And
that was the World Cup that was! Despite England’s early exit, many
of Nerja’s foreign residents and visitors joined in to show their
support for Spain in the country’s first ever final in the
competition.
The scenes along
Burriana before, during and after the match on July 11 were
replicated across the country and beyond, as a nail-biting 90
minutes led to extra time. And when that goal from Andrés Iniesta
went into the back of the Dutch net just five minutes from the final
whistle, the beach exploded. Then the party began.
We reckoned there were
more people enjoying themselves on the paseo that evening than there
were on the night of the San Juan fiesta in June. Cars with horns
blaring and flags flying were forced to a crawl as the revellers
spilled out of the bars and onto the street. It was a unique
experience for Spain and one in which it was a delight to be
involved.
Following Rafael Nadal’s
triumph at Wimbledon, this was a night to be Spanish - or at least
to pretend to be.
It was, quite simply, an
outpouring of national pride which went on through the night and the
following days.
If there had been a
prize for Burriana’s best-decorated bar during the World Cup it
would have gone to Olas for its splendid display of football shirts,
flags of all nations, and more, pictured left.
Dean tells us that a
pool table will shortly be installed in the bar and that Olas hopes
to be participating in the Nerja Pool League which operates
througout the winter. All he needs now is a team of players …
Congratulations to Irene
and John Blackburn who spent several evenings during the World Cup
raising money for charity. A series of raffles and contests raised a
total of €500, a cheque for which has been sent to the British Heart
Foundation in London. Well done to them and thanks to all who
contributed.
And well done, too, to
all who pocketed a few bob by backing the winning team in the
competition. In Mick’s sweepstake, English barber John won €60 for
picking Uruguay, while Jackie and Stewart held Germany whose third
place earned them €100. Ian Kirkpatrick took home €160 when the
Netherlands came second, but Dave Jamieson hit the €320 jackpot
after selecting Spain at total random. The drinks are on him …
Another
event during July was the annual fiesta for the Virgen del
Carmen. After a mass in her honour, the image of the Virgen
was taken onto a waiting boat and sailed along the coast
(right). She came past Burriana at dusk, accompanied by
dozens of other craft, large and small, including one
burning a red flare which emitted so much smoke that we lost
sight of her as she turned for the return journey back to
the town centre. The object of the exercise is to allow the
Saint to bless the water, making it safe for those who earn
their living from it for another year, and has its origins
in the fishing villages of Andalucía. Naturally, the event
was accompanied by plenty of noise and fireworks.
So here we
are in August with its annual hot weather and lack of
parking spaces. Although there has been little respite from
soccer this summer, the 2010-2011 UK season is already
underway with the first Scottish league matches on July 31.
The sports bars along Burriana are now gearing themselves up
for the start of the English football season on August 14.
And finally,
well done to Lennie from Bar Blue Med on his recent thespian
outing. He was part of the cast of the 70s nostalgia night
at the Boatyard Bar in Playa Playazo, staged in memory of
Julie last month.
In a variety
of roles, Lennie appeared as a remarkably agile member of
the Village People and as the Irish actor Jackie Wright who
was Benny Hill’s bald-headed sidekick.
As well as
allowing his head to be patted in true Hill style (left),
Lennie also stunned the audience with his remarkable timing
in a unique version of Ernie, the Fastest Milkman in the
West …
