Hopefully I whetted your appetites in my previous post, so I thought I would do a quick update today on yesterday’s fiesta fun.
Our friend Jaqui invited a few of us to join her and her daughter Melissa for menú del día in Restaurante Monasterio. For those of you not in the know, the Spanish fixed price menú del día is a wonderful invention, started in 1965 under the Franco régime to guarantee workers a good cheap meal at lunchtime. The cost of our lunch was 9€ per head, with so many starters, mains and desserts to choose from that we had to ask our patient waiter to repeat the choices a couple of times.
Waiting for our main courses to arrive
We shared a generous salad to begin with, and then the waiter kindly brought fussy old me a tapa of ensalada marisco as I didn’t like any of the starters. In my defence, my choice was slightly limited by the fact that I don’t eat any meat! The starters included salmorejo (similar to gazpacho), consomé with pelotas (meatballs) and arroz tres delicias, which looked like vegetable rice however, as I suspected, some ham had been added. Main courses included sardines, boquerones, chicken, meat kebabs and escalopes – I can’t remember all the choices, just the dishes our group selected. We begged for a break before we ordered desserts, as by this stage we were all feeling pretty full! I had a yummy tiramisu (I received some envious looks from my fellow diners) and other homemade desserts included tarta de queso, flan and natillas. We had a couple of bottles of good Jumilla wine to accompany our meal, and coffee to finish.
John and I were offered a lift home but declined, as we needed to walk off some of our huge lunch. Just to remind you, the menu was 9€ each: amazing value!
We also walked into town that evening, to meet up with Jaqui and Melissa again, plus other friends. The meeting point was Bar La Casa, because we knew that Cristina was due to play a starring role in the evening’s events, as she is one of the Reinas for 2011. When we arrived Cristina was working hard serving us and other customers, dressed in her everyday clothes, but she assured us that she would be changing later on.
Cristina wearing her sash
After some tapas and red wine, and once a totally transformed Cristina had emerged, we all wandered across the road to join in the festivities. The plaza was already crowded and the atmosphere was buzzing, as families watched their children dancing on the large stage. In between the dance performances, the Fiesta Reinas were being crowned and presented with bouquets. We all cheered loudly when Cristina received her award, calling out “Guapa!” There were also bursts of fireworks in between performances, as I predicted. When we left just after midnight it was obvious that many of the revellers would be partying for a long time, however we had two more late nights ahead of us, so decided it would be wise to pace ourselves.
Most people associate the Fiesta of San Fermín with Pamplona and bull-running in July, however I decided to do a bit of investigation into the connection between bulls and “Saint Firmin” (as he is also known), in the interests of journalistic accuracy. After my research, I was even more confused than before.
Apparently San Fermín’s feast day is actually on September 25th and not July 6th. The connection with bulls seems a bit tenuous too: there is one story that Saint Fermín died being dragged through the streets by bulls, although other sources suggest that it was a different saint. However he was definitely born in Pamplona, which I am sure is enough of a connection to justify the annual celebrations both there and throughout Spain.
Jumillanos love a good party, so the neighbours in the Barrio of San Fermín will be celebrating their saint’s day (inJuly) with great enthusiasm over the next few days. Fortunately there won’t be any bulls in the neighbourhood, so John and I plan to go along tonight with some friends to join in the fiesta fun.
I have to say that I have never been to a bull-fight and I don’t intend going to one. I just accept that it is one of the few Spanish traditions that I can’t agree with, though I don’t think it is my place to tell them so, especially since hunting was allowed in the UK until recent years. However I am pleased to report that a growing number of Spaniards are campaigning against all forms of cruelty to animals, and there is now an Antitaurino group here in Jumilla, which my facebook friend Irene from 4 Patas kindly signed me up for!
The programme for this year’s Fiestas de San Fermín includes several processions, a special mass, a Tortilla Española competition, dance displays, children’s games, a concert by a Pop Rock group and, to close the festivities, a concert by the talented Flamenco group Al Golpe.
