One of the things I miss most about Britain are Ordnance Survey Maps, with their clearly marked footpaths and bridle paths, to help you ramble your way from village to village – and especially, from tea room to pub!
Walking in Spain has many, other compensations though.
Yesterday, I decided to roam with my dogs in the Sierra Cabrera – the mountains situated between the Mediterranean and the desert............(well not yesterday actually because I was going to post this blog nearly a week ago now – but someone nicked the solar panel that powers the internet signal to our house! Bring back nuclear power – that’s what I say.)
It was pleasantly warm and sunny as we set off towards the mountain trails. A little way along the road we came across a man with a bundle of ‘green’ in his hand. I asked what he had found, to which he proudly showed me a beautiful bunch of wild asparagus, that was to go with the families Twelfth Night celebration meal. I think he then immediately regretted telling me of his secret supply, because then he went on to explain that hardly any grew there because the soil conditions weren’t right!......... Oh Yeh!
We continued climbing, the dogs getting increasingly excited about the prospect of chasing rabbits and disturbing the flocks of red legged partridge hiding in the low bushes. When we reached the summit of the trail we could see for miles – below the fairway and green tapestry of Cortijo Grande (if golf’s your game, can there be a more beautiful place to play?) and across The Sierra Filabres; the Almanzora Valley; the Estancias and beyond them maybe 40 miles away, the huge table of rock called Gigante, at 1547metres the first of the higher mountains of the Sierra Maria. In the opposite direction, the ancient white pueblo of Mojacar clung to the hillside, framed by the shimmering Mediterranean.
A large flock of sheep munched their way across a neighbouring summit, unattended by man or dog, the collective flock memory dictating their route, and I could hear the echo of their bells. All of a sudden, a Bonelli’s eagle, circled and swooped across the flock, but then teasing, continued over the ridge.
In the warm sunshine, with views to far mountains and sea, it was hard to believe that this was Christmas tide!
The Christmas lights had been strung up across the road of Oria village on the 21st December! No need to rush things here! They were accompanied by loud speakers that loudly played tapes of children's choirs singing jolly festive songs.
Talking of choirs; on the 23rd December, every one eagerly listened in to the Cathedral Choir Boys singing the winning numbers of the, the big Christmas lottery, 'el Gordo' - 'the fat one'!
We went to see the nativity scene in the nearby town that was so big that it occupies the whole of a huge marquee erected outside the Church. Besides the traditional nativity scenes of 'Wise Men', shepherds, angels and stables there was a whole scene of biblical life - farmers; bakers; potters; joiners; children playing, women cleaning, and all performing elaborate mechanized actions. There was even - how can I say this delicately - a man squatting behind a bush, going to the toilet!! Why I'm not sure, but you will be ‘relieved’ to learn that he wasn't 'mechanized'!!
Christmas Eve - 'Nochebuena' was a time for family gatherings and special meals, and for some children Papa Noel paid a visit!
'La Noche Viaja' - News Year Eve, was a bigger celebration – though in this time of economic recession not so big as in previous years. In the bars and in the village square, people gathered to celebrate the New Year. At midnight as each bell chimed people took another grape in a desperate attempt to swallow them all before the last chime, and then toasted each other with cava. An enterprising supermarket was selling plastic cava glasses filled with twelve grapes!
And then, on the 6th January – Twelfth Night - everything stopped again for Christmas! Los Tres Reyes - the 'Three Wise Men' had arrived bearing gifts. There was a horseback procession of the three kings through town, and bags of 'carbon del Reyes' - a sweet like black cinder toffee - was thrown to the children who scattered to claim their share. Then, it was back home for more family celebrations and present giving!
….and now as we continue into January the olive harvest carries on - black berries for the olive mill, leafy branches for the goats, and olive logs for next year’s fire!
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