Sidsel Cook maj 1999

Sidsel Cook May 1999 ....the busses went in shuttle service between Fuengirola and Mijas. At the bustop happy Spaniards waited with shining horse carriages. There wern´t many though that were intrested of a sight seeing tour that day. The stream of people went through narrow alleys bordered by white houses towards a big open space behind the town hall house. That it was an open space wasn´t possible to see because of all the stalls and all the people. It was International Day in Mijas, in the stalls it was served food from all over the world. In the Norweigan stall you could get fresch pancaces and in the Swedish; meatbolls, herring etc...... The TV cameras were spotted towards the big stage where a dancing troup from Peru were performing. People were dancing, talking, laughing and singing. And then it was Swedens turn. The sole Swedish woman on the stage was singing with a rare intensity and the tones found their way far behind the massive mountain chain of the Sierra Blanca. All trade in the stalls caesed. Playing children stopped playing. Talking people stopped talking. Everone listened breathlessly. Some of them had tears in their eyes. “Gracias a la vida” (Many thanks to life) the beautiful blond woman was singing in Spanish. Bambi Elinsdotter is her namne, but she is just called Bambi. She lives half the year in Luleå and half the year in Fuengirola. Practically everyone on the Costa del Sol knows who Bambi is. Here she is queen. (translation; Monica Granström, Luleå)