During our first couple of years in Jumilla we watched the children playing at bull-fighting during the fiesta, but it doesn’t seem to be on the agenda this year, which we think is a good thing. Although I must admit that the children were so cute that I couldn’t resist taking a couple of photos. I hope nobody minds if I post one here:
Children taking part in the Fiestas de San Fermin
Tonight we are going to watch the Coronation of the Fiesta Queens. We aren’t sure exactly what is involved, but our lovely friend Cristina from Bar La Casa is one of the Reinas, so we are going along to support her. There will be a dance display too by the Academia Aurora González, who so impressed us with their performance in Teatro Vico, so we know it will be an enjoyable evening. We suspect that a few loud fireworks might be lit tonight as well, although nothing has been advertised: after all a fiesta isn’t a fiesta in Spain without one or two deafening blasts!
For John and me – and anybody else living on a restricted budget – one of the benefits of living in Spain is the cheap entertainment. We have a wonderful theatre in town (Teatro Vico) and tickets for performances there don’t exactly break the bank, however we have two other theatres in Jumilla where entry is free.
Teatro Vico
As part of their mandate, Spanish savings banks provide social, charitable and cultural services. Both CAM and CajaMurcia in Jumilla have exhibition halls where art and photographic exhibitions can be held, and they both have small theatres for concerts, drama and dance displays as well as many other events.
Last night we went to see a video presentation in CajaMurcia’s theatre, which is above their main Jumilla branch. They have an exhibition room there too, so beforehand we looked at the display of posters for this year’s Cabalgate Infantíl, which children from local schools had designed. The children’s procession takes place during Jumilla’s Fiestade la Vendimia in August, so naturally wine featured in many of the posters, but Bob Esponja also seemed to be a popular theme!
The video presentation was scheduled to start at 20.00, so being optimistic we wandered into the theatre at that time. It looked promising, as we could see that everything had been set up and a few other people were already in there, however Jumillanos aren’t exactly noted for their punctuality. The señor in charge kept looking at his watch, and we heard a few words being muttered about not everybody being there, and “puntualidad” was also mentioned.
Eventually the show began at 20.15, which is impressive by Jumilla’s standards. The video showed scenes from Jumilla’s Fiesta de la Vendimia going back to the early 80s and finishing with last year’s celebrations. There were plenty of laughs from the audience and a few sarcastic comments as people recognised the participants, which added to the atmosphere. We recognised at least three people taking part in earlier years’ festivities.
Each video clip showed a procession with adults and children carrying baskets of grapes, a group treading the grapes (all looking remarkably similar to each other), lots of people kissing each other as they presented bouquets of flowers, glimpses of traditional dancers, plus the revellers getting covered in red wine during the Gran Cabalgata del Vino at the end of the fiesta.
Soaked in red wine
If you are coming to Spain for a holiday, or if you plan to move here permanently, I recommend finding out where your nearest savings bank is. We have seen some fascinating exhibitions since we moved to Jumilla, and enjoyed some amazing concerts, and it hasn’t cost us a cent!
Spain has always been a popular holiday destination, however many tourists don’t get the most out of their stay. Sure, they return with a suntan (or more likely sunburn!), several pounds heavier weight-wise, several pounds lighter money-wise (having spent far too many euros), some tacky souvenirs and lots of exciting photos of them on the beach, by the pool or in the bar. Is that what you want? Or do you fancy doing something different this year?
Before you go on holiday, use the internet to research your holiday with a difference. Staying on the Costa del Sol? Away from the beaches there are some lovely villages to visit on the ruta de los pueblos blancos, or discover the city of Malaga instead of bypassing it in your rush to reach the beach. Costa Blanca? There is a lot to see in Alicante (the city, not the airport!) and if you are a wine lover, come and visit Jumilla, known as the city of wine. A good place to start your research is http://www.spain.info/en/, and don’t forget to check whether there are going to be any fiestas in the area you are visiting.
Visit Mijas for the day when staying on the Costa del Sol
The first thing you will have to learn when you are on holiday is to get up a bit earlier than usual, so that you can enjoy the whole day, and to leave your hotel/apartment/resort/comfort zone. You are going out for breakfast, which for Spanish people is best enjoyed in a café or bar between 10 and 12. They will have had a cup of coffee first thing, but the morning break is a time to meet friends and have a chat over a coffee and tostada or maybe chocolate and churros. You will definitely need a snack then, because you aren’t going to have lunch until 2pm at the earliest!
Spend your morning walking around the nearest town, visiting museums and churches, strolling through local parks and generally working up a good appetite for lunch. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes, to slap on the suntan lotion, to bring your camera (this year your friends may find your photos a bit more interesting than usual) and remember to carry a bottle of water.
