It’s fiesta time in Jumilla – yet again!

August 24, 2011 in Spain through my lens, Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | No comments

Official launch of La Fiesta de la Vendimia, with the Niño de las Uvas

 August is an exhausting month for those of us who live in Jumilla, even if we are only spectating.  We met a couple of people last week who live near Pinoso, who said they were “all fiesta-ed out” after their own fiestas, and we knew exactly what they meant.

The programme for the Feria y Fiestas de Agosto shows 10 days of celebrations: at the time of starting this post we were only into day 7 and I was already flagging a bit and seriously considering having a siesta, which may have been the only sane way to survive all the partying.

Although there are activities throughout the day, most of the main events are held at an hour when many of our compatriots would be considering retiring for the night. Not only that, but you usually have to add at least thirty minutes to the official start time.  The Noche de las Antorchas was held in the castle, and with such an atmospheric setting we weren’t worried about the lateness of the hour.

The night of the torches in Jumilla castle

 We were fortunate to get tickets for the Gran Fiesta de la Exaltacíón del Vino held in the gardens of Salones Pio XII, which kicked off the proceedings for the 40th Fiesta de la Vendimia.  Our first year in Jumilla we had joined the queue outside the Ayuntamiento to buy tickets, but they had sold out before we reached the head of the queue.  The following year we queued outside the Roque Baños centre for several hours and this time we succeeded in getting tickets, presumably because they had limited everyone to a maximum of two tickets.  This year we used our contacts and reserved our two tickets in advance: it’s not what you know, it’s who you know……!!

Apparently there were over 1,000 people at the Gran Exultación, and we soon realised that it was the place to go to and to be seen at.  In our slightly biased view it wasn’t as enjoyable an evening as La Gran Cata, however with all our favourite bodegas being present, allowing us to wander around with wine glass in hand and ask for a taste of their best wines, plus plates of food constantly appearing, it was still a pretty damned good night out.  Being a child at heart, I absolutely loved the firework display at the end!

Entrance of the Christians

The first procession of the August Feria was the Entrada Cristiana on Saturday night, where we saw the first Christians approaching us at about 20.45.  As they were due to start at 20.00, we calculated that they probably left the Plaza del Rollo at 20.30, with the customary half hour delay.  Not that we worried as we were sitting with friends at a table outside Bar California, which was a prime viewing spot, enjoying some Jumilla wine. 

I have to say that I was impressed by the Gran Entrada Mora (the Moors) on Sunday night.  We went to watch the start at a spot conveniently close to Nuestro Bar, where we saw a group of splendidly dressed Moros enjoying tapas and drinks outside, while two of the bands had congregated inside the bar, with only ten minutes to go before the scheduled start time.  We decided to have some of the aptly named delicias de bacalao and a cold drink, as it didn’t looks as if the participants were about to go anywhere soon.  Much to our amazement, the Gran Entrada Mora set off barely ten minutes late. 

Although there are separate processions for the Moors and Christians, it’s all very civilised (apart from the fighting, that is) so lots of Moros appeared in the Cristianos procession and vice versa.  I do think that it is a bit unfair that the Moors have the most sumptous costumes, though the Christians looked impressive too.

Entrance of the Moors

If one fiesta wasn’t enough, we also enjoyed the National Folklore Festival last weekend.  The inaugural event was on Saturday night after the Entrada Cristiana, starting at 22.00.  The Jardín de la Glorieta was packed as we witnessed Los Armaos marching onto the stage for the traditional “el Caracol” before we watched several folk groups playing music, singing and dancing.

Impressive though it was, I think we preferred the more intimate atmosphere on Monday in the barrio of San Antón.  After performing several lively dances, the Grupo de Folklore Caramancho de Badajoz responded to the cries of “Otras” by persuading several onlookers to join in.  Luckily John and I were hiding in the shadows!

The neighbours joined in the dancing

If we had had the stamina there were dozens of events that we could have enjoyed, however we decided to limit ourselves as we were due to go away the following weekend – and we needed to conserve our energy for that.  We still managed to enjoy several folk dancing events, the Artisans´Market, the Solemn Procession in honour of la Patrona, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, the Children’s Cabalgata and the finale of the Moros y Cristianos Fiesta.  The dramatic re-enactment of the Ambassadors and Parliament took place on the Paseo.  This event involved lots of fighting and bodies falling to the ground, the clashing of heavy swords with sparks flying and a large horse charging towards the Moros.  Spendid stuff!

