Corpus Christi

Today is Corpus Christi day, a day of religious celebration throughout Spain.

Although Olvera also celebrates and decorates its streets, we drove the short distance to the pueblo El Gastor, where the fiesta is noted to be of particular Tourist Interest in Andalucia.

Upon arrival, we were directed by the police to a designated parking area overlooking the village.
From the limited parking spaces available it was clear that it was a popular event.
A well, decorated with palms and other leaves.

The main plaza in the middle of the village was the centre of activity and like many of the streets around was covered in grasses.

The steps up to and the gardens around the Ayuntamiento were brightly decorated with plants and flowers.

Although the palms and greenery added to the scene today, the geraniums, carnations and other assorted flowers decorate the balconies and window boxes of the village throughout most of the year.

The balloon seller was doing good business.

Every house was covered in greenery.



















Small shrines were set up in the streets.

All of the bars and restaurants were open for business.



These unusually painted cabbages were placed in the garden of the Church.






Looking across to Olvera in the distance.

El Gastor is a beautiful village, well worth a visit at any time and we really enjoyed the celebrations and the atmosphere today

A hill too far

I woke this morning with the notion of trekking up the Algarín Cliff, the impressive peak that dominates the pueblo of El Gastor, a small village about 15kms south of Olvera. So reasonably early, to avoid the heat of the sun, we headed off.

These pictures of the cliff in the foreground taken from the hang gliding landing site on the A-384 Olvera-Algodonales road.

After a short drive of about 30 minutes, we parked in the pleasantly shaded recreation area of La Ladera just above the village.

Lots of butterflies around here and plenty of birdsong. Pictured here is a Red Admiral.

Leaving the recreation area we walked for a short while until we came to this sign indicating the route to the ancient Dolmen (burial chamber) so we set off uphill on the concreted road.

However, after about 500 metres or so, the road became a dirt track, not really passable for anything other than a four wheel drive vehicle. We continued upwards through the campo but decided after an hour or so, with no dolmen in site and a stiff climb ahead, that it was indeed a hill too far so we turned back towards the rest area.

The misty view of Olvera from the track.

Just outside El Gastor is a mirador offering spectacular views across to Zahara de la Sierra and the reservoir below the village.

And Calcetines came too.

The peaks of the Sierra de Grazalema.
Although we didn't achieve our ultimate goal, it was still a pleasant trip out to an area that we hadn't been too before so not wholly unsuccessful.

Market day

Today was market day in El Gastor, a small village of about 2000 inhabitants, twenty minutes drive south of Olvera.

It was another warm, sunny day so we parked the car and tried to find where the market was being held.

After a short walk we came to the Parque de Los Chopos, a pleasant park on the outskirts of the village, where all the stalls were located.

It wasn't a large market but it had a good variety of goods on offer - fruit, veg, clothes, bedding etc.

We bought a jumper to replace the one I had ruined when re-sealing the bathroom roof. Anne, unfortunately, doesn't have any room in her wardrobe for any more clothes !!.

After about 45 minutes we headed back through the village to the car.

We like El Gastor. It is a very pretty village with lots of shops and amenities and has that "looked after" feel, as if the inhabitants take a pride in where they live.

The Ayuntamiento (Town Hall).







The Church of Corpus Christi, next to the Town Hall.

The village of Torre Alháquime, as viewed from the road back to Olvera.

Olvera, pictured from the same spot.

Linked posts:

El Gastor