Thursday October 12th is the Hispanic Day public holiday in Spain and is also celebrated in Los Alcazares as Caldero Day, the date Los Alcazares became an independent municipality in 1983.
Over 100 peñas (clubs and associations) plus many family and friends groups gather on the beach to eat, drink and be merry and there is the smell of charcoal burning for paellas and bar-b-q’s, music blasting out, singing and laughter as people party from early morning till late in the evening along the length of the paseo.
For several years SAMM has joined this gathering and, of late, had a theme for the day to allow the extroverts to dress up and make fools of themselves. This year the theme was the Rocky Horror Show and over 20 people arrived in costume, including the past and present Commodore, to close the paseo every hour on the hour and perform the Time Warp dance routine to much applause from the passersby who could not pass by.
Many other sensibly dressed members came and went throughout the day so the SAMM section of the beach was crowded with up to 50 or 60 people most of the time.
SAMM funds were used to provide wine, beer, soft drinks nuts and nibbles for all and the Balaton Group provided bratwurst sausages and onions, cooked by Colin Finch, with bread and mustard free to their group members.
Jack Moss and others offered trips round the bay in one of the Shoestring Groups Gamba dinghies and there were many takers.
Julian Pering also bought his beach version of the air ball game that had proved so popular last year where teams of six each with a goal keeper, complete in a knockout competition. Great foolishness and fun for both competitors and spectators.
We can’t wait for next year, wonder what the new theme will be?