Waiting to charge at the Moors

Of course most people associate August in Jumilla with the Fiesta de la Vendimia, and so we had two groups of British visitors on Thursday who wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  We showed them around Jumilla in the morning, stopping only to enjoy the Feria de Día (a glass of wine and special tapa for 2€) in a couple of good bars.  We had also booked a visit to Bodegas Silvano Garcia to keep them occupied in the afternoon. 

 The visitors had opted for the Cabalgata Tradicional (the one that doesn’t involve getting drenched in red wine) so we all met up again at 20.30, having booked a couple of tables across the road from Nuestro Bar.  Everybody ordered drinks and tapas, though once the procession reached us we were being handed tiny plastic glasses of wine and sangria, plus tastings of food, so we weren’t in any danger of becoming thirsty or hungry.

Cabalgata Tradicional - wine anyone?

I nearly forgot to mention the Miniferia del Vino that took place on the first Saturday of the fiestas.  3€ for a wine glass that you can take home, then a stroll through the gardens, where we tasted wine at the many stands representing some of Jumilla’s best bodegas and snacked on cheese, ham, nuts etc.  Not surprisingly we were there - as we have been for the last three years - tasting our favourite wines. 

An honourable mention too for the Ofrenda de Uvas to the Niño de las Uvas, which is one of the most popular processions.  We sat outside the ice-cream parlour enjoying home-made ice-cream (as you do) while watching men, women and children dressed in traditional costumes carrying their baskets of grapes into the Jardín.

Offering of the grapes and first must

 An amazing ten days of celebrations in Jumilla – now we have to catch up the many hours of sleep that we missed!

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Not to be missed: Cirque du Soleil!

August 7, 2011 in Spain on a budget, Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | 7 comments

Cirque du Soleil at Zaragoza Expo

John and I first saw Cirque du Soleil when we visited the Expo in Zaragoza, where we saw many of their acrobats and jugglers taking part in a procession.  When we discovered they were due to perform in Alicante, we asked our friends John and Lesley if they were interested in seeing them too, and luckily they immediately agreed!  Even if we hadn’t been chauffered there and had travelled on three buses from Jumilla, we would have said it was worth going, as it was an incredible show.

La Gran Carpa – Cirque du Soleil, Alicante

 When we arrived at the entrance, a nice young man from Barcelona told us that our seats weren’t that good (we are all pensioners, so we had bought the cheapest tickets available!) and showed us to the front row.  Yes, he gave us the best seats in the house – result!

No superlatives are good enough to describe the amazing, fantastic, brilliant, best show ever that we witnessed.  The first hour went by incredibly quickly as the artistes spun, juggled, flew through the air and amazed us with their skills and daring.   It was colourful, spectacular and they even had live music, which enhanced the whole experience. 

Even the stage curtains were spectacular

There was comedy as well as drama: John had a hat full of popcorn emptied over him, before the hat was plonked on his head.  The other John, Lesley and I thought it was very funny!  Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera ready to hand to capture the sight, as we had been told not to use cameras during the show for safety reasons.  This was quite understandable when you saw the split-second timing as two catchers threw two trapeze artists through the air simultaneously and then caught the one flying towards them.

The organisation was superb: the show began on time (virtually unknown in our part of Spain!), with a half hour interval after the first hour of the show, followed by another hour’s entertainment.  Lesley and I browsed round the stalls, however we couldn’t justify buying anything as most articles on sale were fairly expensive, though of good quality.  There was air conditioning too, so don’t go in shorts: our friend John said his knees were cold!

Drinks cost over 4€, however we had brought bottles of water with us, and we had also enjoyed a cool copa de vino latino beforehand, so we didn’t bother.  Our tickets had cost us 26.50€ (discounted on the Cirque du Soleil website) which we thought was amazing value for money, especially when we were shown to the prime seats!

All I can say is that if you get the opportunity to see Cirque du Soleil, do so.  If you become a member of the Cirque Club they will send you details of any offers: sign up on the Cirque du Soleil website.

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Pulling teeth…

July 31, 2011 in Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | No comments

My intention for the last post in July was to give detailed information about the forthcoming Feria y Fiestas de Agosto.  However trying to get advance tourist information in Jumilla is like trying to pull teeth – and isn’t helped by the fact that the Oficina de Turismo is closed until 2nd August! 

