Belen Viviente de Arcos de la Frontera

Mark and I went on a date before Christmas to Arcos de la Frontera...one night in the Christmas season they turn the entire old town into a living nativity/city....they  have rooms, alleys, plazas, etc. full of live scenes of what Bethlehem would have been like at the time of Christ's birth...there were carpenters, basket weavers, bakers, animals, markets, blacksmiths, the Three Kings, and more! and of course the Nativity :) They are all dressed up in handmade costumes and they really go all out on the scenes. The big scene in front of the church (which is normally a parking lot) is covered in dirt and trees are brought in and animals and lots of people. 

The arrival of the Three Kings! Instead of Santa here the Three Kings bring the kids presents on Three Kings day in January. Christmas day is for celebrating Christ's birth, spending time with family, and eating. :)  I love that about here!

the entrance to the old town area. 

the walk ways were covered by palm tree leaves 

The Three Kings are set up (kind of like Santa) and the kids can go see them and tell them what they want for Three Kings Day

The View from the Main Plaza....old town Arcos is up on a hill with pretty much with straight cliffs on the side

the cliffs :) 

there was a bird guy there so Mark had to hold one :)

Mary arriving on a donkey

and finally the Nativity scene!

Mary was so not happy.... :/ 

 Afterwards we ate dinner at a super yummy little place at the end of the whole thing. It was a fun night and I loved the whole idea of the live nativity! Nativity's are a huge thing here....they are everywhere in the towns (I went on a walk with Andrew's class to see some of the nativity scenes set up in Chipiona...so cool! They are huge scenes and are added on to each year.) Before Carmen left we went to a Nativity Christmas Market in Seville...there were stalls and stalls of figurines and stables and houses and pieces to make up as big of a Nativity scene/town that you want. You will find more nativity's here than you will find Santa's or the "commercial" side of Christmas. It's pretty awesome. :)