Keep your eyes open while you are enjoying your walk because you are looking out for a good menú del día, however be aware that many restaurants won’t advertise them before 1pm. This is a top money-saving tip in Spain: have your main meal at lunchtime like the Spanish do, though avoid obvious tourist areas to get the best value for your money. Menú del día will usually cost you between 8€ and 12€ for a minimum of 3 courses, bread and a drink. We know a very good bar in Jumilla where for 8€ we get a shared salad to start with, a basket of bread, a wide choice of starters, mains and desserts, a carafe of red wine with water or refresco plus coffee to finish our meal. After that, we don’t need much food in the evening!
Drive inland from the Costa Blanca to visit Jumilla castle, a local bodega, and have menú del día
Lunch will be a leisurely affair, which is good news, as you will be indoors during the hottest part of the day. If you want to go native, observe how Spanish people avoid sitting in the sun. They love being outdoors during the summer: enjoying a drink, chatting to their friends, promenading along the sea front, but they walk in the shade or sit under a parasol. Also observe that, even though Spanish chicas will wear miniscule skirts or shorts in town, beach wear is kept strictly for the beach.
After lunch you can stroll back to your hotel or apartment for a siesta if you fancy going really native, or plan ahead for the evening, relax with a good book, and enjoy a cold drink. In tourist areas there may be shops open in the afternoon, but elsewhere only supermarkets disregard the traditional siesta.
If you haven’t gone out for a menú del día, be prepared to pay more for your evening meal, and also be prepared to wait for it! We were staying in Barcelona a few years ago, and left our hotel at 8pm to find somewhere to eat. Nearly every restaurant was shut, and as we were hungry we were becoming a bit anxious. We popped into a bar that was open, for a glass of wine and some tapas to calm our nerves. As we left the bar just after 9pm, we saw that restaurants were beginning to open up again. Lesson learnt!
Depending on where you are staying, you may be given a free tapa with your drink when you go out in the evening for a glass of wine . If you had a big lunch, that may be all you need. If not, look for a bar that is full of local people and you should find the best and cheapest tapas there.
A peaceful square in Valencia
Finally, don’t go to bed too early or you may miss the best part of the day. On the last night of a holiday in Valencia to enjoy the Las Fallas festival, we were on our way back to our hotel just after midnight, when we decided to stop for a coffee. Noticing a large marquee in the square behind the bar, we decided to take a quick look and discovered that a band was tuning up inside. Local people were beginning to go into the marquee and encouraged us to join them, pointing out that there was a bar set up in the corner, which was selling drinks for 1€.
Soon everybody was up dancing to the music, chatting away to us in a mixture of English and Spanish and generally having a good time. There was a mixture of both young and old, from niños to abuelos, all making a lot of noise (Spanish people tend to be noisy) but nobody appeared to be drunk, even though vast amounts of alcohol were being served at the bar. When we left at three in the morning the party was still in full swing, however sadly we had a flight to catch!
If you decide to go native in Spain, you are guaranteed to have a great time. Please tell us all about your experiences and any recommendations in the comments box below.
You can live very cheaply in Spain – making it ideal for people who retire here – but if you’re a keen reader you will soon discover that buying books in English can break your budget! This is particularly true for those of us who live inland, as local bookshops stock mainly Spanish books (which aren’t exactly cheap) and the few English books that they sell are expensive.
That was how we came up with the idea of having a monthly bookswap for other British people living in the area. I think all of us had brought piles of books with us when we first moved over here, but had read them all after living here for a few years.
The garden at Bar La Casa
We decided to hold the bookswap between 11.00 and 12.00 on the first Tuesday of the month in Bar La Casa, which is next to the Centro de Salud in Jumilla. We chose Tuesday as that is market day, so most people come into Jumilla to buy the delicious – and cheap – fresh fruit and vegetables in the local market. We decided on Bar La Casa partly because – from necessity – most retired people know where the Health Centre is and partly because there is a lovely enclosed garden at the back, which is an ideal place to enjoy a coffee or cold drink in the summer months. During the winter months we sit inside in the restaurant area, as they have an open fire there, which usually has a couple of smouldering logs to keep us warm!
If you are thinking of moving to Spain, you may want to set up a similar scheme. Not only is it a good way of saving money, but also it helps you make more friends who speak the same language. We have some wonderful Spanish friends here, but it is good to be able to speak your own language occasionally and not have to think about it. Having said that, one English friend speaks Spanish so fluently that she sometimes forgets the odd English word!