There are colourful posters on display all around Jumilla, depicting the 40th Anniversary of the Fiesta de la Vendimia, the 30th Anniversary of the National Folklore Festival and the 25th Anniversary of the Moors and Christians, however there don’t appear to be any leaflets or booklets giving more specific details. 

Research on the internet has given me a few key dates, but all I know about the Moros y Cristianos so far  is that the Noche de las Antorchas will be at 21.00 on Saturday 6th August in the Castle - and the other main events will be taking place between 12th and 16th August.

Moros y Cristianos procession 2010

National Folklore Festival

Music and dance groups from Badajoz, Almerís, León, Tenerife and A Coruña will be performing, as well as the Coros y Danzas de Jumilla.

Saturday 13 August

22.00 Inaugural session in the Jardín de la Glorieta.

Sunday 14 August

13.30 Music and dancing in the streets. The groups will perform in the different barrios of Jumilla.     

18.30 Traditional games.  Paseo Lorenzo Guardiola.

20.00 Sones de España – concert of traditional music.  Julián Santos Auditorium

Monday 15 August

13.30   Music and dancing in the streets. The groups will perform again in the barrios of Jumilla, giving you the opportunity to watch a different group.                 

21.30 Procession of the participating groups from Plaza de Arriba to Jardín de la Glorieta, where the closing gala will take place at 22.00.       

Festival Nacional de Folklore 2010

 The complete programme, plus details about the participating groups, can be found on the FNF website.

Fiesta de la Vendimia

Friday 12 August

21.30 Inauguration of the Fountain of Wine (yes, wine will be flowing!), Jardín de la Glorieta

22.30 Inauguration of the D.O. Jumilla wine stand, Paseo Poeta Lorenzo Guardiola.  This is where you go for your free samples!

Saturday 13 August

08.00 Gran Pitanza Fiesta del la Vendimia in the Plaza del Mercado.  This is a new event, but I gather that it will be going on all day, allowing you to sample various local dishes.

12.00 Miniferia del Vino,  Jardín del Rey Don Pedro.  Sshhh!  So far I haven’t found anything in print or on the web, but my sources have assured me that this popular event will be taking place on Saturday, and it usually starts at 12.00, so we will be heading there hopefully.  It is a great opportunity to try 2 or 3 different wines  and discover your favourites.  (OK, we usually try a few more than that, but we don’t want to be seen favouring a particular bodega!) The usual format is to buy a glass for a few euros then go round the many stands sampling different wines.

Tuesday 16 August

20.30 Cabalgata Infantil.  The children’s procession starts assembling in Plaza del Rollo at 20.00, then goes along the main streets of Jumilla, finishing behind the covered market.

Wednesday 17 August

Día del Niño The day for children of all ages to go along to the fairground, where they are offering 2 x 1 on all the rides.

21.00 Offering of the grapes and first grape juice to the Niño de las Uvas, Jardín de la Glorieta.

Thursday 18 August

11.00 – 13.30 Exhibition of all the floats taking part in the annual competition, Paseo Lorenzo Guardiola.

Cabalgata tradicional 2010

20.30 Cabalgata Tradicional  This is the traditional procession, for those of us who prefer to sample wines rather than getting soaked in the stuff! Again it starts assembling in Plaza del Rollo at 20.00 and follows the same route as the children’s procession. We can definitely recommend this one, as all our friends have enjoyed it.

Saturday 20 August

19.00 Gran Cabalgata del Vino  OK.  If you insist on getting drenched in red wine (don’t wear your best clothes) then head to Avenida de Reyes Católicos and Avenida de Murcia where the procession starts assembling at 18.00, going along the main streets of Jumilla.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you! 

For more details about all the events in the Fiesta de la Vendimia, check the Federation of Peñas website.  Watch this space for further updates, as there will be 4 concerts taking place, but so far I don’t know the dates!

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La Gran Cata

July 30, 2011 in Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | 2 comments

Wow!  That was the first word to come to mind when we entered the Jardín Botánico last night: José María of Los Chilines had surpassed even his high standards.

This was the third Gran Cata that we have attended since moving to Jumilla.  We thought the first one in Jardín de Los Caños was great – lots of good food and lots of good wine - even though we were sitting on stone seats.  We encouraged our friends Lesley and John to join us for last year’s Gran Cata, which proved to be even better, with live music from a local group, plus chairs had been provided for us all to sit on. 

We all reserved our tickets for this year’s Gran Cata as soon as details appeared, which was lucky as they sold out almost immediately, such is José María’s reputation for organising excellent wine tasting events.

