Belen (Nativity Scenes) in Chocolate

It is traditional in Spain to make elaborate Nativity Scenes in town centres, shops and homes. They are called 'Belen', literally; Bethlehem. A couple of hours from here, in the small town of Ruta there is a chocolate factory, with an enormous Belen made entirely of chocolate. Photography is difficult as more light would create heat, which would melt the chocolate! Everything is chocolate - the houses and people, the palm trees and the sheep under them!




It is fascinating! Apart from the stable tableau that one would expect to find, the activities of the whole town town are shown in great detail. Paving is made with thin slabs of dark chocolate. The figures are in white chocolate. The vegetable plot has cabbages and carrot tops! Among the market stalls you can find the butcher with his selection of meats, and the cloth merchant with his bolts of colourful materials.

The Ruta chocolate factory has a shop where replicas of many Belen items can be bought, as well as other Spanish Christmas sweets and specialities. Watch out for the liquer cherries; potent and delicious!

What happens to the Belen in the end? It is divided up among local children.

Endangered Vultures

Recently, this handsome young vulture was found on a nearby Urbanisation. It appeared to be exhausted and 'adopted' my friend Steve Carter for a few days; allowing him to come close up to it. As it didn't eat or try to fly away, Steve called the environmental people, (Medio Ambiente). They care for wild creatures, and release them when they are able to cope.

Vultures are endangered. Apparently the EEC had decreed that domestic livestock animals that died naturally in the country, must be removed and not allowed to get into the food chain. This had a detrimenal effect on vultures and other carrion bird populations. So a chain of vulture 'restaurants' were set up in the mountains across Andalucia. When there are carcases of horses or cows to be disposed of they are taken to these feeding stations. I have walked, the steep climb to the one on 'our' Los Reales mountain. I understand there is another near Tarifa, and one near Ronda.

Castillo de la Duquesa

This 18th century castle (only a few minutes from my place) was built as a barracks for the military of the day. When I first visited it, forty years ago, it housed 13 families. Several families would share a living space, just separated from their neighbours by a simple curtain.

All around the site there was was an important Roman settlement and bath house. The industry was fishing, and making the popular fish paste - Garrum. The jar below is said to be a Garrum jar. The site is in the process of being excavated. In the castle there is a Museum of Archaology to house many of the 'finds'; pottery, glass, jewelery, fishhooks, etc. Now the Castle is used for cultural events; lectures, concerts, and as a wedding venue.

The Castillo also has a Museum of Fencing, which it is defined as swordmanship in general. With this broad definition, it is possible to include the weapons used in cave paintings - and certainly King Arthur's sword Excaliber.