Although the bookswap is a monthly event, most of us now pop into Bar La Casa at about 12.00 on the other Tuesdays of the month, for a general catch up and gossip. Today we looked at the programmes for the fiestas of San Fermin and San Cristobel, and decided which acts we would watch later on in the week.
The good news though, if there aren’t any other English people living in your area, is that you can now order books online from Amazon.co.uk and, if you spend a minimum of £25, they offer free Super Saver delivery to Spain. If you haven’t read my book “Retiring the Olé Way” yet, why not add it to your basket? (Shameless plug alert!)
In theory we can laze on every afternoon, as we have both retired . However Sunday is definitely our day of rest. During the week we have friends to meet for coffee, friends to meet for tapas, shopping, walking the dog and of course, especially during July, I have to include writing my blog on my list. Sunday though is usually a day for taking it easy.
John and I have totally embraced the Spanish way of life – with one exception. We don’t do siestas. OK, if I was to be totally honest, I would admit to the occasional little doze and odd 40 winks. This is a rare occurrence though and so far has only happened under the following circumstances: we have been shopping in Murcia city, then we have had a lovely leisurely, typically Spanish lunch (i.e. menú del día including lots of red wine) before catching the bus back to Jumilla. And of course the bus has been warm, and the rocking movement has encouraged my heavy lids to slowly close, and …. zzzzz
On Sunday morning I do try to dress a bit smarter than usual (my best trainers rather than an older pair) because we know that when we walk down town lots of families will be out strolling in their Sunday best, many of them going to or from mass. We usually take our dog Lisa with us when we go to buy the Sunday papers so that her many friends can call out “Hola Lisa!”.
This Sunday was no exception, except for the fact that there were a few dark clouds in the sky. This is July, for goodness sake – July in Spain! Dark clouds have no right to be lurking in the sky during July. The Spanish met office website http://www.aemet.es/es/portada had said there was only a 10% chance of rain, which is basically no chance, isn’t it? (Statistics was my least favourite subject at school by the way).
Can this be summer?
Anyway, I am English, and I guess I kind of expect rain in summer, so my brolly went into my bag. Fortuituously, as it turned out.
It was slightly cooler than it has been in recent weeks, so we went the long way round to the paper shop to give Lisa a bit more exercise. We needed a bit more exercise too, after overindulging on Saturday evening!
We buy La Verdad newspaper on Sundays as it is a good way to improve our Spanish, plus the supplements give me the latest gossip, albeit many of the “celebrities” are Spanish stars that I have never heard of. They did a huge spread for “Guillermo y Catalina’s” wedding however (known to us as William and Kate), and this Sunday there was a photo of Queen “Isabel” II!
On the way home we stopped at Cervecería Borneo for a coffee. Lisa likes it there as the owner always make a fuss of her, and the tables are quite a way from the road, so she isn’t disturbed by the traffic. There are usually a few groups of cyclists sitting outside on Sunday mornings, all with the latest cycling gear on, rehydrating with several cañas.
We didn’t linger there too long, as the dark clouds were gathering momentum and the sun had totally disappeared from sight. We had just crossed the main road when the first drops fell, and we are talking seriously heavy drops not the usual Spanish lightweight drops of rain. The umbrellas were unfurled as we started walking a bit quicker, as did Lisa. Lisa is very much a fair weather dog.
There weren’t many cars parked outside the building by the time that we had returned, but this was nothing to do with the weather. Many of our neighbours are young people who are buying their first home, and their parents live in town. We have noticed that Sunday is the day for going home to Mamá for a family Sunday lunch. I suspect that some of them, especially the sons, take their weekly washing home to Mamá too!
It was lucky that we had planned a lazy afternoon watching Wimbledon and the Tour de France on TV – as well as reading the papers – because we had two heavy downpours plus a thunderstorm. In fact the small town of Jumilla actually made it onto National TV’s weather programme that evening. We spotted Jumilla on the weather map, showing a figure of 3l/sq m of rain in one hour. This was after the first downpour – however the second one was even heavier, and soon it looked as if a river was running down our street. Luckily normal service has been resumed today and the sun is shining again.