La Gran Cata 2009

La Gran Cata mark III was held in the beautiful surroundings of the Jardín Botánico however the first thing we noticed on arrival was a red carpet!  We walked along the red carpet, stopped to have our photos taken by Fotocool and then headed for the lounge area.  I was wearing flat shoes, suspecting that we might have to stand up all evening as it was a far bigger event than before, so it was a pleasant surprise to see that tables and chairs had been set out.

We were soon joined by a group of young people, one of whom introduced herself and said she was keen to practise her English on us.  She was called Victoria, and we realised that she was the singer who would be providing the evening’s entertainment later on.

The whole evening was exceptionally well organised, especially considering there were two hundred and fifty people present.  Bar Paraiso were in charge of catering again, so we knew that the food would be very tasty.  The wine waiters timed things to perfection, so we all had the right wine to taste as the wine makers from the 10 participating bodegas introduced their individual wines. 

Waiting with Lesley and John for the food and wine to appear

I think the four British pensioners were the only people present to appreciate the irony of one wine being named Crápula, though we tried to explain it to the chicos and chicas at our table.  Our favourite wines were Divus, Gemina Cuvee, Calzas and Juan Gil 18 meses.  Wine tasting is all about individual taste though as, in spite of us not rating Crápula, the wine guru Robert Parker gave it 90 points!

While we were tasting the first five wines, plates of delicious food kept arriving.  Our Spanish companions were eagerly waiting for the jamón, which the champion Maestro Cortador de Jamón was carving, so I kindly helped them out with the seafood tapas and cheeses. 

Victoria disappeared with Paco her guitarist just after we had tasted the fourth wine (she was being abstemious though, only drinking water and coke) and she then appeared on stage to perform her first set.  Victoria had already told us that only three of her twenty five songs would be sung in Spanish, so not surprisingly we knew most of the words.

After tasting the final five wines we listened to Victoria’s second set, while more bottles of wine were being brought round, giving us a chance to taste our favourites again.  By now several people were up dancing and, once I had twisted John’s arm, we joined them for a couple of lively numbers.  After that Lesley and I discovered the Dulce Zone, where tiny desserts and chocolate truffles had been laid out, so we headed eagerly in that direction.  Yummy!

Listen to Victoria singing “Mrs Robinson”

We left at one o’clock, having had more than enough food and wine, however we noticed on the way out that Chaplin Bar was serving drinks to those with more stamina than us.

Many congratulations to José María and his team for organising such an amazing event – we are already looking forward to next year’s Gran Cata!

PS What do you think we had to pay for this great evening?  Please leave your guesses in the comments box below, and I will post the answer next week.

La Gran Cata 2011

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Victorious in Villajoyosa

July 29, 2011 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | No comments

There is usually so much happening in Jumilla that we rarely go away for the day.  However our friends Lesley and John had decided to visit Villajoyosa (also known as La Vila Joiosa) for the Moors and Christians fiestas and asked us if we would like to go along.  Living inland we don’t see much of the sea, so we happily accepted their offer.

I think it was more by luck than good planning (sorry John!) that we managed to find a parking spot fairly close to the sea and, as we found out later on, very close to the processional route.  The festivities were due to start at 1815 however, although we didn’t park the car until after that, we saw a whole load of pirates having a drink so knew we hadn’t missed anything. 

Traditionally the assorted pirates, smugglers, fishermen and sailors arrive by boat, however on Wednesday the red flag was flying.  I suspect that in past times this wouldn’t have mattered, but Spain is gradually becoming health and safety conscious, so a group of them gathered at the edge of the sea instead and then ran towards the castle. 

We were slightly disappointed that there wasn’t any hand to hand fighting or swordplay, however there were lots of loud bangs, followed by even more loud bangs, and groups of people in various costumes running backwards and forwards.  Eventually the Christians were evicted from the castle (though we heard a rumour that they were going to re-capture it the following night) and once all the ammunition had been used up by the victorious pirates and smugglers, people started leaving the Playa Centro. 

We assumed that this was the end of the evening’s entertainment so headed back  towards the car.  The two men had decided that they needed a glass of wine until their ears recovered from the onslaught, so we were walking up the road to find a suitable bar when suddenly we heard music playing.  We had somehow stumbled on a large, colourful procession.   We managed to grab a table outside the bar on the corner and settled down with our wine and a plate of nuts to watch the Moors and Christians parade.  We enjoyed the amazing costumes and the music provided by several bands that were marching in the procession.

