Verano Azul: Seven Kids and Two Older Make Blue Summer

Nerja is a small town in Malaga province, Andalusia. А former fishing village, it is now a popular summer resort with the typical houses in brightening white, and fine sand stripes of Costa del Sol beaches. All caressed by the warm tenderness of the Spanish sea. Every of these words is an opiate, if you prefer a dreaming for the senses of those in love with the Mediterranean. There is yet another sentiment of mine nestled at this place. It is where they have filmed Verano Azul. The TV series that still excites me with the same old strength. This article is a way to give official voice of my wish to visit Nerja and enjoy my favourites in one.

The Kid And The Older

If you are one of those kids of the late years of Socialism, I am sure you also sympathize with Verano Azul. Well, if you have kept your interest in it. It is a fact they used to broadcast it every single summer on the local television with the only two channels. Speaking of myself, I have never got enough of the series. Before, I have enjoyed the meetings with my favourite gang and shared together the long-awaited summer vacation at the sea. And now I experience exactly the same, only that I rediscover it in a different way.

What carries an eternal message hardly diminishes. This enigmatic film strip is initially created for children. But it also provides a real opportunity for a dialogue between generations. Of course, it has happened much later that I have understood the serious half of Verano Azul. And so I have appreciated it, save that I liked it. However, this series has always attracted me for plenty of reasons. I used to recognize myself in the characters and their adventures. Moreover, what Verano Azul presents has been unfamiliar to the customs of our society back then. Actually, this is one of the puzzles I am still unable to solve. How did a propaganda television like ours those days dare to let us touch to serious issues of the Western society? Those often provocative views were all contrary to the socialist ideology. The most probable answer is that even “ideal” systems for manipulation operate with failures.

Nevertheless, it will not surprise me if you are one of Verano Azul numerous fans. Moreover, I shall be exited. The way it happened when I visited Spain almost a decade ago and met Pancho and Javi. Well, not those fabulous Javi and Pancho you would think of, but just two ordinary local guys with the same names. They got greatly surprised to know that not only was I familiar with Verano Azul but I was even keen on the series. It was exactly when I experienced that unique excitement of sharing common joy and fondness together with strangers. It is curious how similar our mentality, models of education, communication and behaviour are. That we have the same family problems and social conflicts. And that at the same time we differ in our ways to settle them.

I am an admirer of the Spanish cinema. And as such I have observations on their ability to handle humor in various ways. They can be ironic, sarcastic, even cynical at times, witty, entertaining, and frivolous. All they aim is a positive result, sending a message or learning a lesson. Or they simply have fun, laughing at themselves before they do it at others. The Spanish are definitely gifted in self-criticism. This is how they try to see themselves objectively, as realistically from aside as possible. Whereas we would take seriously everything about ourselves but our faults. We are courageous to see others in cartoons while we fear doing it personally. Moreover, we can hardly do it indirectly. By looking through the mirror of a film likewise Verano Azul which has become a social phenomenon.

Verano Azul: The Series

Verano Azul has bonded to generations of Spaniards from the first moment the monopoly state television broadcasted it back in 1981. Community was moved to such an extent that the residents of Nerja named town streets on each of the characters. They also arranged a special park-museum dedicated to the series. Moreover, major leading media used to announce events from the episodes, as in example Chanquete’s death and the breakup of the gang at the end of summer. Verano Azul has not been spared of criticism as well. However, this is expected for every quality product, which is different or completely innovative. The reasons for this interest are numerous and similar to those already mentioned. However, Verano Azul owns its long lasting fame mostly to the social topics it has presented in a professional, still familiar way, without extremity and with plenty of humor.

Each of the nineteen episodes of Verano Azul touches problems related to family and society that have used to exist then but are still valid today. Such are global environment, minors’ labour exploitation, social groups and hierarchy, hippies’ lifestyle. Also, lack of common language between generations, communication in families and mutual respect as well as the protest of the young for their right of recognition. Others are teenage love and relationships, maturing, sexual awareness, tendency of idealizing and creating idols. More are parents’ jealousy for their children’s friends, the different families, betrayal, divorce and the lack of a parent, single mothers, strangers and their social alienation. Not to miss the death of a closer, friendship proven in a need, connecting with other people in the world, freedom, paranormal, magic and illusions. Even estates speculations, which have been a particular problem for Spain. And many other concerns of the youth among more general, ethical and moral values.

