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.