Four hours later, having had a free night’s entertainment, we headed home.  We had spent eighteen euros between the four of us for several large plates of delicious tapas plus drinks down at the seafront.  At the bar where we watched the procession, a glass of wine cost 1.50€ plus we had free nuts with our drinks.  It was a fantastic and cheap night out for pensioners and other people like us who are on a budget.

I would recommend visiting the town even if there aren’t any fiestas, as it is very picturesque.  Traditionally all the houses facing the sea are painted different colours: this is so that the fishermen can spot their homes when they are out at sea.  We also liked the fact that it wasn’t over-run with tourists and the prices for a bar overlooking the sea, in the middle of a fiesta, were extremely reasonable.  Not only that, but entry to the two chocolate museums is free!

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Friends and neighbours

July 28, 2011 in Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | 4 comments

Of course you should never generalise - and I guess a lot of what I am about to say will be true about Spaniards generally and not just those who live here in Jumilla – however these are my observations about our Spanish friends and neighbours. 

1.  They are direct and blunt, to the point of being almost rude.  They see our dog Lisa and tell us she is gorda.  Our little dog isn’t fat, we tell them, she’s just well-built.  She has big bones.  At least it keeps me on my toes and ensures I don’t over-indulge: I don’t want them turning round and saying that I am gorda the next time they see me!  They also want to know how much money we paid for our house.  No beating about the bush, just a direct request to tell them how much dinero we handed over when we bought it.  John and I don’t mind this, maybe because we are both northerners (I’m from the northeast of England and he is Scottish) so we are used to people speaking their minds.

2.  They are very helpful and caring.  Not long after we moved into our apartment our trastero (storeroom) was broken into and some items were stolen.  One neighbour we hardly knew offered to drive us to the Guardia Civil to report the robbery, and then said she would wait with us there.  Another neighbour whom we had never met before rang our doorbell, said how sorry he was to hear about the break-in, and then said we were welcome to keep our remaining belongings in his trastero until our door had been replaced.

3.  Jumillanos are very friendly and chatty.  Whenever we walk down the road, children will call out Hola or sometimes Hello, and the adults will also greet us and ask us how we are or comment about the weather.   I guess it helps that we have a dog, as we now know all the other dog owners in the area.  Now when they see us without Lisa they ask us where she is.  If they aren’t close enough to speak, for example on the far side of the road, they will call across and wave to us.  If they are in a car they will toot their horn until we see them and wave back.  Sometimes they will stop their car on a crossing so that we can have a conversation.

4.   Jumillanos love to party and don’t need much of an excuse to have a celebration.  In Spain you don’t just celebrate your actual birthday, you also celebrate your saint’s day.  I like that idea, especially since I discovered that August 11th is the feastday of St Susanna, so I don’t have too long to wait.  We had a party with our neighbours for the inauguration of  our apartment block and another one for the anniversary of the inauguration.  We invited them to our apartment for a party to celebrate the launch of my book.  We live in the barrio of San Juan, so obviously we have a good time during the Fiestas de San Juan, with several days’ partying.  August though is one of the best months for fiestas, with the Fiesta de la Vendimia, Fiesta of the patron saint of Jumilla (Our Lady of Assumption), National Folklore Festival plus Moors and Christians festivities.

Spanish friends and neighbours at the fiesta for my book launch

5.  Jumillanos aren’t too worried about punctuality.  Today we showed a group of about fifty people from San Pedro de la Pinatar around Jumilla.  We had arranged with the town hall for the castle to be opened at 11.00, as it is usually only open at weekends.  We waited outside the castle gates in the coach, looking at our watches a bit anxiously, as it was 11.00 and nobody was around.  A couple of minutes later a car stopped beside us and a man got out, brandishing a large bunch of keys.  He noticed the group leader looking at his watch and smiled as he said: “A las once!”  By now it was five past but as far as he was concerned he was there by 11.00.  Personally I was amazed that he had arrived that early, as the majority of events here start at least 30 minutes later than advertised.

6.  Jumillanos are very proud of their city.  When a local wine shop had a wine tasting evening: Rioja vs Jumilla, we weren’t at all surprised that everybody voted for the Jumilla wines.  We like the local wines, and they have won many medals, but a couple of the wines from Rioja were very good as well.  A couple of other people said the same, but when it came to the vote, Jumilla won.  The greatest compliment that we have been paid since moving here is to be called Jumillanos, and to know that we have been accepted as one of the vecinos (neighbours).

