Archive for category Hondon Leisure
Fiesta Fireworks in Hondón
Posted by admin in Hondon Leisure, Hondon Tourism on 01/08/2010
With the summer fiestas in full swing now there’s lots of excuses for firework displays – and they don’t get much more mad, bad and dangerous than the ‘CorreFocs’ in Hondon de las Nieves. This annual ritual follows the Medieval Market of food and fun. The Correfocs is a display of loud music and running fireworks through the village streets breaks all the Health & Safety rules… “stand well back after lighting the touch paper” is for wimps !!!
Take a look at a recent video of the 2010 Correfocs ! MADNESS but fantastic to watch…
More Hondon Videos…
Wim Kuyps has posted quite a few fiesta and Hondón related videos on YouTube, including “Dance Shool in Hondon” and Medieval Market.
Stumped!! Cricket in Hondón
Posted by admin in Hondon Leisure, Hondon News on 06/07/2010
THERE COMES a time in every gentleman’s life when they should resist the lure of competitive sport. However, when the Hondón de Los Frailes Neighbourhood Watch challenged the Hondón Valley Branch of the Royal British Legion to a game of cricket, they enthusiastically accepted.
On a sultry hot Friday morning in early June, the pitch was marked on the green asphalt surface of the local seven-a-side playing surface. The rules were agreed, teams briefed and the RBL President’s XI (having won the toss) invited the much younger Neighbourhood Watch team to bat.
Within the hour, the less mature NW team – bronzed of limb and athletic in movement – racked up an impressive tally of 162 for 8 within the prescribed 20 overs. The RBL fielders, despite having a brace of Yorkshiremen in the team, suffered some minor scuffs and grazes and regrettably lacked the agility to combat a sparkling batting display by their much younger opponents. For a team who last bowled seriously in the 1950′s or 60′s the RBL bowling was surprisingly accurate. On occasions it had both pace and variety but occasionally faltered mid-wicket.
The sun was at its highest as the RBL President’s IX having, by ths time, lost a couple to early morning injuries, took to the wicket. The opening pair of Tony Dengate and Malcolm Thomson demonstrated the competitive spirit of our resolute campaigners but were both dismissed as we edged our way slowly to double figures. The NW’s team of demon bowlers eventually dispatched Steve Suffield, Bill Watt, Dave Stewart, Malcolm Barrett, Nigel Hails, Geoff Larder, Peter Broadbent and AN Other for a disappointing 68!
Senor Eleuterio Jover Garcia, the Mayor of Hondón de Las Frailes, graciously presented a silvered cup to the captain of the winning team who was enthusiastically applauded by the assembled crowd: proud to have witnessed the first cricketing spectacle held in the Hondón Valley.
RBL post match analysis provided little in the form of constructive improvement, but agreed that, limbs and lungs permitting, we would do it all again next year … hopefully on grass!
c/o the Round Town News:
Yes it’s Fiesta Time… 2010
Posted by admin in Hondon Leisure, Hondon Tourism on 05/07/2010
Well the Hondon Valley has it’s fair share of summer fiestas during July and August, from dance/music events, religious ceremonies, themed markets, walks, water fights, bull-runs, paella contests and crazy fun events like the “Corre-Focs” (the craziest Fireworks festival). You should visit the village / town council office for a full programme.
Usually the bigger the town the better financed and organised they are. But without doubt the smaller villages, like Hondon de las Nieves, do exceptionally well and EVERYBODY IS WELCOME for FREE !!!
Alicante Region.
If you look a little beyond the Hondon Valley you will find the cities of Elche and Alicante have some special festival events too... such as ‘Saint John’s Bonfires” + “Moors and Christians” + many carnivals – SEE: http://www.alicante-spotlight.com/fiestas.htm or Elche Tourist Site.
Look out for the VERY SPECIAL “Nit de l’alba” – The night of August 13th, or Nit de l’Albà, is one of the celebrations that the townspeople of Elche look forward to most eagerly. Hundreds of fireworks light up the Elche sky!
