of cuisines. This is my main course, a delicious tuna tartar:
23_28
Saturday was the highlight of the week. My Australian friends Geoff and his wife Bron are visiting Spain, and they spent a couple of days in Alicante. I really enjoyed meeting them on my home turf. We had dinner at one of the nice restaurants in the centre, Taberna del Gourmet:
23_29
Besides the pleasure of meeting Geoff and Bron, the evening was special because Saturday marked the start of the midsummer festive season which will culminate on June 24th, when the many installations around the city, called Hogueras or Ninots, will be burned. Each Hoguera is organised by a neighbourhood society, and on Saturday they all marched through the city in a series of parades, collectively called Desfile del Ninot. The groups arrived by bus at a large square called Plaza Luceros (where Geoff, Bron and I were having a beer), from where they walked to the town hall, about 1 km away:
23_30
People who dress up and go out in a public are an obvious target for an urban photographer like me:
23_31
23_32
As is usually the case with Spanish fiestas, this was very much a family event:
23_33
Chess pieces:
23_34
Cards:
23_35
A Mexican-themed party:
23_36
23_37
More chess pieces:
23_38
Colourful:
23_39
Hearts:
23_40
Canine conversation:
23_41
Fascination:
23_42
The street party continued well into the evening:
23_43
