Fiestas and Tall Ships

My afternoon paseo yesterday took me out ot the cruise terminal to take a look at 'Mein Schiff 4' another in the series of huge cruise liners built in the past decade. I was lucky enough to catch sight of it leaving port an hour or so later, after a walk around town.

Muelle Uno hosted an event promoting women's health, all part of Malaga's season of solidarity with women. The Calle Alcazabilla, next to the Roman amphitheatre, was busy with people setting up a variety of stalls and bars, and a performance stage for events tonight and tomorrow. This is all linked to the confederation of voluntary organisations which serves as the focus for the Women's solidarity events.

Once I'd got my Sunday sermon into shape, my afternoon paseo took me to to Plaza de la Merced, where I was surprised to discover the 48th annual Malaga Book Fair was running, containing stalls to promote about forty different publishers. Last year, this festival happened more than a month later, as I was here at the time. On this occasions, a loud rock band was performing and book presentations were taking place in the open air, in hardly the most suitable contexts,  but enthusiasm is everything I guess.

The Calle Alcazabilla was alive with crowds of people enjoying a different rock band. Overnight, the red carpet that adorned Calle Marques de Larios for the film festival had been put to use again here. No wonder, it's imprinted with the corporate logos of all co-funding organisations involved in this season of social activity.

I paused here to take photos of the statue of Salomon Ben Gabirol which stand among the trees by the patio occupied by the Bar El Pimpi, a Malaga gastronomic institution. Nearby there's a building, well actually, a sort of tower dedicated in his name. It's an interpretation centre of some kind, though I've never seen it open in all the time I've spent in Malaga this past couple of years. I know nothing of the man, except that he was an 11th century philosopher and poet.

On my way back, I saw moored alongside the Palmeria de las Sorpresas a huge five masted sailing ship, called the 'Royal Clipper'. This ship belongs to the new century, although rigged in the classic fashion of a tea Clipper, and can take over over 200 passenger. Alongside it on the quay was a smaller three masted barque 'Pogoria' from Gdynia in Poland. Co-incidentally both these sail ships have been constructed in the 21st century, for the leisure market. On the far end of the quay 'Ann Bounty' is also moored, another barque, a little older, adapted for use as an in-shore pleasure boat. How remarkable to have three sail ships parked at the same time along the same quay.

I then went into the Old Town, in time for the evening Mass at the Cathedral. I'm still struggling to memorise the responses in Spanish, and answer in English. The presiding priest speaks in soft tones, and it's difficult to understand what he says. I just trust myself to the prayer of the community, and to the fact that I have prepared a sermon using the Gospel of the day, I am the True Vine. I notice there are differences between the Revised Common Lectionary we use and the Catholic equivalent. Would that it were not so.