The Coming of the Kings

The crowds started gathering early, so we joined them. Madrileños seem quite happy to queue for everything: lottery tickets, cigarettes, exhibitions, shows, bread, handbags (yup). It's a perfect excuse to stand and chat for half an hour: the whole family can come along, and it doesn't cost a thing. And yesterday, you got to queue with balloons. Who could miss that?

VIPS

Private Boxes

Balcony

Stalls

Should've brought the stepladder.

Wherever you stood, it was such fun - what mattered was being there.







They have a saying here: De Madrid al Cielo. Basically, there's Madrid....... and then there's Heaven...... 'nuff said. I've started wondering about a special relationship between the powers that be and.. the Powers... because we've had some very interesting weather lately. Yes, it's cold - boy is it cold - but after pouring rain in the week before Christmas, it stayed dry and fine right through til about the 30th, rained for a day, then dried up for New Year's Eve, rained a bit more this week, and then stopped on Friday, giving us a fine day all day yesterday: perfect for several thousand families to have a happy day out. I'm English. I know that weather doesn't work like that, not normally, at any rate. Has someone round here got a hot line to the big guy?

Well, after several hoours, and a few vague specks that might have been rain, or might have been confetti, the rain started to - not fall exactly - more - waft, like net curtains in a breeze. We even get special rain here! It goes sideways, gently, in a real effort not to inconvenience anyone while they're busy enjoying themselves. There must be something in that saying.

So the slight haze in this picture is actually rain, and I imagine those acrobats were glad of their festive umbrellas! The rain continued as the parade ended, and three women dressed in white danced barefoot on an outdoor stage. Poor things, they were so graceful, never missed a beat or a step - and they got wetter and wetter. They finished the piece and left the stage with all the dignity you'd expect from professionals, but I don't think they'll forget that performance in a hurry

The rain stopped promptly - about thirty seconds later - for the opening bars of the Halleluiah Chorus, and a fabulous firework display. Right!

Imagine, the music pouring out: King of Kings! (Halleluiah! Halleluiah!) And Lord of Lords! (Halleluiah! Halleluiah!) - and the sky overhead filled with blazing stars and flowers, showers and streamers of gold and green. Wow!

And He shall reign for ever and ever. Halleluiah! Halleluiah! Halle-e-lu-u-iaaaaaaaah!