Easter weekend

The weather this Easter weekend has been quite exceptional - ideal for being outside and/or visiting friends. We certainly made the most of it.

Lunch on Good Friday was a great start at the home of our very good friends Maria and Juan and their daughter Clara.

The main course was Maria's oven baked merluza, hake, delicious!

To finish the meal we had very special profiteroles from a local bakery.

On Saturday it was the Easter market in the village organised by the Amas de Casa. In the photo above Margaret is buying the small fig plant.

Saturday was also Juan's birthday so we returned to Maria and Juan's house to give him his birthday present...

...and to join with a dozen others to celebrate with cava and cake.

After the cava and cake Maria prepared her rather special gin and tonics!

Sunset was also quite spectacular!

Easter Sunday morning and it was off to the village Church...

...which still looks wonderful since the renovation works before last August.

On Easter Monday morning we had breakfast at the village bar with friends...

...before some of us went to Valderrobres to buy the food and drink for ...

...a BBQ at the finca of Cristina and Carlos which is just outside our village.

Although they live in Barcelona they spend most weekends tending their vines...

...and have spent a lot of time working on the house.

Manolo works on the barbecue first with the alcachofas, artichokes...

...as Carlos prepares the lamb chops.

Julia and her boyfriend demonstrate their castell, human tower, technique.

The meat is presented...

...and the main part of the BBQ is underway.

This is followed by cakes and, of course, strawberries and cream!

Finally, a long walk to burn off some of those calories.

A wonderful way to draw this Easter weekend to a close.

Cretas Medieval Fayre

It's a lovely Sunday afternoon and time for our annual visit to Cretas to see around their medieval fayre.

One thing I really like about this event is the way that the whole village...

...enters into it as all the buildings are decorated...

...and the participants are dressed for the part...

...even the stallholders.

In addition there are traditional crafts on display...

...although that must be quite hot work this afternoon,...

...and demonstrations using birds of prey.

The lilac blossom is making itself evident.

We bought some cheese...

...and freshly made bread - that's the next meal taken care of!

The entire village was thronging with people making their way around the stalls...

...as we also bought some leather beeswax polish which the lady stallholder was very willing to demonstrate. Another enjoyable excursion.