Las Fiestas 2014

Tuesday, 19th August

The fiesta traditionally starts with the Chorizada where everyone meets with their friends to eat longanizas and chorizos which have been barbecued on small bonfires.

This is not Gaza. This is the BBQ of the sausages in the Co-operativa.

The fiesta committee share out the sausages.

The cooked sausages are eaten in a hunk of bread.

After the meal a band leads everyone around the village to the different peñas where you are invited to down a vodka and tonic in one. 

The only problem is that between the peñas the people in the houses throw buckets of water on the passing crowds, some even use hosepipes, so that in the end, everyone ends up drenched! Great fun!!

To see more photos, click HERE.

Wednesday, 20th August

At midday there is mass in the church in honour of the patron saint of the village, San Ramón.

Here he is in the photo above where his actual halo can be seen above his head, this is not a trick of the light!

San Ramón is then taken around the village with the congregation forming the procession.

After the service there is food and drink provided for the villagers of the 3rd age.

To see more photos, click HERE.

What could be better than a meal with friends to end the day or for some, to start the night in the Plaza Mayor dancing until the early hours to a live group. 

Interestingly, my dog seems to have crept into that last photo. To see more of her and my avatar, click HERE.

Thursday, 21st August

Another meal with friends and the entire village in the Plaza Mayor where everyone brings a dish...

...followed by the entertainment for the evening, dancers, a singer...

...and a hypnotist.

To see more photos, click HERE.

Friday, 22nd August

The climax of the fiesta has become the Concurso de Disfraces, the Fancydress Competition, where the various peñas perform in the Plaza Mayor.

As usual, I videoed their presentations and they can be seen by clicking on the links below.

To see Peña Ole, click HERE.

To see Lo Corral, click HERE.

To see Lo Karkas, click HERE.

To see Lo Skaldat, click HERE.

To see Lo Catacroc, click HERE.

To see Lo Topi, click HERE.

Finally, after the presentations by the peñas, the committee of the Amas de Casa, 
the housewives group, gave their dance extravaganza. To see this, click HERE.


A great end to a great fiesta!

It's a super SUPERMOON!

As you know, the moon orbits the earth in an elliptical, not circular, path which means that the distance between the moon and the earth varies constantly.

Today it was the closest it has been this year and it was a full moon. With camera and tripod in hand I was on the terrace to capture the event.

Photographing the moon is a tricky business if the aim is to see the detail of the surface rather than just a shiny sphere in the sky so here are 2 of my attempts and you can take your pick of which one you prefer.

Both are super supermoons!

My birthday party.

Planning the party was a bit tricky this year as the village Amas de Casa, the housewives group, were having their annual meal on the same day in the afternoon. 

Therefore, we decided to start the party at 19:30 when the afternoon activity should have reached a conclusion and people would be able to be present.

There were 22 of us and we enjoyed a large salmon pie and a large chicken pie that Margaret had made that day as well as a couple of pizzas and salads.

As Margaret was attending the Amas de Casa meal our friends Joy and John turned up early to help with the preparation.

Here's a small clue as to the number of years I've been around. Actually the tee-shirt is made by a company which calls itself "55" but I changed their logo with a couple of strips of black tape for the day.

It's a good idea getting actual numbers for the candles because one candle for each year would have been a fire hazard!

After the cake and cava we had the games; darts...

...table tennis...

...pool...

...and table football.

A great day and everyone was so generous with the presents they brought or sent.

I can't wait for next year!

43rd wedding anniversary

To celebrate our wedding anniversary this year we went for a rather special meal to the restaurant in La Hospedería Virgen de la Fuente situated 2 km outside the village of Peñarroya de Tastavins which is 34 km away from us in Torre del Compte.

The restaurant is inside a 14 century Gothic sanctuario and features a baroque chapel which is currently displaying works by local artists.

The meal started with 3 hors d'oeuvres, a gazpacho soup drink, a chorizo sausage...

...and a piece of toast with spread, sufficient to whet anyone's appetite.

This was followed by what could only be described as ham, egg and chips for Margaret while I had garbanzos, alioli y panceta, chickpeas, garlic mayonnaise and bacon.

For the main course Margaret had the local lamb chops...

...and I had a secreto de cerdo, the "secret of pork"which is a cut between the shoulder and the ribs which is so tasty that the butchers would keep it for themselves.

For desert Margaret went for the homemade ice cream...

...and I had local cheese with dulce de membrillo, quince jelly, a fantastic combination.

The meal was finished off with a liqueur...

...and then downstairs to the courtyard for coffee.

Then, to finish off, an evening session in the jacuzzi.

A perfect day!