A scorching day in Murcia turned into a brilliant night as Rod Stewart lit up the bullring. Good food, great company, and a fantastic show made this trip one to remember, even if finding a post‑concert cocktail was harder than expected.
When I saw an advert announcing that Rod Stewart was performing at the Murcia Bullring, I didn’t hesitate, I bought a ticket straight away. I decided to make a day of it: head to Murcia early, explore a bit, enjoy the concert, stay overnight, and return home the next day.
Journey to Murcia and My Hotel.
I left my apartment around midday and walked to the bus stop. It was scorching, so I hid in the sliver of shade at the back of the shelter. A few others joined me, all of us trying to avoid melting. Thankfully, the 12:35 bus arrived on time, and the blast of air‑conditioning felt heavenly.
I regretted forgetting a bottle of water, a mistake I promised myself I wouldn’t repeat when I return next month for Simply Red. The bus rolled through Torre Pacheco and into Murcia, arriving at 13:30.
I walked the short distance to my hotel, Hesperia Murcia Centro, and was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. I’d barely finished checking in when my friend Gail walked through the door, perfect timing. I dropped my bag in my room and headed back down to meet her.
We grabbed a small beer at the café next door, then wandered through Murcia, stopping by the river to see the giant sardine statue before heading back toward the Cathedral. The heat was relentless, so we ducked into a bar I’d visited during the Spring Festival Parade. Two cold beers later, we felt human again.
We tried to find somewhere to eat near the Cathedral, but almost everything was closed. The one open restaurant had half its menu unavailable, so we left and followed Google Maps to Tapería Uno. It was blissfully cool inside. I ordered a goat cheese crouton with jam, followed by pig cheeks in pepper sauce with tomato, peppers, and potatoes. It was superb, I’ll definitely return when I’m back for Simply Red.
We chatted about the concert and reminisced about the Mediterranean cruise where we first met. Time slipped away until Gail’s friends called asking where she was. We paid up and headed to our respective hotels.
Back in my room, I rested and showered. As I stepped out, my phone rang, Gail and her friends were already outside. I told them I’d catch up at the concert and got dressed.
Rod Stewart at the Bullring.
I walked to the bullring and spotted Gail and her friends in the queue. We were all in the VIP area, so entry was quick. Inside, they headed straight to the front of the stage. I went to grab a beer and, on the way, saw my friends Lynda and David behind a barrier. I stopped to chat, beer in hand, and soon Gail joined us.
When the concert began, Gail and I moved closer to the stage. She danced; I performed my signature dad‑dance jig. Rod Stewart was fantastic, full of energy, charisma, and costume changes. He powered through all his hits, and the saxophonist delivered a couple of brilliant solo numbers while Rod changed outfits.
The show flew by. After the final song, I said goodbye to Lynda and David and left with Gail and her friends in search of a cocktail. Despite thousands of people pouring out of the bullring, almost every bar was closing. It was only 23:30, which made it even stranger.
We eventually found a bar still open. The barman warned they were closing but would serve us if we were quick. I ordered a Piña Colada, which was excellent, so good that I ordered a second. We chatted until closing time, then walked back toward our hotels.
I reached my room and was asleep almost instantly.
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