Days 395-401, 12-18 July '15, Feria & Festival de la Luna Mora de Mijas (Fair and The Festival of the Moorish Moon of Mijas).

We've been cracking along in very busy fashion this week. Speaking of fashion, it occurred to us just the other day, that the only item I was wearing from when I left Sydney was my watch - absolutely every other item has been picked up somewhere between Spain, France and Ireland. I suppose it has been more than a year! Mid-week we caught up with one of our lovely housesit owners and whiled away an entire afternoon supping Sangria, Manzanilla (fino sherry) and nibbling tapas. Yes. It is indeed a hard life. This week is the festival of the Mary of the fishermen... we took a friend to the airport early on Thursday morning and were just too tuckered out to head into town for the ceremonial launching of a Giant Mary into the ocean to bless fishermen past and present. We did however jump on the bus to town on Friday night and headed to the Feria (fair) - the scent of toffee apples and candy floss was in the air and the rides were lit up and full of potential cookie-tossers. It's been quite warm and is still around 30 degrees at midnight - so we've been starting our evenings out at about 9 pm - when the sun has just dipped below the horizon and the heat dissipates ever so slightly. After the fair we headed to Fish Alley (Calle Moncayo) and sat down to a cheapie Chinese meal at about 10 pm... and people were still arriving at midnight. Unusual for us - but we are becoming accustomed. It was only when we caught the midnight bus up the hill that we saw advertising for Luna Mora de Mijas. Having no clue what it was, but seeing it continued on Saturday night, we did a quick internet search and discovered it is the Festival of the Moorish Moon. Theoretically to celebrate the main three faiths and cultures of Spain over the ages - Christian, Muslim and Sephardic Judaism. But really? Eid has just been celebrated at the end of this year's Ramadan and we saw the sliver of crescent new moon in the sky as the bus trundled up the hill to the white village of Mijas. Wow. Stunning. The Moorish Moon is essentially all about candlelight - I'm not sure if anyone actually counted - but the concept was that the heart of the village, a street market and food fair would be lit solely by 10,000 candles (learned the Spanish word for candles is velas). Utter magic - we had a stroll about (my long dress very carefully lifted, tucked and secured - no urge to become a human candle). The white village glowed with thousands of candles and whilst I think the word is generally overused, it was officially "intoxicating". Smoke from the candles competed with the rich meaty scent of the Spanish paridillas (BBQs), sweets from Turkey to France were available for dessert and prices were muy bajo - very low. Had a superb time and took many, many photos - check out the album for the magic of La Luna Mora. Tune in next week for "The Other Side" - a massive Pink Floyd tribute experience being staged in our local castle - Castillo Sohail. Coming up to our 10th wedding anniversary at the end of the month, treats have been planned - two concerts and dinner at a beach restaurant - woo hoo!