Hola amigos,
I had the great fortune to attend the parade today (10/13). I swear the entire Spanish army was here. It lasted > 1.5 hours and these suckers move! The tanks, rocket launchers, etc. had to be going 30 MPH!

It also looked like they had men from other NATO nations (is Spain part of NATO? - wait don´t re-start that thread). I was very happy to see some soldiers from the good ole USA.

I will post pictures next week. Be warned - these guys move fast, so the pictures won´t be up to everyone´s standards.

Here are the photos at my new photo website:
Parade Pics

Hi jaimemiguel! That sounds like a great parade! But where in Spain did you see this??? I didn't see the city locator in your subject line or posting. Thanks!

Busting my chops again.
You are in danger of losing your Mahou. :p
I just figured out how to edit the subject line and just fixed it.

[ 10-13-2001: Message edited by: jaimemiguel ]

I heard from some friends here that those were not NATO troops, but a neucleus of a newly-formed European Union army.

The other 10,000 soldiers were from Spain´s armed forces.

Hey jaimemiguel

How DID you change the subject line? I've been in the position of feeling daft before now and needing to change my own subject lines.

(PS MM told me I couldn't and that only HE could! )

Thanks
Jo

Jo-Anne, to be honest, I'm surprised too! This must be an update with the new message board version. Seems original posters can click on the PAPER-AND-PEN icon next to their posting to change their subject line. And, as always, EVERYONE can edit the text of their postings (reply postings as well as origingal postings) by doing the same. I encourage people to do this rather than just post a new message to save space -- I usually combine postings like this, but it takes time. Thanks!

My husband and I were at the Día de Hispanidad parade on the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid (how am I doing, madridman?)--it was AWESOME. What a display of military might!! And, of course, a type of parade we NEVER see here in the U.S. The "flyovers" were particularly impressive. The tanks...which left treadmarks on the Paseo. And the different troops, including the Civil Guard, in their various attire. Particularly interesting were the troops in the "all-white uniforms with the pieces of fabric sticking out"--great camouflage--and carrying skis. And the "soldiers" carrying either a saw, axe, pick or shovel--very unusual.

We were standing "first row" on the curb with a couple of older Spanish ladies carrying on...yelling such things as guapo or guapa , urging the troops to laugh or smile, commenting on the women in the armed forces, etc. They were so proud. And, as the parade ended and the crowds were dispersing, a young man came up to us and told us how sorry he was about what had happened here in the U.S. Touching!

I am SO glad we went. The folks at our hostal had down-played the event when I had asked about it. But I later learned from the night desk clerk (a wonderful, chatty guy) that it was the first time in Spanish history that the American flag had been displayed alongside the Spanish flag in the parade.