So where do you live?  What are your neighbours like?  Please leave your answers below, but nothing too libellous please!

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Our day out in the campo

July 27, 2011 in Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | No comments

I don’t know how common it is in other parts of Spain, but we have noticed that many Jumillanos who live in town during the week will retreat to their home in the campo most weekends and especially during the summer months.  Many of our younger friends have parents or grandparents who own a property in the countryside, others will buy (or maybe inherit) an older property and do it up gradually.  Most of these second residences are located only a few kilometres outside Jumilla, some of them in pueblos such as Fuente del Pino or Torre del Rico.

Our good friends Juana María and Salvador share a small country property with Salvador’s sister Belen and her husband Pablo, and have kindly invited us to spend the afternoon there on several occasions.  On Sunday they invited our English friends John and Lesley to come along as well, so Lesley unselfishly offered to be the chauffeuse, allowing her grateful husband John to enjoy a few glasses of vino tinto.   

The bungalow is well off the beaten track - take a right turn off the main road, then left onto a bumpy road, right again onto a dirt track and you will see it just past the peach trees on the right.  Last time we visited we saw the owner of the peach trees, who told us to help ourselves.  Needless to say we didn’t hesitate!

Although the house is tiny, with just one main room and a bathroom, it has all the necessities to enjoy a summer day in the countryside: barbeque, swimming pool and tennis courts.  Lesley and I have vowed to take tennis racquets the next time we get invited there, although on Sunday it would have been too hot for even a gentle game of tennis.

We had time to have a leisurely swim (paddle, in my case) and lounge around before lunch.  Our dog Lisa had been invited, but she gave the swimming pool a wide berth, preferring to roll about in the grass and chase a few flies.

A lazy sunny Sunday afternoon

As I am a difficult guest (I don’t eat any meat plus I won’t touch tomatoes), I always take something suitable for me  to eat, just in case.  However Juana María is a very good friend and she always remembers my dietary fads: the tomatoes were on a separate plate, plus there was plenty of non-meaty food to suit me. 

The table was set out with lots of different dishes as aperitivos: local empanadas (with tuna but without tomato!); nuts and dried fish; cheese on tostados; tomatoes; stuffed peppers; smoked salmon on bread.  The two Spanish men had been busy outside dealing with the barbeque (yes, it’s very much a male thing, even in Spain!), so a huge platter of meat appeared, however they had thoughtfully grilled swordfish separately for me.  We than had the most delicious fresh sardines that I have ever tasted: Lesley and I both had one then grabbed another one before they all went! 

This was followed by fresh melon and watermelon, plus local pastries.  John and I had brought some chocolate truffles from Mercadona, which went down well with the coffee and brandy.  This type of feast isn’t unusual in Spain, as we have experienced it before when invited over to our neighbour’s apartment for lunch.  No wonder the traditional siesta is still observed here!

Another necessity in Spain, even if it’s only a weekend pad, is a TV to watch sport.  John and I had been wondering if it would be bad-mannered to mention the Tour de France and Formula One, however we didn’t have to worry, as Salvador turned the TV on.  We tried not to look too pleased when Mark Cavendish won the green jersey and the Australian Cadel Evans won the Tour, with Spain’s Alberto Contador and Samuel Sanchez down in 5th and 6th places.  However then Lewis Hamilton beat Spain’s Fernando Alonso – all I can say is that it’s lucky that we are all good friends!

That was Sunday lunch Spanish-style – so although we had plenty of food at home, we didn’t need anything else to eat that day.  It makes you wonder why more Spanish señoras aren’t overweight, though that may be down to another Spanish tradition: in the mornings they are all busy sweeping and mopping their floors, then throwing the water into the street, whenever we go out to the shops or for coffee.

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What’s your favourite kind of music?

July 26, 2011 in Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | 2 comments

So what is your favourite kind of music? Some people find that question easy to answer.  My friend Wendy’s husband Con is a jazz fanatic, with too many albums for me to count them all: I’m not sure whether we are talking 100s here or even 1,000s!  My father loved classical music and would sit listening to his records in the dining room whenever my brothers and I had “Top of the Pops” on in the living room. 

Showing my age now (!) - I still love listening to music from the 60s, plus some light classical music, in memory of my Dad.  However, since moving to Spain, I have also got into flamenco in a big way.  I don’t think it is a case of which music I prefer, it’s more a matter of what mood I am in, and I am sure that many other people feel the same way.

