The Turks invade

It’s been a very interesting but exhausting day.

Mr C and Carol went to the shop before everything closed for the big celebration. I read my book in the sun but after 10 minutes all the heavy cloud poured off the mountain so I had to cover all the seats in case it rained. (Roger was distracted this morning as he got a message to say the cellar of their French Alps chalet has been flooded. They keep all their ski gear etc there so he’s having to sort out to go there to see what the damage is. )

We headed out at 2 as they thought we should try to be early in the square to get a good spot to see what was going on. We stood on a wall to watch. All the women arrived in their costumes and circled round some dancers. Then a women stood on the town hall steps making a rousing speech, telling them to do what they had to do to repel the invading corsairs. The women cheered and jumped and shouted. The song seemed to be “ogi ogi ogi”. Musicians led the men through the crowd. (There were hundreds of locals dressed up.). They marched along with their George flags, letting off firecrackers and firing blunderbusses while the women cheered. A male personage exhorted the men do what was needed. Lots of cheering and shouting and banging firecrackers and crying babies.

Then they all marched off to confront the invaders down at the port. Roger said it would be best if we went by a rocky path over a col which wouldn’t take long, to ensure we got to the beach to see the invasion. After a fast pace walking through the town we got to the sign for the path. It said 1 hour. Ignore that said Roger, half an hour at the most. The sign was right. We heard all the gun noise but it was all happening too far away. We clambered up on a breakwater to try to get a view but got told off by an official.

By now all the corsairs were marauding along the road beside us to the other beach for the next battle. It was now 6pm and we’d not stopped. Carol wanted ice cream but Roger thought we ought to head off to the main road back to Soller before we got caught up in the crowds. (The “Moors” didn’t take to authenticity when it came to no alcohol).

By now it was hot and sunny and my feet were sore. A group of young Turks charged past us, dropping a series of firecrackers at my feet. The awful bang didn’t upset me but it upset my ears and I still can’t hear properly. Roger decided it would be best to go a long way round to avoid the town centre which would be full of the drunken frolicking and fire cracking. I was definitely flagging on the hill up to the house. 20,000 steps.

We got back at 7.45. I went straight into the shower and then joined the others briefly for a most welcome G&T. I got the dinner on - roasted potatoes with salmon, capers, tomatoes and olives. We had a delicious crisp white with it.

What a lively occasion it has been. It’s 23.32 and there’s still bangs going off down in the town.