THE CULTURE FESTIVAL OF LOS GUÁJARES

Every year, Los Guájares holds a three day festival of culture comprising various events such as local drama group performances, exhibitions, activities for children, workshops and live music. The three villages - Guájar Alto, Guájar Faragüit and Guájar Fondón - take turns to host the festivities, and this year it was the turn of Guájar Fondón to do the honours.

Sunday, the final day, was celebrated by an open air mass, in the square by the church, to the accompaniment of a female sevillana choir, resplendent in flamenco costume. Afterwards, there was free paella for all, cooked in a giant pan in the street below. While people were queueing for their paella, they were entertained by a group of musicians dressed in mediaeval costume.

Exhibitions of paintings, crafts and photography were on display in various buildings around the square, and I was particularly impressed by the mimbre exhibition which consisted of baskets, hats, sandals, mats, etc., woven from the esparto grass which grows in the surrounding mountains. This, sadly, is a dying art and the examples on display were crafted by a local octogenarian called Antonio.

The atmosphere, typical of village events, and enhanced by perfect weather, was relaxed and pleasant.

LAS CRUCES DE MAYO

Throughout Spain, at the beginning of May, the arrival of Spring is celebrated with the festival of Las Cruces de Mayo. Here, in Southern Andalucia, Spring has been with us for some while but this is no excuse for not celebrating the fiesta of Las Cruces.

In Granada and large towns like Motril, this is a major fiesta which lasts 3 days. Garages and empty shops are converted by the neighbours into temporary tapas bars, often with live music to which girls and women of all ages, resplendent in their flamenco dresses and embroidered shawls, dance the sevillana. The centrepiece of the celebration is a cross bedecked with flowers.

In the little village of Guagar Alto, our Cruz de Mayo was a humbler affair. The cross of flowers was erected in the square outside the church, and on Sunday afternoon the villagers congregated to enjoy food prepared on the spot and distributed free. Migas was cooked in a large cauldron and flavoured with sausages, fried peppers and bacalao. A barrel of beer, to which the villagers could help themselves, was also set up. The sun was warm and the village streets were saturated with the scents of jasmine, citrus blossom and roses.