Música entre Vinos was a brilliantly conceived idea from the Ruta del Vino Jumilla and is now in its fourth season. Put simply, during the summer months a series of concerts are held in local Bodegas, where you can also taste wines from the Bodega accompanied by local dishes. We had already enjoyed five of the first six events (we applied too late for the sixth one!) and were looking forward to the other four that we have booked.
We popped into Los Chilines wine shop for a word with José María on Friday. He told us that tickets were still available for the Música entre Vinos events at Bodegas Viña Campanero next weekend and Bodegas Pedro Luis Martinez the following weekend, however only a couple are left for the closing event at Bodegas Bleda on 30th July. This year’s events have proved extremely popular and most have sold out well in advance.
Even more astonishing was the news that La Gran Cata, which is being held on 29th July, has already sold out. Apparently there were 400 applications for the 250 tickets – luckily we had reserved tickets last week for ourselves and our friends Lesley and John!
On Saturday night we headed to Bodegas JM Martínez Verdú, hoping that the event would be as good as the one we attended there last year. It was rather worrying when we drove through a downpour, as we suspected that the concert was going to be held outside. We arrived to find our friend Fina looking anxiously at the sky. She reassured us that our four reserved tickets were there, while muttering to us that she was nervous about the weather.
Inside the bodega
Fortunately the weather was on our side and we enjoyed a wonderful evening. I have to say that the whole event exceeded our expectations: it was very well organised; the wine flowed; the food was absolutely delicious; the music was from the superb Flamenco group Al Golpe and we enjoyed watching Flamenco dancers too – and finally there was a wonderful atmosphere with so many people having a good time.
The evening started with a tour of the bodega for those people who hadn’t visited it before. The rest of us showed our tickets to get a wine glass and shortly afterwards the efficient, smiling staff wandered around with bottles of chilled white and rosado wines to top up our glasses. That was a good start to the evening and it got even better when plates of food appeared. The catering was provided by one of our favourite bars in Jumilla, Bar Paraiso. (When visitors want to taste authentic Spanish food in a typical Spanish bar, that’s where we take them, for the excellent value 8€ menú del día!)
John, waiting with our friends Lesley and John, for the wine to appear!
We enjoyed some tiny empanadas (savoury pasties), what appeared to be mini sausage rolls (though I gave them a miss as I don’t eat meat) and the most delicious seafood vol au vents I have ever tasted. I don’t know how many of the tiny vol au vents I ate, but every time they offered me another one I willingly accepted. Yummy!
We then moved into the garden further down the road for the actual concert by Al Golpe. Three coach-loads of British residents from Torrevieja on the coast had ventured inland for this event. They had been persuaded to come along by their Spanish teacher Begonia, who coincidentally is teaching Spanish to Lesley’s son Nick, who has just moved to Los Alcazares.
Once the concert started, the evening became very lively. Al Golpe are a talented group of three young musicians from Jumilla. I will give a link to a video that I took at the concert, but believe me they sound even better live, with an appreciative Spanish (and English!) audience. To add to the experience there were a couple of lovely Flamenco dancers who, or so we were told, were the daughters of José María, the owner of the Bodega.
While we were enjoying the concert, some good red wine was served (look out for Xenys, Xenysel or Calzás on the label, if you want to try their wines) and even more delicious food. We had to smile when we overheard an English woman saying “they are bringing round bread and jam!” Excuse me, Madam, it is a local delicacy of fried goat’s cheese topped with jam made from Monastrell grapes – and absolutely delicious.
Plate after plate of jámon, cold meats, cheese and tapas were brought round and, just when we thought we were full, they produced desserts! Tiny dishes of lemon sorbet to refresh our palates were followed by arroz con leche, tarta moka and fresh fruit kebabs.
We all agreed that this was the best event so far, but we are going to three more this month so I will be reporting back on them over the next couple of weeks.
Going out for breakfast (desayunar is the Spanish word for “to have breakfast”) is still an important tradition in Jumilla. Local people start the day early with not much more than a cup of coffee, so by the time it is 10 or 11 Spanish workers are ready for their breakfast. Most of the cafés and bars are full at that time of day, with people enjoying a café or zumo plus a tostada, and inevitably talking to their friends and colleagues loudly and at great speed. Trying to follow their conversations is a good test of your Spanish comprehension!
