That Old Time Religion

Last weekend we had the ‘Romeria Virgen del Cerro’ fiesta which so far, has been the most relaxed and colourful occasion we have participated in. My basic understanding of the event is that Mary spends most of the year in the chapel on the hill. For the fiesta however, she gets a lift down to the village church and then after mass on Sunday, gets to tour around the streets before heading back up to the chapel on the hill for a party (accompanied by the usual religious firecrackers, gun blasts and girls in flamenco dress). The sun was shining, a huge paella was prepared and everyone settled in for a wonderful afternoon.

After the fiesta I had to fly to the UK and arrived just before they closed the airport again (more volcano action). Luckily I was able to dash around London, complete my work and fly back to Spain without any other delays.

I returned to Spain with to find that we had been invited by our neighbours to go to their daughter’s ‘First Holy Communion’, (a great honour). She was one of six graduates(?) and a massive crowd turned out in all their finest to attend the hour-and-a-half long service. The local hairdressers had been very busy judging by the array of ‘hair do’s’. We then proceeded to a local restaurant for lunch. We were half expecting a nice ‘finger buffet’ but no - a sit down five course meal for the 50 or so members of the family. Fortunately the sangria flowed. As the girls scampered off to play, Simon and I swallowed hard to support our position as the only English speakers in the room!

p.s. This morning we waved goodbye to Yve as she left for a 3 day activity trip to a National park near Jaen with the school. Simon and I looked at our red haired English daughter leaping on the bus undaunted with 30 Spanish children ... and felt very proud.

May Bank Holiday

Simon is back and the ash has settled … or so we’d thought. Just as I am planning a work trip to the UK the volcano is spluttering again, and I could be forced to follow the ferry/train/bus route.

In the meantime we have just had a lovely bank holiday weekend with my aunt Jane and cousin Lucy, visiting us from the UK. They travelled on what must have been nearly the last Ryanair flight in and out of Granada. (Not because of the volcano, but because of a fallout over local subsidies). Very sad because it’s been really convenient.

Lucy was patient as she modeled the tester garments for the Spa hotel I am designing for at the moment. Needs-must have led to a makeshift studio being assembled on the kitchen table and using wallpaper as a substitute for pattern card!

The sun was shining and lovely Ana, our Spanish teacher, invited us all to a very relaxed birthday barbecue. There was plenty to keep the children occupied and it was a great opportunity to practice our Spanish with her ‘easy to understand’ friends from Madrid.

We also visited Kitty Shepherd in her studio in a village even more remote than us, for tea, cake and a preview of her wonderful ceramics before she exhibits in Sussex this weekend.