The Actors: Real Persons Behind The Characters

Julia and Chanquete

Apart from the serious topics I have always been interested in people who have left traces in the world’s history in one shape or another. So, I have been curious about how the actors’ lives have developed after so many years. Here is what I have learnt about the real persons behind Verano Azul characters. Maria Garralon or Julia is still professionally active, while Antonio Ferrandis or Chanquete is no longer among us. Fortunately, he has left a notable legacy in cinema and several awards. Besides the professional actors in the roles of their older friends, only one of kids has succeeded to build a prestigious career of his own.

Javi, Pancho and Quique

Juan Jose Artero or Javi continues acting until today. The charismatic boy with blond hair and blue eyes, whom I have most naturally been in love with then. After the filming of Verano Azul, he formed a musical duo together with Jose Luis Fernandez or Pancho, his “rival” in the series. The duo was popular with the local youth for some time. However unlike Javi, Pancho had no other appearances in cinema. As did only one else from the gang, Gerardo Garrido or Quique, save his participation in few commercials. Another similarity in the paths of both is that they have gone chaotic after the filming. Quique had studied one and another before he finally got successful into photography. While Pancho had first implicated in drugs. He consequently managed to overcome his problem and now they say, deals with some/runs his own business. This is generally about the boys.

Bea and Desi

My favourite from the girls was Pilar Torres or Bea. The reasons are the same relevant. I simply used to recognize with her. I even envied her for Javi’s adoration. That is why it was good to always have Pancho around to cool down my emotions. It was only him from all that I failed to find attractive. Of course, it was just chemistry and nothing personal to do with him. So much with the liking and disliking, typical for the growing-up. Well, and for those a little late who still seek for themselves. Moreover, Bea’s fate after the filming of Verano Azul came to be somehow sad. It was her from all who carried the consequences of fame in a most dramatic extent. What has happened to her does not surprise me. It is inherent in people to both admire beauty and to act against it in attempt to compensate failures of their own.

Bea was harassed by the yellow pages because of her relationship with one of the operators during the filming of Verano Azul, and the consequent childbirth she gave. Therefore, after participating in one more only TV series, she decided to withdraw from show business. Currently, she works as a medical assistant in a hospital in Madrid together with Cristina Torres or Desi, her friend in the series and sister in real life. Desita in her turn withdrew a decade later. She had her career in cinema longer than all of the kids, save Javi. Another interesting fact is that they both were around seventeen during the filming while they played girls just entering into teen ages in Verano Azul. The same as Pancho’s actual age and unlike Bea’s other admirer Javi. He was in fact a few years younger than all, save Quique.

Tito and Pirana

The little ones’ stories are just as emblematic. The whole gang of kids but one are born citizens of Madrid. Only Miguel Joven or Tito comes from Nejha. Born in Germany, he moved there with family when he was three years old. And hence is a celebrity in his hometown. However, I am surprised by another. I still find it hard to believe that the youngest character in Verano Azul is actually older than me! Other curious fact is that he works now as a receptionist in a local hotel. Well, the living treasure of Nerja has not been spared of a show-career as well, despite how brief it was. He acted in several other films together with Miguel Angel Valero or Pirana, his old companion in the series. The two also formed a musical duet likewise their older friends Javi and Pancho. They even released an entire single which turned into a hit.

Now if you expect that a smart know-all in a movie is different in life, then you are in a huge mistake. The well-rounded and taking good care of himself Pirana post-graduated with a doctorate degree and became a lecturer at university. I can hardly imagine something more cheerful than what his students do every day at his presence. They whistle the unforgettable tune of Verano Azul in his honour. They say Chanquete has not seemed always pleased with the constant association with his character. However, I am aware that Pirana enjoys it. The same way I still use to have fun with the whole fabulous gang. After all, what do you need for an unforgettable blue summer? Nothing else than seven kids with bicycles, two older, one sea, a common song between the serious talks and a great deal of humour.

The intro video with the unforgettable music of Verano Azul