Twice a week we meet our friend Juana María for desayuno, and at this time of the year we usually go to Bar Chaparral’s summer terrace just outside the Jardín del Rey Don Pedro. This is one of the joys of living in Spain: sitting outside with friends, blue skies overhead, birds singing in the garden, and relaxing over a cup of coffee or a fruit juice.
John’s breakfast of choice is a café solo and he has tostada with butter and jam. I have now embraced the Spanish way of having tostada and pour extra virgin olive oil on top of it. Tostada, by the way, is not a slice of supermarket bread, but is a toasted baguette, so we have a media tostada rather than a whole one. Many people have tomato on their tostada, sometimes crushing a fresh tomato and garlic on top of the olive oil. One thing that you are unlikely to find once you are away from the Spanish Costas is a full English breakfast – we have certainly not come across it in our local Spanish cafés!
One difference we have noticed between British and Spanish people: whereas the Brits like to sit outside directly in the sun, the Spanish prefer to sit outside in the shade, so Chaparral have an awning over their terrace once the sun is up.
Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? Well it is, except for the irritating moscas! Being inland we don’t get troubled too much by mosquitos, but flies are a different matter. At home, our dog Lisa spends most of the summer months trying to catch them.
I have decided to join the Ultimate Blog Challenge, which means trying to post on here every day in July – yep, that’s what makes it challenging! It occurred to me that if I was just blogging about my everyday life in Jumilla it might become a bit repetitive, so I started thinking about a typical day in Jumilla. What in fact would I be writing about?
First thoughts are: walking the dog; talking to our Spanish neighbours; meeting friends for coffee; shopping; going out for wine and tapas; cooking dinner; reading; watching Spanish TV. Would these be interesting to other people? I guess it depends on where you live, as for John and me all these activities are normal, however if you live in the UK or in other countries – or even if you live in Spain but on the coast – you might be fascinated by my insights into our life in Spain. I certainly hope so!
Of course you are unlikely to speak to Spanish neighbours on a regular basis or watch Spanish TV unless you too live in Spain, and going out for wine and tapas is more likely to be an occasional treat rather than a regular occurrence if you live in the UK.
I will also be writing about some special events such as “Música entre Vinos”, which is an award-winning initiative from the Ruta del Vino Jumilla, and “La Gran Cata” at the end of the month.
Waiting for the concert at Bodegas Hacienda del Carche
If you are going to follow me on this journey for the month of July, you might be interested in knowing a bit more about me, so that you can see what you are letting yourself in for……!
After several years looking at property in Spain, my second husband John and I made the momentous decision to retire to the Spanish town of Jumilla, which is in a remote part of north-east Murcia. Our initial problems trying to buy an off-plan property mainly account for the “downs” referred to in the title of this category, and our experiences once we moved into our new apartment here in Jumilla mainly account for the “ups”. I wrote a book that chronicles our early adventures (follow the links on this website if you wish to buy it from Amazon!) and I am continuing our story through this blog.
I hope that you will comment on my posts and in particular I would love to hear how your life differs from our new life in Spain. If you have any burning questions, please add them below and I will do my best to answer them.
The Dominican missionary St. Vincent Ferrer was born in Valencia in 1350 and preached in many different parts of Spain. In 1411 he visited Jumilla where, after being inspired by his sermons, the town celebrated their first Semana Santa.
600 years after St. Vincent Ferrer’s visit, Jumilla is preparing for some extraordinary celebrations to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Semana Santa and is hoping that many visitors will join them to share in the passion, colour, music and pageantry of this momentous occasion.
Children’s Semana Santa
Children's Tamborada
The following events are specifically organised for the children, although many children will also take part in the main processions, plus some parents will be seen carrying babies dressed in traditional costumes.
Thursday 14 April
17.00. 3rd Tamborada Infantil at Plaza de Arriba. Children under the age of 12 will take part in this procession, playing their drums with much enthusiasm – and skill too! The event is being organised in collaboration with Caritas, who will be accepting donations of non perishable foods and household products. The procession will start in Plaza de Arriba and end outside Teatro Vico.
Sunday 24 April
12.00 Easter Sunday and the traditional meeting between Jesús Resucitado and the Virgen Gloriosa in Plaza del Rollo. Lots of excited children will be waiting along Calle Cánovas, because after the procession comes the traditional Caramelada, where the children will be scrambling to grab handfuls of sweets.
Children scrambling for sweets
Main Semana Santa processions
Friday 15 April
Semana Santa will officially begin on Viernes de Dolores, the Friday before Palm Sunday, with a procession at 21.30 from the Iglesia de Santiago.
