Romans and lace and a walk

I am glad that the camera came in time as it has been a very exciting weekend.

I mentioned in the last post that they would be some folks doing some re-enactment of a Roman legion that would have served in Spain....here they are....although Blogger is loading these strangely, I am pretty sure I asked to have them all loaded small down the left side...this is kinda funky though I suppose.....


These guys looks straight out of Asterix and Obelix...just waiting to stuff parsley in his ears before he gets beaten by those Gauls AGAIN....

The fellows all in a row are displaying how the Roman infantry would have fought, side by side, stabbing their swords out between the shields........






























...and these are the stages in putting on a toga...the first shows the miles of material needed in what would have been a fairly humble ordinary citizen and it seems to require the assistance of at least two slaves.

This entire event was to celebrate the opening of a museum that they have been working on for several years. Turns out that some Roman forns...or ovens, I think they really mean kilns, on an epic scale to make those giant amphoras....

It was fun, lots of folks we knew were there, and the Catalan was somewhat comprehensible, although I was being distracted by the kids, and the dog, and trying to take the pictures....we got to go in as well, it is open for only two days a month...it is a small place. Although the rep from the Generalitat, the provincial government, was impressed as most towns don't go to the effort of excavating and studying the entire set up, they usually simply bury it all again.

Today, we went down to the placa where they were having a lace makers fair...a very traditional Catalan as well as Castillian activity. It really was amazing, and one of the artisans, who lives here and works with the man, has offered to teach me. I will confess that it is not really my sort of thing, but any offer to meet local folks and learn the language seems like a good plan.









The work was incredibly beautiful, and intricate, and the ladies were having a blast, although it was pretty hot. There was one man working, although I am told there are more, and there were several children, boys as well as girls working on the pieces....

As you can see most of them work on large cushions like bolsters with masses of different threads. Most of the women work in cotton, although sometimes for very fine work they use silk...there were pieces in black, green, grey, gold, and silver along with the usual white and off white. A very friendly crowd.

After this we went up into the hills for a walk and lunch, there is a flat area filled with flowers that the youngest wanted to go to, knowing that her parents would not make her walk further, so that is just what we did. Lunch and play and the dog got all hot and dug himself a hole to lie in....we all took lots of photos, I will stop posting so many, but for now it is kind of fun.

It was a beautiful day, and I definitely should have brought my hat, I embarrassed the eldest by tying a shirt around my head to ward off some of the sun...but then I have been embarrassing her since she was about 4 so, she should be used to it by now...

We are attempting to have a peaceful afternoon, but the kids have decided that this is THE moment to try to pack everything they are going to need...all with plenty of angst and argument. As I was not even sure that I wanted to do this right now, indeed I am quite sure that I DIDN't want to....

ah well

we are having a lovely day.

Tomorrow is going to be insanely busy...whew.


So here are a last few photos.....

..........later..............Chuck is blowing his coat, I just brushed a smallish grocery bag of fur off him! That dog can SHED!