I had seen adverts for the Murcia Spring Festival for a few years, and this year, I decided to go along and see it.
Journey to Murcia.
David's Coach Tours ran a coach to this year's parade, so I booked to go with them. It cost €12. I was picked up by the Arches in Los Narejos at 3:15 pm. It was supposed to be 3:30 pm, but the bus was early, and as everyone was already there, they left early to head towards Balsicas for the final pick-up. Once the last pick-up in Balsicas had been made, we went into Murcia.
At the parade in Murcia.
The coach drive was uneventful, and we were dropped off at the Sofia Hospital in the centre of Murcia. Neil, our guide, told us which way to walk towards where the parade would be held and what time we had to return for the return trip. I checked precisely where we were with Neil, thinking I recognised the area. After confirming where we were, I walked towards the town centre.
After a short walk, I noticed the chairs alongside the road that had been put out by the parade organisers for people to rent to sit and watch the parade from. They were charging €6 to rent the chairs. I was unsure which direction the parade would be coming from, so I followed the row of chairs on each side of the road, marking the route the parade would take. I walked a short distance, looking for somewhere to get something to eat and to get a drink.
After looking at a few cafes and bars, I stopped at a small bar called La Barra de Morata. I ordered a small beer and a Murciano salad. Whilst I sat there, four English ladies came in, and as it was busy, I made room for them to share the table where I was sitting. We started chatting, and I ordered a small bottle of wine. After a while, the ladies asked the staff for their bill, and it seemed very large, so I asked for my bill. When my bill arrived, it was for the same amount as the ladies' bill. The staff had put all of our food and drinks on one bill. I told the staff about their error, and they altered the bills. I was not impressed when I found they had charged me ¨tourist rates¨ for my drinks, charging me €3 for a small beer and €3.50 for a small glass of wine. In Los Alcazares, where I live, it would have been only €1.50 for the beer and €2.50 for the wine. I will not be going back to the bar.
When I left the bar, the parade was still a long wait, so I walked a short distance to La Santera Bar. The bar staff were excellent, and the pint I ordered cost me €3, which is the same price as the bar I had just left, which charged me for a small beer. When I return to Murcia for more events, I will use this bar, not the previous one.
When I finish my beer, I walk back along the parade route to find somewhere to stand and watch the parade. I watched the parade from several viewpoints, trying to get a better view. As the sun set, the sun was directly in my eyes, and I changed my position a couple of times so that the light wouldn't blind me. I watched the entire parade, and although it was pretty good, it wasn't as big as I had expected. I had seen photos before, and the floats looked a lot bigger, with many more flowers in the images I had seen. After watching the parade, I wondered if the pictures I saw advertising this parade were actually from a different parade. Because I have lived in Orlando for a long time, I am often disappointed by parades everywhere else. Disney knows how to do a parade.
When the parade finished, I returned to the hospital, where the coach dropped us off. We had to wait a while for the coach, but I was soon returning home. When I returned to Los Narejos, my friend June was waiting to give me a lift home. My legs were aching a lot by now, and I was glad I didn't have to walk the 3 km back to my apartment.
I was glad I went to see the parade, but now I have seen it once, I probably wouldn't bother to go and see it again.