This is the Los Nórdicos magazine column, written in April for the printed, May edition of the Seaside Gazette.
It is this time of the year again, with springtime and love in the air. And pollen… Thanks to the extremely wet March (and beginning of April) we now live in a green paradise, filled with flowers and promise of rich fruit and avocado harvests.
Los Nordicos visited the impressive succulent garden in Rio Verde, created and developed by Rafael Torrado García, 82, since he retired.
Los Nórdicos and many others have enjoyed lovely hikes in the mountains and valleys around the Granada Province and Alpujarras. Since last year, we have also benefitted from very informative workshops, held by two of our medical members, about ABCDE (Airways-Bleeding-Circulation-Disability-Exposure) to be better prepared for any health emergency, on the trail or at home.
Something I would recommend to everyone, if you have a chance. I lost my husband suddenly from a massive heart attack and will always ask myself if we could have prevented this tragedy.
At the time of writing I heard the Almuñécar church bells. It is Easter Week. The many Cofradías (Brotherhoods) are in full swing with colourful procesiones every day, since Palm Sunday. This year all of them have performed, which was impossible last year due to the rain. My dogs do not necessarily agree with the noise….
We had a very interesting talk by Mercedes Carazo from Granada at Los Nórdicos about her family’s journey, living in and growing up in Alhambra in the 50s and 60s.
She pointed out that the procesiones, and the theatrical recreation of the biblical events of Jesus Christ during Easter, was a way for the Catholic Church to engage with the people, who were mostly unable to read nor write at the time. The tradition has continued in force in Andalucia.
During this last month Los Nórdicos have hosted two petanca or boule tournaments on the beach in Almuñecar. One with Scandia from Benalmadena (in pouring rain) and one with our sister organisation AHN-Nordicos from Nerja. Highly appreciated by both visiting teams, we will seek revenge next year in Benalmadena (we lost), and in Nerja (we won!). A nice way to get to know more people and places in good company.
The beach clean-up end of March, organised with the Ayuntamiento and The Associated Costa Tropical International Community (TAC-TIC), brought together around 30 volunteers. This time, after the heavy rains, we did not collect as much garbage.
Most of it had either disappeared into the sea already or was picked up by the municipal clean-up efforts after the rain. It feels good, anyway, to demonstrate that we care for the community where we live. Hopefully we can also contribute to a culture of more environmentally friendly behaviour.
Not everything is joy in our paradise. In February a Swedish man was found floating near La Punta de la Mona; he had fallen and drowned. He was a musician and well known playing on the streets and squares of Almuñécar, for many years. We could help his family from Sweden a little bit to find some answers to this tragic accident and to find closure.
Just recently a 33-year-old well-known citizen of Almuñecar was stabbed to death one Friday afternoon on a central street in town. He died immediately and left a family with two small children behind. The perpetrator is behind bars awaiting trial and the town has come together to support the family in their demand for justice for Gabriel. This kind of violence on the streets is very unusual here.
Many Scandinavians are now packing up and moving back to their home countries during spring and summer. Our main activities start again in September-October. We do participate in the Feria de Asociaciones that the Ayuntamiento will organise in the Majuelo Park in Almuñecar on 31st of May. Around 30 local and international associations come together for a day to share, show and enjoy arts, music and food together with the community. See you there!
Los Nórdicos-Almuñecar (Costa Tropical) is an Association of more than 500 Scandinavians, independent from politics and religion, with the purpose to supporting each other and to build bridges with the Spanish society.
(Club News: Los Nórdicos, Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)
Keywords: Nordic Association, Scandinavians,Activities, AHN-Nordicos, Nerja, Hikes, Feria de Asociaciones
club news, andalucia, granada, costa tropical, almunecar, nordic association, scandinavians,activities, ahn-nordicos, nerja, hikes, feria de asociaciones