Sunday 17 April
12.00 Procession of the Palms In this procession, a group representing Jesus riding on a donkey with the Apostles around him will be accompanied by children dressed as Hebrews. The procession leaves from Iglesia de San Juan and continues to the parish church of Santiago via Plaza del Rollo and Calle Cánovas, with Jesús declaiming his prophesy about the destruction of Jerusalem.
Palm Sunday procession
21.00 In previous years the statue of “Christ tied to the column”, made by the renowned Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo, was brought down from the Monastery of Santa Ana in solitary splendour. This year, as part of the 600th Anniversary, the Franciscans have agreed for the statue of “Abuela Santa Ana” to be brought down to Jumilla at the same time. The procession through the streets of Jumilla will be from the Ermita de San Agustín to the Iglesia Mayor de Santiago, and I imagine the streets will be lined with both young and old for this historic event.
Cristo Amarrado a la Columna by Francisco Salzillo
Tuesday 19 April
23.30 Celebración Penitencial This is held in Iglesia de Santiago, followed by the Procession of Silence where the penitents, all dressed in black, and many of them with bare feet and dragging chains behind them, walk through the dark streets of the old town. All the street lights are switched off during the procession, and the only light comes from bonfires lit in the streets.
Procesión del Silencio
Wednesday 20 April
17.30 Re-enactment of the Capture of Christ, in Plaza de Arriba, with 18 actors taking part. “Los Armaos”, the Roman soldiers, will also be participating in this act.
21.30 Procession of “Jesús Prendido”, plus other statues representing Peter’s denial, Judas’ Kiss, St John the Apostle – ten in total – from Iglesia de El Salvador.
Thursday 21 April
17.30 Visit to the monuments This is one of my favourite processions, where the lovely señoras in their mantillas and lace dresses parade with proud señors (also dressed in their finery) as they visit the monuments in Jumilla, accompanied by local bands.
Señoras wearing their best mantillas
21.30 Procession of the Virgen de la Amargura The procession leaves the Iglesia de Santa María, going through the streets of the old town, and finishes in Iglesía del Salvador.
Friday 22 April
09.30 Procession “Antigua” This is the first of two extraordinary processions to commemorate the 600th Anniversary. Starting at the Iglesía de Santa María, ten of the oldest Semana Santa statues (pre 20th century) will be carried through Jumilla’s old town.
11.00 Procession of the Calvary One of the largest processions takes place on Good Friday. Sixteen statues are carried from the Iglesía del Salvador around the steep and winding streets of Jumilla, then along Calle Cánovas and up to Calle Canalejas before returning to the church.
Saturday 23 April
19.00 “Magno Entierro” The second extraordinary procession for the 600th Semana Santa. If you only watch one procession this year, this is the one to watch, with 35 statues being carried through the streets of Jumilla. The procession leaves from Iglesia de Santa María and finishes at the Jardín del Rollo, next to the tourist office.
Sunday 24 April
Easter Sunday procession
12.00 Procession of “Jesús Resucitado”. As mentioned above, this is the final event where the “Risen Jesus” meets the “Glorious Virgin” in the Plaza del Rollo. After this the procession departs from the Plaza and goes along Calle Cánovas, with sweets being thrown to the eager children, clutching the plastic bags that they hope to fill to the brim with sweets.
Semana Santa Mini-feria del Vino
Many people will know about Jumilla from drinking the wine produced by the many bodegas in and around the town. There will be the perfect opportunity to sample some of the best Jumilla wines on Saturday 16th April, when the Mini-feria del Vino is being held in Jardín del Rey Don Pedro between 12.00 and 15.00. Entry will cost 3€, which is a bargain when you consider around 20 bodegas will be offering you the chance to try their wines. Hope to see you there!
Mini-feria del Vino
Vino y Cuaresma.
If you are visiting Jumilla on Friday 15 April, why not visit one of the ten bars and restaurants offering a tapa and glass of Carchelo wine for 2€? On Saturday 16 April, the same establishments will be offering dinner for 15 to 30 euros, which includes a bottle of Carchelo wine between 2 people. Finally, Sunday lunch on 17 April will cost you from 22 to 30 euros, including a 500ml bottle of Vino Canalizo per person.
Look for the distinctive posters outside participating restaurants!
