In Alicante, a small, almost hidden chorus gathers each Monday near the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. A handful of people—no more than ten or twelve—meet under the protective shadow of the railings, tucked into a corner that shields them from the sun’s glare. Without the amplifiers they use, they would likely blend into the background. On June 13, St. Anthony’s Day, a Serrat song drew attention to them as the sun slipped toward the horizon and the square took on a softer glow.
From a distance, their presence is quiet yet persistent. The group sits beside the Audiencia, and their banner proclaims a simple, urgent message: Good Retirement. They appear young enough to be mistaken for late bloomers rather than veterans of long careers, barely twelve years into their collective journey. It feels paradoxical in a city famed for its older residents and long celebrated as a haven for retirees, a place that has earned a reputation as the ultimate backdrop for lingering into the later years of life.
In Bilbao, where the population rivals Alicante’s, thousands of retirees gather weekly around Plaza del Teatro Arriaga. Yet the spark here remains, symbolically carried by these ten or so individuals who have chosen to intensify their voices through the public address system, compensating for frail throats with sheer determination and volume. The effort is not just about sound; it is a statement that the elder years deserve an active, audible presence in the square.
On Monday, June 20, the Official Bonfire made its appearance and the group reclaimed their spot in the open area. Yet, as the year progresses, the plan is to return to a shaded corner of the square, where the noise and the attention it draws meet the indifference of many who either do not understand the purpose or simply complain about the disturbance. The scene captures a recurring tension in the city: a visible cohort seeking acknowledgment, while many passersby move on without pausing to listen.
Such dynamics raise questions about Alicante’s civic rhythm and the way public space is shared. The scene suggests a broader pattern where a city known for its warmth and vitality can still feel restrained, as if energy is constrained by internal habits or overlooked by those who assume retirement means quiet withdrawal. The observers note the quiet revolt embedded in the songs, the banners, and the insistence that the voices of older generations deserve a space, regular and unafraid, within the everyday life of the city.