Another meal for the "mujeres".

The women, mujeres, of Torre del Compte certainly know how to enjoy and entertain themselves.

Click left on any photo to see it full size

This year for three hours every Saturday afternoon from February to June, they have met and have been involved in a patchwork class. In previous years, they have met for restoration and art classes, always on a Saturday afternoon. The outcome of their labours is exhibited in the town hall during fiesta week in August.



In addition to these classes they have one day every year when all the women of the villages in the Matarraña region visit one village which plays at being the host for the day.


It is also the women's organisation which is responsible for the annual village trip so even though this is a very small village it has a very active social side.

Other social events involve wonderful gastronomic meals at the village bar/restaurant and this was the case yesterday evening, a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

La fiesta de San Juan

Saturday, 11.30 am, time for mass in the ermita de San Juan, opposite our house.

To see the full size image, click left on any photo.

The musicians and choir sat at the back.

After the mass, it was time for lunch in our bodega. Floyd had folded the napkins the night before.

One of our favourites, sea-food paella.

After lunch, time to cool off in our jacuzzi - very relaxing!

In the evening, it was "dancing in the street", (or "camino" in this case), in front of our house.

Finally, time for supper. We must have worked up quite an appetite with all that dancing!

All photos from Floyd.

Arnes Honey Festival

We last went to Arnes for the BBQ on Easter Monday in April. (To see it, if you missed it at the time, click HERE). Today however, was the Honey Festival, Fiesta de la Miel, (or Festa de la Mel in Catalan).

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Evidently this was the 6th fair...


...and there was a honey / bee theme everywhere, even the houses had sheets decorated with the occasional bee on display.


There were lots of stalls selling local produce such as sausages, fish, cheese...


...and wax products made from bees wax and smelling of honey.


The church there was restored a few years ago. This is just what ours needs, (and the rumour is that funds are available).

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There were lots of people there. These occasions are always well supported, it seems that everyone from the local villages goes to whatever fair is happening wherever it is.


All the villages in this area date from around the same period, 16th century, and have similar architecture, they are generally lasting well.


Then it was time for lunch so we drove to the ermita and prepared another paella, this time with meat, mainly pork and rabbit, rather than fish.

Delicious!

The village trip

We meet, as usual, just before 6.00am at the crossroads and the coach sets off towards Barcelona, stopping for our breakfast of a bocadillo, (made at home the night before), and coffee, at a motorway service station, finally reaching our first destination at around 9.30am.

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And here we are at the centre of the Codorníu bodegas. Click HERE to go tho their website. Cava was born here in 1872. Note the "Gaudi" touches to the reception centre above, although buildings here were designed by the Art-Nouveau architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

The vineyards have been going since 1551, through 17 generations so far.

We were taken down to the bodegas...

...where there is room for 100 million bottles of cava. The wine undergoes a second fermentation which involves a long ageing process which ends with the "dégorgement" to remove the sediment.


In the UK we drink sparkling wine as an aperitif. In Spain it is usual to drink it after the main course with the desert. According to Codorníu literature, there is a Cava to drink at every stage of the meal. Margaret drinks it at any time!


We then passed this distinctive range of mountains known as Montserrat, on our way to...


...a paper mill. The Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades. Click on the name to see it's interesting web site. Not paper in it's original sense but paper which has been recycled from cloth!


Inside, all the machinery still works from the water wheel, (for demonstration pursposes only).


After, we had a great meal at the restaurant over the road.


Then in the afternoon, the 3rd and final visit which was to the Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet. Click on the name to go to the web site.


This is a real working monastery with actual monks although there is quite a lot of emphasis placed on their wine produce! Then just after 6 o'clock it was onto the coach and back to our own village after a thoroughly good day out.

It's holiday time again!

Week 21 is the week at our timeshare Doña Lola on the Costa del Sol so on Friday 22nd May after dropping Hona off at the kennels in Tortosa, we headed south at a leisurely pace staying overnight at the town of Elche which is exactly half-way. We left our two cats at home this time so they could enjoy their dog-free holiday being looked after by Floyd.

To see any picture full size just click on it.

This year the weather was great all week.

This is the time of year for the palms to be pruned.


There was entertainment in the restaurant by Alexandra Avery. Click HERE to see her on YouTube.


Here is the traditional picture of Margaret in the window with the fig tree.


In charge of the "entertainment" is Curro, here giving us a guided tour of the plants in the gardens. He also gives Spanish lessons, is in charge of the wine tasting and paella making sessions as well as organising activities for the children throughout the week.


At the end of the week we then headed for Manzanares which is just south of Madrid for a 2 night stay at the Parador there.

Spot Margaret!

Why is it that so many of our photos involve us being at the table, eating and drinking? Here we are having a lovely meal in the Parador restaurant. A great way to finish off a most enjoyable holiday.

Fórnoles, paella and hail!

A group of us set off to Fórnoles, a village just 18 kms to the south-west of us, at around 11 am on Sunday morning. One of it's claims to fame is that it is on the Greenwich meridian, longitude 0.000. It is also higher than we are, Torre del Compte is at 500 metres, Fórnoles is at 667 - 706 metres above sea level.

Click left on any picture to see it full size.

The ermita de la Virgen de Montserrate, also called the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Fórnoles, some 5 kms outside the village, dates from the IX century but has been renovated many times since then.


The whole area is in flower at this time of year.


The ermita is in a wonderful situation with excellent views over the surrounding countryside which made the climb to the top of the tower even more worthwhile.


The altar was decorated with many bouquets for the service in honour of the Virgen de Montserrate.


After the mass, there was a short procession and the priest said prayers to the east, west, north and south so that the farmers would have sun, plenty of rain and enjoy a bountiful harvest later in the year.


We then got down to the serious business of making the paella...


...but during the meal we had a terrific hail storm complete with thunder and lightning. Evidently the priest's prayers were acted on very quickly! We sheltered under a large groundsheet, the only problem being to keep the sheet away from us to prevent us being beaten by the hailstones which was not a pleasant experience.


It must have been a strange spectacle, especially with screams emanating from under the sheet as the hailstones struck us.


Fortunately, the storm moved on and allowed us to finish the meal in peace.


Later in the afternoon, the band from one of the local villages performed. It certainly was a day to remember.

IX Marcha for Caminos

If you go back to the first entry of this blog in April 2007, it was the VII Marcha por Caminos de Torre del Compte. At this time last year, you can see details of the VIII Marcha. This year we have just had a holiday for St George's day, on Thursday, and this was followed by a "puente" or "bridging day", a holiday on Friday, to make it a long weekend.

Click left on any picture to enlarge it

The weather has been changeable, sunny and very warm recently but today has been cold, generally overcast and windy, fine for walking but a bit chilly for the meal outside in the Plaza Mayor.


The walk was approximately 16 kms and took in the area to the north and east of the village...

...with some great views over the countryside.

The meal was the traditional fideuá, (similar to paella with seafood and pieces of rabbit and chicken but with pasta instead of rice) and was cooked in the usual way in the Plaza.


It was the only time over 380 people made so little sound!

And so with this weekend with 2 extra days holiday behind us, we now have to wait for the next long weekend until next weekend with Friday, 1st May being a public holiday.