Friday Smiles 2025 # Week 3

This week has been a bright but chilly one. Several days have started out grey but soon the sun is out, and in a sheltered spot with the sun right on you, it is almost warm, but the wind has a nip in it that can take you by surprise. But we have taken the opportunity of any bright ones to have a short walk around the village. We have discovered some side streets that we have never been down before. 

But last Friday we went to our new chosen venue for our fish and chips, which is right along the Mojacar sea front. So after our dinner we drove home the long way round, via Garucha, and stopped off at the marina for a walk around the boats. There are always plenty of private yatchs and small craft moored around the walkways, and little silver fish dart in and out of them, easily spotted as the water is quite clear. The larger fishing vessels moor further along on the quayside where they unload their catch each day.

At the end of the marina you are almost at the working port where the barges come to load and reload mostly gravel and yeso (gypsum or plaster). You can tell how full they are by how low they sit in the water.

On Friday the nearest ship to us was a recue vessel, painted bright red, but apparently resting that day.

Just beyond that a huge barge was fully loaded and ready to set off for the open sea again. We watched two little tug boats attatch themselves to the ends of the barge and gradually lead it safely out of the port.

Then they left it to go on its way and came back until they were needed again.

This morning it was brighter but even colder and I decided to go for a bit longer walk than we usually do. Chris wasn't ready to come out as he was working on something on his computer, so I went on my own.

I crossed the main road at the roundabout and went towards the Huerta Nueva urbanisation, but turned right at the first junction. This is a road we often walked our two big dogs along, and they loved it because the surrounding campo was full of rabbits. Not that they ever caught one, but they enjoyed the hunt and chase. Today it was deserted and I enjoyed wandering along with just my own thoughts for company.

At the end of the road you come to the start of the rambla (dry river bed) that runs around the right side of the village. Unlike the green zone that runs behind our house, which is almost left to go wild with a few wizerned orange and almond trees and a few footpaths where the children play, the rambla is quite tidy and organised now. Except for the first little bit which was still wet, the river bed is dry and worn down to a fairly smooth gravel road, wide enough for a vehicle to access the small holdings in the centre. The scrub all around was brown and dusty despite some rain higher up in the hills.

Further along,on either side there are banks of bamboo which should be lush and green at this time of year. But this, also, was brown and almost dead, though it could revive again if we have a lot of rain. Bamboo has quite a strong root so there obviously isn't much water even deep down.

I walked to the end of that part of the rambla where there is a small road up to the top of the village, so just a walk down from there back to our house. At the end of the rambla there are several paddocks with lovely horses in them, and all were contentedly wandering around or nibbling on their hay. But the last paddock has donkeys in it and today one had a dear little foal, standing close to its mother for protection, while the others milled around them.

This sweet soul came over to say 'Hello' and I scratched her head while she laid there on the wall. She was so gentle and friendly. But then a big brown one came over and tried to eat my knitted jacket so I decided to continue on my way home.

It was nice to get back to my sewing group on Wednesday to catch up with everyone's news. We have our own Facebook page and on Tuesday I posted that if anyone brought in enough jam jars, then I would make picallili. You guessed, on Wednesday I was inundated with jam jars, so you know what I will be doing over the weekend!

I had a nice long chat with son Ben about a new song he has written. It is good to see him getting back into his music.

And with that I had better prepare this for posting in the morning and linking up with Annie's Friday Smiles.

P.S. I prepare my posts on Thursaday afternoons, and yesterday I said to Chris, "I didn't have a nice sky picture for this week's post", and then, we had one! So I will leave you with this. So lovely, and a perfect way to end the day.

Friday Smiles 2025 # Week 2

As you probably expect, my post this week is mainly about the Three Kings celebration in our village. It looked as though it might be a cold damp one but in the end it wasn't too bad. 

