Sunday, June 18, 2006
Corpus Cristi in El Palmar & Buenavista
Meanwhile, I took a pretty eventful trip out this afternoon. After visiting the mercadillo (Farmers Market) at Los Pedregales in El Palmar, I was going to then stop and look at the carpets in the village, but there was nowhere easy to park or pull in, so I went to Buenavista first, thinking I would come back to El Palmar on the way home.
This turned out to be, accidentally, exactly the right choice. 
Buenavista was alive with people and almost all of the main street (shown left), the road around the square and other streets around the town, were getting covered in salt and flower carpets. I think I found them all.
While I was in Buenavista, apart from, as ever, stopping off for coffee in the square and the, of course, obligatory call to the pasteleria (cake shop) El Aderno, I also went into the church, where there were various Icons on display that I had not previously seen.
By the time I finally got back up to El Palmar, parked, chatted with the village cat, I was just taking pictures of the carpets in the plaza, when I heard the procession coming. Five minutes later and I would not have got photos of the completed carpets before they got trodden on. Any other time of the day and I would not have been able to see the whole event and get photos of that too.
These two images are merely a tease: a forerunner. When I came to download them from the camera, it counted 85 pictures, which are from the market; the making of and the carpets in Buenavista, the church in Buenavista, the carpets and the Corpus Cristi procession in El Palmar and various little rinconcitos - cute corners, flowers, etc., that caught my eye between other things.
During the course of time, some via the Daily Photo, I will get these photos sorted and uploaded somewhere so that you can see and enjoy them too.
Sadly, the batteries in my camera had died by the time we got down a narrow cobbled street to a small chapel - apparently the little church is being renovated - in temporary premises in the cutest little traditional house, made of stone and wood, with a patio and stairs to a wooden balcony. Be sure that I shall be going back at some point to see that again. After the procession was over, wine, bread and traditional cakes were handed out to everyone in the square.
Naturally, after seven years here, quite a lot of people know me, but I also chatted to a few I had not met before, which is what I find always happens here. Whatever else you get from these events, culturally, spiritually - that is your choice - they do bring people together to actually talk to one another.
If these traditions ever seem irrelevant today, I think that what I see here proves that the converse is true: they are more relevant and useful than ever.
For instance, also during the course of the procession, I was talking with a very nice young lady (with a proper camera) and mentioned that my photos were for this website. Well, the next thing I know is that she told the priest, who then mentioned it to the congregation ... So if there ever was any secret about this website, locally, there isn't now! Maybe it's time I added an explanation in Spanish so the local community can at least understand what it's about.
All in all, I can say that I had a really nice time on my rare outing today and, I hope that you will too as all the new pictures and stories unfold.
