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Mini Hollywood (day 6)
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Today, after riding through the only true desert in Europe, we reach Mini-Hollywood, the home of any spaghetti western worth it's parmesan (could you just excuse me a moment while I spit on my dog's head).
Ah that's better. Now where was I....oh yes, I was telling you about Mini-Hollywood. You better behave yourself here; you'll see a few people hanging around on the streets, yes really, hanging around on the street after the lynching party has got hold of them.
There's a Wild West Saloon and a film museum. You may even see 'Black Jake', the bounty hunter searching for the 'Brown Paper Kid'. Apparently he's wanted for rustling (that's not true actually, I made it up). There's a zoo as well, so we have to make sure that Thoughtful Mark is still with us when we leave.
Some of the movies that were shot here have grown
to acquire cult status. 'A Fistful of Dollars', 'For a Few Dollars More' and the
legendary 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' were all shot right here in the
Tabernas Desert in Almeria.
The bank contains quite an interesting film museum with a number of old cameras and projectors and the original Spanish posters of films made on the set.
The can-can show is in the Yellow Star Saloon, which is a working affair. By that I mean you can get a drink there, not have a shoot-out. That's left to the actors who perform a re-enactment of a typical cowboy argument. You know, they all end dead in the street.Although some of the structures have been added to augment the theme park, it's refreshing to know that most of them date from the cinema days. The first buildings were the 'Sheriff's Office' and 'The Bank', built for 'For a Few Dollars More.' The saloon is original from the swing doors up to the stage area, which we added on. Of course, many of the buildings have been changed a number of times - the barber's for example. but he likes to keep a cut above the rest.
When we're all yee-aahd out, it's back on our bikes for the journey to Mazarron, the last of our coastal stops.
The hotel in Mazarron has private parking.
Entrance fee to Mini-Hollywood is included in the tour price.