Simon Wade
ORIHUELA became a true “riot” of colour, music and food as the annual Mercado Medieval kicked off in great style, this weekend.
Hundreds of stalls set up to celebrate a weekend of all that is Orihuela, a tradition that goes back to the 13th century.
The City Hall provided an early focal point for the opening proclamation by The Armengola, a historical fictional character.
“Rejoice! For our streets are filled with light and colour again,“ she yelled, “monotony has no place in Orihuela during this weekend!”
She kicked off the weekend stating that, “The doors of our great city open wide to recover the splendour of past centuries. – garlands and pennants adorning our buildings shout at the four winds that Orihuela is medieval.”
The Olive Press attended the event today, February 1, and captured some the electric atmosphere.
Throughout the day, there were sporadic marches through the streets by historical characters, all dressed up for the part.
A falconer provided fun for children who were brave enough to hold the bird, themselves.
There were even a few camels in attendance, giving rides to members of the public.
But food was the key element, with stalls showing off everything from fresh meat and vegetables, to churros and cheeses.
We spoke with British expat, Nicola Kennerley, who was visiting Orihuela’s market for the first time.
She exclaimed, “I’ve seen nothing like it, it’s an absolute riot of colour.”
“Everything is wonderful: the costumes; the music; the food; even the weather turned out nice!”, the 45-year-old said.
If you attended the Mercado Medieval at Orihuela this weekend, please send us your pictures, or just tell us what you thought – [email protected]
Read More: More pictures from the weekend
