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.

4th Oct World Animal Day

The 4th of October is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi; an appropriate date for World Animal Day and suitable for the flag day for animal charities. Every year ADANA, Estepona's Animal Rescue Society, asks volunteers to collect from public places all week! As usual I was asked to station myself outside our local Carrefour supermarket with my collecting can. By the end of the four hour stint, my can was gratifyingly heavy!

Standing there with this label around my neck and my can in my hand, its interesting to note people's reactions! Few people ignore us! Most people around here know what ADANA is all about! "Ah yes! You do good work!" Some grin as they put in a few coins, saying; "I've put money in your tins several times already this week!" Some say; "I haven't got any change now, but I'll give you something when I come out." And they mostly do!

Apart from ADANA there are two other major charities in Estepona. CUDECA offers home care, family support and a hospice for terminally ill cancer patients. AGE CONCERN gives support to the older generation. They're all vital services! Each has their own charity shop with volunteer staff. They need items to sell, and appreciate donations of good clothes, books and bric-a-brac.

Romeria to El Rocio

During the Moorish occupation of Spain (8th-15th Century) the statues of the Virgin Mary were hidden in attics, cellars and caves. Over the centuries their hiding places were forgotten. But occasionally they were found!

The story goes that during the 15th century in the Coto Donana area of Andalucia a man found an ancient carved wooden Virgin, hidden in a hollow tree. He decided to carry her back to his village, but he got tired. Resting under a shade tree, he fell asleep. When he awoke the Virgin had gone. Returning to where he had found her; there she was - back in the hollow tree. He carried her off again until he was tired, and as before fell asleep, and again she disappeared. When he saw her back in the hollow tree he decided that it was where she wanted to be. Villagers came and made a simple shrine dedicated to her, the Virgin of El Rocio. The shrine became an important place of pilrimage. It was rebuilt and enlarged to be the sparking white church that it is today. (Thanks Brian, for another of your beautiful photos!)

It is traditional that people who come for the El Rocio annual Pentecost pilgrimage do so without motorised vehicles. The roads are full of gaily decked covered carts, and splendid horse riders with the woman wearing brightly coloured gipsy costumes. There are hitching rails for the horses and wide open spaces to turn oxdrawn carts. Celebration continues for the whole El Rocio week! Be prepared to book far ahead and travel far for accomodation! Check internet sites for more history, pictures and information.

Estepona Alive!

San Isidro, the patron saint of Estepona, is celebrated with a Fiesta for a week in May, with much song and dance! It starts with a trip out to a park in the country for paella and picnics under the trees. Then every day in town there is something going on! My friend Brian took this enchanting picture of Spanish dancers!