Pottering around the Plaza

The temperature at ten this morning was 29°C as I took a walk around the Plaza de la Iglesia at the top of Olvera. So a few pictures of the scenes around on another lovely, warm Andalucian day.

Looking across Olvera from the front of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.

The Iglesia is currently undergoing restoration and amongst the debris lying outside was this block of carved wood, presumably quite old judging by the wooden dowels.

The views across the Plaza.

Looking up Calle Mayén to the Iglesia and below looking down to where our friend José's dog Chispo (pronounced "Cheesepaw") guards the street.

I think I've mentioned in a previous post that painters will never be out of work here in Olvera and this happy bunch of guys were pleased to pose in Calle Mirador.

The entrance to the Plaza from Calle Molino.








After finishing my walk, I drove out to the cortijo just outside Olvera intending to fill up our empty bottles with water from the natural spring. Unfortunately, the gate was pulled across the entrance to the farm, usually an indication that animals were roaming in the farmyard, so I just took this view of Olvera before heading off to Algodonales.

Elma's 49th + 1

We all gathered at Bar Pepe Rayas last night to help Elma celebrate the passing of her forties and her step into the fifties.

Elma is a very popular member of our community, who has been an enormous help to us in settling here with her language skills and her ability to get issues and problems resolved quickly and efficiently.

So, it was no surprise that the Bar was full of her friends to celebrate the occasion.

Amongst many gifts received was a painting of a Flamenco dancer by local artist and friend Joe Gilronan.

Well done Elma and our best wishes to you for the future.

A home at last.....

Well here it is, the moment that Calcetines (Socks) left the street for a new life of love, safety and comfort in the Crosskey household.

As readers of the blog know, her little life has not been easy......at least two litters of pups that we know of, sleeping under cars overnight and in danger from cars and moto's passing by.



She has however been well fed and looked out for by many kind hearted people in the area where she mainly "lived", none more so than our lovely friend Inma, who we befriended through Calcetines and Pepé, her neighbour.

As the following pictures show, she has quickly adapted to a relaxed lifestyle and has a few toys to brighten her days. She is an absolute joy.

Thank you to all who looked out for her on the street. Rest assurred that she will now have the life she deserves.

And so a new chapter begins........

Peppie

We would just like to thank everyone for your kind words of comfort, for the comments received on the blog and the for the many personal emails that we have received about Peppie.
We will never forget her and she will always have a special place in our hearts.
However, it may come as no surprise to some who read this blog that there is another little girl in desperate need of a home, so watch this space.

Thank you all very much.

Vejer de la Frontera

After a pretty awful week, it was time to get back into the groove and I was thankful that our good friend Gerry had suggested a visit to Vejer de la Frontera to find an english bookshop.

Vejer is a "pueblo blanco" about 10 kms from the Atlantic coast, south of Cadiz heading towards Gibraltar and about 170 kms west of Olvera, a steady two hour drive.
Arriving at about 11 am, we parked the car near to the Parque Los Remedios and walked the short distance to the tourist office.
As always, the assistants were extremely helpful, providing us with maps and directions to the bookshop.

After a short walk uphill through narrow, very clean streets we found the shop with a large selection of books and a very helpful guy, presumably the owner.

We left the shop and headed further uphill towards the old part of town, contained within the walled arabic castle, originally built in the 10th and 11th centuries.

The Casa de la Cultura.

Part of the wall surrounding the old town.



We stopped at a very pleasant bodeguita for refreshments before passing through the arch into the old town.

The Iglesia del Divina Salvador, built on the site of an ancient mosque.


There were so many little alleyways, balconies and patios to see and it was so tempting just to stop and poke your head into someone's entrance hallway and have a look....which of course we did many times.

An alleyway next to the Convento de las Concepcionistas.

A small patio area, overlooking the Plaza de España.

While Gerry was looking around a shop, I came across these guys dressed in period costume who were happy to pose for a picture.

The Arco de la Villa, the eastern entrance to the old town leads out to the Plaza de España.

Looking down upon the Plaza, shaded by tall palm tree's, being prepared for the local Feria.

One of the many bars and restaurants around the Plaza.

The ceramic fountain is very impressive and said to be one of the most beautiful in Andalucia.

Time was getting on so we headed back to the car walking past the very impressive and well restored old walls of the town.

This old cannon, no doubt once part of the fortifications, now formed part of the attraction.

We left Vejer at about 1.30, both commenting that it was one of the prettiest places that either of us had been too.

There was no doubt so much more to see, well worth another visit.