I have pasted some links below to videos on youtube that were taken at the recent Música entre Vinos concerts, with music varying from flamenco to jazz via swing.  Needless to say, I enjoyed all these concerts even though the music was very different. 

I’d love you to tell me which is your favourite video - and why.  (Scroll to the end of this post for the comments box.)

Casa de la Ermita, where Orquesta Brass Ensemble played

  Click here to play video: Orquesta Brass Ensemble

With friends, waiting to hear Al Golpe at Bodegas JM Martínez Verdú

Click here to play video: Al Golpe 

Bodegas Alceño - Jumilla Black Band

 Click here to play video: Jumilla Black Band

John and I waiting for vino at Bodegas BSI

Click here to play video: Coral Canticorum

Bodegas Viña Elena

Click here to play video: Cantos Jazz Fusión 

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Guide to Bodegas in Jumilla

July 25, 2011 in Ups and downs of living in Spain, Walkers Tours by Sue Walker | 2 comments

If you fancy visiting a Bodega in or near Jumilla you are spoilt for choice, however if you are specifically looking for a tour in English that will limit your choice a bit, as Jumilla is inland and therefore many local people only speak Spanish.  This guide is intended therefore to point non-Spanish-speaking people in the right direction.

The bodegas situated within walking distance of the city centre are all very different, so this is also a resumé to help you decide which bodega is right for you.  You may of course want to visit several bodegas, however you will need a lot of stamina if you intend visiting them all on the same day!

1.  Bodegas Viña Campanero

This is the smallest  bodega in Jumilla and if you speak a bit of Spanish it is definitely not to be missed.  Pedro and his father are very welcoming: they enjoy showing people around and are very proud of their newest acquisition, a small bottling unit, which was only installed last year.    There are great views of Sierra Santa Ana from the salón, a tiny wine museum, and they also have a reasonably priced shop on their premises.  The bodega is behind BSI, so it would be good to combine a visit here with one at BSI.
 
http://www.vinacampanero.net/visitas.asp

Museum in Bodega Viña Campanero

 2.   Bodegas San Isidro (BSI)

The largest bodega in Jumilla is BSI, which is a co-operative.  Tours in English are available, but please make sure you book in advance.  They have some experimental vines on their site, however in the vendimia we see tractors queuing up with loads of grapes to deposit there, many of them from small vineyards, as well as trailers full of olives later in the year.  They also have their own wine museum and a shop on their premises.
 
http://www.bsi.es/
 
3.   Bodegas Silvano Garcia

They have two members of staff who speak good English, and they do several different tours, including a visit to their aroma room.  The visit to the aroma room costs a bit more but all our visitors have said it is worth doing, as it is not only educational but also fun. 

If you don’t normally like sweet wine (I didn’t), I recommend forgetting your prejudices and trying their award-winning dulce wines.  I am now a convert and particularly enjoy their Monastrell dulce, which is perfect with dessert at the end of a good meal.

http://www.silvanogarcia.es/es-bodegas-silvano-garcia-visitas-a-bodega.html.
 
4.  Bodegas Pedro Luis Martínez

More commonly known as Bodegas Alceño, we think that this bodega is so good because the chief winemaker is very particular about things such as the correct temperature, which is reflected in the quality of their wines.  It is the oldest bodega in Jumilla, being founded in 1870.  Some English is spoken, but remember to book in advance if you want a tour in English.  Don’t forget to buy some wine before you go!
 
http://www.alceno.com/ 

5.  Bodegas Bleda

We were lucky enough to be guinea pigs for their first tour of the bodega in English several months ago.  Antonio Bleda  had only been learning English for two months at the time, and we were very impressed by how good he was: by now he probably speaks perfect English!

It is worth visiting this bodega for its location alone: situated about 2 kilometres outside Jumilla on the road to Ontur, and surrounded by vineyards.  Not only that, but they have many award-winning wines, though my personal recommendation is their Castillo de Jumilla Blanco, which everybody who has tasted it rates highly – even the committed red wine drinkers! It is also very reasonably priced, so you can afford to buy several bottles to take home.

vinos@bodegasbleda.com

6.  Bodegas Carchelo

Slightly off the beaten track, but recommended for a visit because of its location in the Valley of El Carche and because at least one member of staff (Poñi) speaks good English.  My daughter Kate was impressed by their branding, and said that she would immediately spot their wines in any wine-shop because of the distinctive black and white hoops around the neck of the bottle.