Fiesta de los Reyes
Posted by admin in Hondon Leisure, Hondon Tourism on 05/01/2010
Here in Spain (Hondón has one too) the annual march of the Kings takes place – still part of the Christmas celebrations… here is a bit more about this (courtesy of Andalicia.com)
…And as for the Kings themselves, they continue to arrive on schedule every year to villages, towns and cities throughout Spain to make the annual parade, which usually starts at dusk through the centre of urban areas.
Melchor, Gazpar and Baltasar (the African king) are magically able to appear simultaneously throughout this entire land as evening falls and they don’t come empty handed.As their royal magesties parade about town with their entourage of locals smiling and waving from trucks, trailers and even floats (depends on local resources) they dutifully toss out handfuls of sweets to the children waiting in the streets at they pass. If you take little ones to the parade, be sure to bring along bags to handle the accumulation of little treasures they will certainly want to take home (even though usually these sweets are not very good quality)…
If there is a Three Kings Parade near your – please support it – they can be real fun for the children and some of the bigger ones are spectacular.
UK Online Shopping in Spain !!
Posted by admin in ExPat Living Tips, Hondon Leisure on 26/12/2009
There’s a new web site that promotes and directs you to all the on-line BIG NAME UK STORES where you can order all manner of goodies and have DELIVERY TO SPAIN!!
The site is a portal (a list) of UK shops that sell on-line and will deliver to mainland Spain for a reasonable fee in most cases. PLUS… they have discount codes and information on Bargains Galore !!!
I spotted brands such as (there’s 100′s) :
- Marks & Spencers
- HMV
- Interflora
- New Look
- Knickerbox
- Top Man
- Wallis
- Mothercare
- Littlewoods
- Waterstones…
So if you are missing your fave UK shops then take a peak at La Plaza Spain.
El Fondó de les Neus (Nieves)
Posted by admin in Hondon Leisure, Hondon Tourism on 31/10/2009
The old Valenciana name for Hondón de las Nieves is “El Fondó de les Neus” and is in the Valencian Community of southern Spain. You will often see the old name on maps or documents. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Fond%C3%B3_de_les_Neus ]
Nieves is a small village, inland, west of the Alicante Region. Its nearest city is Elche to the south east or Crevillente (20 mins drive). Alicante is about 25 minutes drive.
The village name literally means ‘Gorge of the Snow’ this is a reference to the village’s patron “The Virgin of the Snow”.
This effigy and the church is at the heart of village life. The ‘Virgin’ has her own fiesta dedicated to her including the twinned festival in the summer march fromAspe to Nieves, attended by thousands of Hondón Valley residents.
Posters in village windows or flags in the streets with the ‘Virgin’ printed on them can often be seen.
History
Fondó belonged to the jurisdiction of Aspe until 1839, when it became independent and formed a single municipality in conjunction with Hondon de los Frailes, In 1926 Hondon de las Nieves and Hondon de los Frailes split to be independent municipalities and now have separate councils.
The main traditional economy has been through agricultural, based on table grapes, almonds, pears and various vegetables but is now supplemented and surpassed by the real estate business as an increasing number of foreigners installed in the municipality.
This has meant many sand and gravel quarries, cement and related industries as a key employer in the area. Latterly these industries have suffered with the poor world economy and ‘credit crunch’ curtailing property sales across all the Spanish Costas.
WOW! Fiesta Fireworks in Nieves
Posted by admin in Hondon Leisure, Hondon Tourism on 27/10/2009
For the last few years in Hondón de las Nieves it has become a tradition during Summer Fiestas to hold both the Medieval Markets followed by the CorreFocs (Fireworks) in the main Plaza. For a small village (like so many fiestas around here) it truly is spectacularly done on a budget. The whole of the village residents are out and about, the atmosphere is carnival with plenty to eat, drink, buy and wonder over. The finale is an explosive mix of fireworks and loud music around the village streets and ends in a showcase on the central plaza stage. It has to be seen to be believed !
But it’s not for the faint hearted and ‘Health & Safety’ is right out of the window!