I always say these fiestas are the same every year as the Spanish are a people of tradition, but this year things were a little different. On the fourth we ventured across to the main carpark in the evening, where they had set up two rows of trestle tables for the "Roscon Gigantico". This has usually been down a side street at the top of the village, but the carpark was a much better idea. I managed to get near the front of the queue this year, (more by accident than design as no-one was sure which way to go!) and soon I was handed my generous slice of roscon and a cup of hot chocolate which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Three Kings were sitting on the stage in the marquee, and children could go up and either speak to them or post a letter of requests in a post box there.

The next night we went across again for the arrival of the Kings. This time I went up to the Town Hall where the procession starts, and there we were entertained by a dancer and drummer. 

Then the float appeared - a much smarter one than we have had other years. All three kings were on it with their assistants, and as they slowly passed through the village they showered the crowd with jelly sweets (wrapped!). We were all ducking to avoid them as they were coming thick and fast. Then we all helped the children gather them up and some had carrier bags full.

At the main carpark the kings alighted and went into the marquee to distribute any gifts left for children at the Town Hall earlier in the week.

The 6th, which is the main fiesta day, started off very dull and cold but a lot of folk still turned out to watch the pageant. This has been identical every year since we came here, but this year there were a lot of extra elements. It started with Mary and Joseph coming down to the main plaza with a real donkey. They stopped at a house to ask for room, and passed a tableau of shepherds and an angel. At the plaza they sat on bales of hay and suddenly they also had a real baby! After the usual arrival of the kings at Herod's palace, they were sent away and eventually came to the 'stable' to present their gifts to the baby. It made it much more complete than on previous years.

Here ate two simple collages, one of Mary and Joseph, and one of the Kings and Herod's palace.

By now the sun was out and although the wind had a bite, it was pleasant enough walking around.

All around the plaza there were the usual Medieval market stalls, mostly selling items like honey, tea and coffee beans, and olive oil, plus a few hand crafted items and a lot of 'cheap toys' which the children love. I bought a jacket which reminded me of ones my sons have worn for many years. It is a bit stiff but I know it will soon soften.

As well as the market stall, on the plaza and surrounding areas, there were examples of earlier crafts, such as a forge, basket weaving, stone sculpture etc. There were also several simple games that the children were enjoying, all made from wood. (Connect four, draughts, puzzles, air hockey without the air, etc). In one corner there was a giant bowl of migas being cooked but this year you had to 'buy a bowl' to be able to have some. Although we are used to free food at the fiestas, a lot of people were prepared to pay for it. We didn't because we don't like migas.

I had some mulled wine to warm me up, and then we went to a local bar for tapas. Before we went home we sat in the Arabian tent and had delicious sweet, mint tea in a pretty glass that we were told we could keep.

On the way home I ws drawn to the tent making mojitos - my usual fiesta treat so we both queued up for one to take home with us and it was lovely. While we queued we were entertained with another (probably the same) dancer and drummer and then a brass band appeared.

In the end what seemed like it would be a rather disappointing day, was in fact a very nice one.

During the week we were in Mojacar and we stopped in a side street for a quick pop into Consum supermarket. As I got out of the car I saw this palm tree. It was outside a shop that looked as though I might find it interesting! Unfortunately we did not have time to stop and investigate that day, but I shall be going back when I have more time.

I have had a bit of time down here with my computer, so I managed to get my one-page calendar made. I print this out A3 size and have it on the wall by my computer where it is very useful when the boys ring me with dates, or I am trying to make appointments. Chris has a copy on his office wall too. I like to make them interesting so this year I made a collage of everyone in our immediate family. I like to look up and see all their smiling faces.

And of course I must end with some skies. It was on the evening after the Three kings that I spotted this sunset. As well as having a vivid letter 'Z' in them, there were impressive layers of colour, and as the sun finally disappeared there were some little grey fluffy clouds drifting across (and of course I can see a face in that one!)

And with that I will close and link upwith Annie's Friday Smiles in the morning.