ASPARAGUS

As I mentioned before, the vega around Huétor Tájar and Loja is renowned for the production of asparagus. The harvest has now started and yesterday we called in at one of the many co-operatives, where they were packing it, to buy a bunch. The variety grown here is special to the area and is green asparagus. There is espárrago verde and espárrago morado, which has a slimmer stem. The price was 5 euros a kilo, which was good value, and it was so fresh that you could eat the whole stem.

I cooked the asparagus by covering it with a little water and putting it into the microwave for a few minutes. When it was tender, I seasoned it and added some butter. It was succulent and delicious and better than any asparagus I’d ever tasted before.

Now that Spring has arrived and the rains have stopped, the countryside is a hive of activity. As well as the asparagus harvest being in full swing, farm workers are busy planting, ploughing and weeding before the Easter weekend. We were able to take some good photos in th Spring sunshine over the last couple of days.

SEMANA SANTA DE LOJA

As it is an historic town with eight churches and chapels. Holy Week is a significant event in Loja.and has been designated as being of important touristic interest by the Junta de Andalucia.
The processions start tomorrow evening, 26th March, with the Hermanidad de la Santísma Virgen de los Dolores from the Iglesia de Santa Catalina and continue for a week. The most significant one is Hermanidad de Ntro. Padre Jesús Nazareno which starts from the Ermita de Jesús Nazareno at 1030 on Good Friday and parades through the town visiting all the major churches and returning to the Ermita at 19.30. www.jesusnazarenoloja.com
We hope to post some photos next week.

BACK ROAD TO LOJA

This morning we drove along the country lane from our nearest village, La Fabrica, to Loja. A very pleasant drive through the vega – the flat plain surrounded by mountains – and probably quicker than going into Huétor Tájar and joining the motorway. It was a lovely, warm and sunny Spring morning and stopped to take these photos on the way. One is of workers in a field of artichokes near La Fabrica and the other is of Loja from the northern side of the Rio Genil.
After some shopping in Loja we called in one of the jeans factories. There are several of these here and you can buy very good quality jeans at the factory shops for around 15 euros.

MARKET DAY IN HUÉTOR TÁJAR

Even in winter the Tuesday market in Huétor Tájar is colourful and today’s welcome sunshine brought it to life. Fruit and veg, spices, sweets, shoes, clothes, leather goods and much more can be bought here at bargain prices. You will notice very few Northern European faces amongst the crowds but quite a few native South American. This is because some years ago there was large scale immigration here from Bolivia as labour was required for the asparragus plantations.

MONTEFRIO

Today is a public holiday to celebrate yesterday’s Dia de Andalucia and we decided to take an outing to the historic town of Montefrio about 20 minutes drive to the north. One brief visit is not enough to take in everything there is to see in this fascinating place. An Arab fortress crowns a precipitous rock beneath which the oldest buildings of the town are clustered. Climbing the steep, narrow streets, we kept coming upon intriguing corners with glimpses of the distant panorama. No shortage of subjects to paint or photograph in this most picturesque of Andalucian towns.

ALMOND BLOSSOM

The sun has been making an effort to come out, although there are still heavy showers. It is surprisingly warm for the time of year.

The countryside around our house is looking so pretty now that the almond trees are in full blossom and everything is so green. The olive groves, with the trees planted in orderly rows, make patchwork patterns on the landscape. I love watching the play of light and shadow on the hills.

With the advancement of spring, the birdsong gets richer every day. It’s always a thrill to see a new species for the first time, so I was delighted to see a flock of azure-winged magpies coming home to roost in our poplar trees alongside the river below our house. They are striking birds,smaller and more elegant than the more familiar, black and white magpies. Their wings and tails are azure blue and the adults have distinctive black caps.

Because of the persistent rains, there have been very few butterflies or bees about. It’s not good weather for beekeepers. Orchids, on the other hand, flourish in these conditions and already the bee orchids are flowering along the stony banks and rocky ground of the hillsides which havn’t been cultivated. This afternoon I picked up some almonds which have started to sprout and I shall plant them individually in pots.

The exceptionally heavy rains have eroded soil and caused the loss of a number of trees planted above steep banks. It is startling to see a mature olive trees being swept downriver at great speed. The terrapins which inhabit the sandy banks have a hard time battling against such a force of water.

RAGING TORRENTS

By now I was hoping that I would have posted reports on several excursions and events in our area but the wettest winter in Andalucia in living memory has virtually marooned us.

The Rio Milanos in front of our house, which we have to ford to get anywhere, has turned from a trickling stream into a raging torrent. Most days it has been passable only with a 4x4 and somedays, like today, totally impassable. Nevertheless, we have been busy with the building work on our new house see www.countryhouseinspain.wordpress.com.

This morning, In nearby Huétor Tájar, the Rio Genil burst its bank and the bridge connecting the town with the motorway was closed. Here are some dramatic pictures of the scene.