export@carchelo.com

7.  Bodegas Viña Elena

Another family business, which was originally called Bodegas Pacheco after the grandfather of the current generation.  It is now named Bodegas Viña Elena after Paco’s youngest daughter Elena, who is being groomed to take over from him.  You can see the original bodega as well as the smart new installations, and don’t miss the lovely garden at the back.  The bodega is at km 52 on the N344, the main road between Jumilla and Murcia.  Tours are available in English by contacting them in advance.

visitas@vinaelena.com

The local bodegas charge from 5€ per person for a tour, including wine tasting and nibbles, though you can negotiate a reduction for a large group.  As mentioned above, it is advisable to book in advance, especially if you want a tour in English.  All of them sell wine on the premises, so even if you haven’t booked a tour of the bodega you can pop in to buy a few bottles of your favourite wine.

Other bodegas well worth a visit are Bodegas Luzón, Bodegas JM Martínez Verdú, Hacienda del Carche, Casa de la Ermita and Bodegas Finca Omblancas.  They are all out of town, which means you can see the vineyards as well as visiting the bodegas.  More details can be found on the Ruta del Vino website - you need to scroll down their page to find links to all the bodegas.

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Our last Música entre Vinos – till 2012

July 24, 2011 in Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | No comments

We had such a wonderful evening last night that I don’t know how I can possibly condense it all into one post.  We had two events to attend with our friends Lesley and John (thank you for chauffeuring us Lesley!) both of which were being held outside, so we were grateful that it was another lovely summer’s evening.

Our friend Cristina was getting married under a pergola at Salones Pio XII and we didn’t want to miss seeing her even though we had booked tickets for our final Música entre Vinos, which was due to start at the same time.  The bride was traditionally late, though early by Jumillano standards – however she does come from near Barcelona, which probably explains it.  Cristina looked stunning, in a very elegant understated way, as she arrived in an open-topped sports car. 

Here comes the bride!

The occasion was enhanced by our friend Jaqui singing a couple of songs, and although the civil ceremony was in Spanish we could follow what was happening, more or less: the moment when they both said “Si”, the handing over of the rings, the new husband kissing his bride and finally the signing of the register.  We witnessed the moment when they became husband and wife, before we discreetly slipped away.  We had brought some rice to throw, however when we spotted at least two large boxes of rice sitting on a wall behind the pergola we reckoned there were plenty of other people willing to carry out this duty.

Bodegas Viña Elena were hosting Música entre Vinos for the first time, so we were curious to see how well they coped.  We have visited the bodega before, so we weren’t too worried about missing the tour, and Loles had kindly confirmed that the concert wouldn’t be starting until at least 21.15.

The organisation of the whole evening was superb, starting with the moment when we arrived at 21.15 and were efficiently directed first to the car park and then to the collection point to pick up the all-essential wine glasses.  Background music was being played as we headed towards the bodega, so we knew that Loles had been correct in saying that if we arrived at that time we wouldn’t miss any of the concert. 

We had timed our arrival to perfection.  We were trying the first of four wines - Paco Pacheco Blanco 2010 - and accepting some of the tasty food on offer, when the musicians started tuning up.   The catering had been done by Media Luna, who brought out plate after plate of delicious food: including spoons of scrumptious seafood, chunks of Manchego cheese, plenty of jamón for the carnivores, and cubes of juicy melon.  We were impressed by the Bodega’s Tinto Jóven, which we reckon is one of the best from 2010.

Bodegas Viña Elena

There was a great ambiance and I would say that this was one of the most enjoyable events we have attended during Música entre Vinos this year.   Part of this was due to the fact that so many of our friends were there enjoying themselves, part of this was due to the friendly welcome we received from Paco Pacheco and his family and part of this was due to the music from Cantos  Jazz Fusión, playing classics like “Bye Bye Black Bird” and “Autumn Leaves”.

We mentioned this to our friend Pedro, President of the Ruta del Vino, towards the end of the evening – adding that we preferred it when busloads of fellow Brits weren’t around, especially those who complained about the lack of chairs!  Having said that, after standing up for well over three hours in my high heels, I was grateful when a couple of people left and we were able to grab their chairs to sit down for a while.

Our final verdict is that Música Entre Vinos 2011 was an outstanding success, with a winning combination of good wine and food accompanied by good music, and that each year it seems to get even better.  We can’t wait until Música Entre Vinos 2012 – and promise to publish full details here, as soon as Pedro emails me!

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