Arroyo residents show their Bandolero side at Mojacar Moors and Christians festival

SOME years back Arroyo de la Miel resident Stuart Gregory and some friends visited Mojacar (Almeria) during the Moors and Christians fiestas.
Since then they have returned for the Mojacar fiestas each year and the party has grown so much in size that 84 people set out for Mojacar this time.
Their visits are not restricted to the Costas, the group likes to explore Spain. “There’s more to see than just the Costas,” Mr Gregory said. But the Mojacar visit is always a must-do on their calendar.
The manageress of the hotel where they always stay is one of the Moors and Christians organisers and over the years the group has become more and more involved. So much so that to Stuart’s delighted surprise, he and another member of the party, Brendan Cook, were asked if they would like to take part this time.
“What a question!” Stuart later told the Euro Weekly News. “We both jumped at the chance.”
The next question was “Moors or Christians?” and that didn’t require much deliberation either, as both Stuart and Brendan immediately answered, “Moors of course!”
In fact they were eventually assigned to the Christian band and kitted out as Bandoleros. “The costumes were really great,” Brendan said, “but really hot, too.”
The two new Bandolero recruits asked the parade organisers where they would be located in the procession so that friends and families would know when and where to look out for them. “No problem,” they were told. “You’ll be easy to spot because you’re going to be opening the Bandoleros group.”
And so that’s how two Arroyo expats happened to find themselves dressed as bandits at the head of Mojacar’s Moors and Christians parade. They are already looking forward to next year when – if 2015 is anything to go by – anything could happen.