s Multinational Christmas traditions in Arroyo de la Miel

2017-01-06 07:00:00

A multinational Christmas fair was held in the Plaza Mezquita in Arroyo de la Miel last weekend.
Festive delicacies from more than 20 countries were available and these included various types of sherry, whisky, cheeses, cured meats and Christmas cakes of varying descriptions.
Wales, Scotland, India, Cuba, France, Morocco and Brazil were among the countries present and visitors were tempted with an array of sugary cakes and sweets, and aromatic mulled wine.
Some of the traders dressed in their traditional costume and offered samples of their wares to the visitors.
The festival began at 11am and continued until the dark hours, and a constant flow of people kept the food stalls busy for the duration of the day.
Following the opening ceremony and the presentation of the participating countries, the festival began with a performance by the Banana Studio; an energetic bunch of youngsters who performed a mixture of dance and song.
The afternoon consisted of a programme of attractions and these included folklore dances of the Philippines, Scottish dancing, Colombian music and Argentinean tango.
The Mayor of Benalmádena, Victor Navaras, and councilors, Ana Scherman and Joaquin Villazón, were among the thousands of people who turned up to enjoy the festival.
There was also plenty to keep the youngsters occupied, including a children’s play area and the appearance of Father Christmas and the Three Kings.
Ana Scherman said, “This is the eighth edition of the Christmas festival and it’s so nice to see so many expatriates and local Spanish people enjoying themselves.”
Andrew and Laura Evans, from Manchester, were among those enjoying the festival.
“We come to Benalmádena most years, but we’ve never been to this festival. We have had a marvellous time,” Laura said, clutching her warming glass of mulled wine.source surinenglish