We fly back to Spain next Tuesday, just in time for the Festival of Three Cultures which starts in the village on 28th August. Frigiliana is a village which dates back to Moorish times, and which was the site of the final battle in 1569 between the Morisco population (Muslims who had - often forcibly - converted to Christianity after the Reconquest) and the Christian armies reinforced by troops sent by the pope from Italy. Before this date, Muslims, Jews and Christians had lived harmoniously together in this region for several hundred years. The festival, inaugurated three years ago, celebrates this fact and argues that what happened here in centuries gone by could happen again worldwide today.
Culture and tradition are very important to the people of Frigiliana as a visit to its website will show. Although the year-round population is only about two and a half thousand people, each fiesta sees the streets crowded with eager participants.
I've not managed to be here for the previous Three Cultures Festivals, so I'll save comments on what happens until I've actually experienced it for myself.
22/08/2008
15/08/2008
Broadening the scope
For some time I had a blog relating to my work as a magistrate on a metropolitan bench in the North West of England, and for a while after arriving in Spain I continued to post the odd item on that blog. However, very quickly I began to realise that now I have retired I was getting left behind as more changes came along, and that any thoughts I had about legislation and court procedural changes was increasingly based on ignorance and prejudice. Time to bow out gracefully; that blog has now closed.
On the other hand, I enjoy blogging and I remain interested in what is happening around me and commenting upon it, so this new blog is designed to permit me to post on any topic under the (mainly Spanish) sun. Having said that, the irony is that this initial post is being written whilst staying with my daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters in Surrey - a planned trip, but one which has allowed us to escape the high summer heat and humidity of the Costa del Sol. The past three or four weeks we have had temperatures consistently in the high thirties teamed with humidity over 70%. I never thought I would find the modest efforts of an English summer so congenial. My wife is particularly enjoying snuggling under a duvet! Of course, it's attractive because we know that in a couple of weeks we'll be back in the sun and back to the mainly outdoor life - some of which I hope to share with you!
On the other hand, I enjoy blogging and I remain interested in what is happening around me and commenting upon it, so this new blog is designed to permit me to post on any topic under the (mainly Spanish) sun. Having said that, the irony is that this initial post is being written whilst staying with my daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters in Surrey - a planned trip, but one which has allowed us to escape the high summer heat and humidity of the Costa del Sol. The past three or four weeks we have had temperatures consistently in the high thirties teamed with humidity over 70%. I never thought I would find the modest efforts of an English summer so congenial. My wife is particularly enjoying snuggling under a duvet! Of course, it's attractive because we know that in a couple of weeks we'll be back in the sun and back to the mainly outdoor life - some of which I hope to share with you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)