Wandered up to the old part of Nerja today as we knew the local neighbourhood, La Barriada de Protegidas (which very unhelpfully gets translated here to Neighbourhood of the Slums..🙁) were celebrating their own festival, La Veladilla de San Miguel. Last night the statue of San Miguel the Archangel was processed through the town, from the main church near the Balcon to the church around which the neighbourhood is centred.

Today we arrived in the square just as the bar was opening to see a longish queue had already formed down one side of the square. It turned out it was for free paella – you found the lady with tickets, she gave you one which entitled you to two plates and you joined the queue.

Not since Charlie Bucket found his golden ticket has a voucher caused such pleasure! We just managed to get ours in time as about four or five tickets after us she announced all had gone. Without a ticket, it was €3.50 a portion- still a great bargain! The paella pan was huge, probably bigger than the one we’ve seen used at Ayo’s on Burriana Beach, and the paella was deep. Wonder how many portions they served?

Live music followed with a singer/guitarist performing lots of well known (to the Spanish) songs and a fair amount of dancing taking place. The announcement of the infant Reina (queen) and Caballero (king) of the festival was next on the agenda. Lots of young children dressed in traditional clothes had registered by putting their names in big boxes. Third second and first place winners were drawn at random and presented with flowers, a prize, and the all important sash and crown for the girls or stole and laurel wreath for the boys. Not a contest, not dependent on looks or personality, but definitely another example of what we see so often here – the children are involved in traditions from the youngest age and grow up knowing and participating in their heritage. It was funny, though, that the first placed queen was just a little tot who had to be carried onto the stage by her mum and clearly wanted nothing to do with either a sash or a crown being placed on her!

Next was the Grand Cancuna – a five metre high pole erected in the street with a member of the Policia Local covering it in Fairy Liquid to make it slippery. Not much in the way of Health and Safety, just community fun as various age groups tried their best to climb the pole and touch the leg of ham hoisted up the pole. Various techniques were evident, some more successful than others, but the pole beat all but the most agile! Those who won carried off their prizes with great glee, those who failed either looked downcast or found it amusing!

All throughout the afternoon we were among the Spanish enjoying their own festival. This wasn’t for the tourists, who were conspicuous by their absence, but then again, so many of the tourists don’t make the effort to check out this part of town. Just as well, really – we might have missed out on really good paella!