The wooden seats of that van, nicknamed 'la parrala', held an unmistakable scent of barracks. This vehicle, which ran on weekends between Almería and Viator, carried young soldiers seeking a few hours of freedom after a week at the Álvarez de Sotomayor camp.
The soldiers, easily identifiable by their speech and melancholy when talking to their girlfriends, never went unnoticed. Their arrival in Almería, especially via the ford of La Rambla and Murcia street, injected vitality into local businesses, from bars to cinemas.
Authorized in 1942 by the City Council to Mr. Ramón del Pino Álvarez, the service had strict conditions: brief stops for loading and unloading without obstructing traffic. Over the years, 'la parrala' had various stops, finding a more suitable location in the ford of La Rambla in the sixties.
Sundays were the big day for 'la parrala'. Soldiers arrived before noon, filling the city's streets, bars, and cinemas. These young servicemen boosted the local economy, benefiting small businesses and even football, which offered them cheaper tickets.
The color of military uniforms tinted Almería's Sundays. The feeling of loneliness at dusk intensified as they watched groups of soldiers rushing back towards Murcia street to catch the last bus, departing at ten at night, ensuring their return to the camp before the retreat.
Many soldiers made a final stop at the bar ‘El Comandante’ to enjoy their potato omelet sandwiches before embarking on the return journey to Viator, leaving the city once again immersed in the quietude of a Sunday.
