Tuesday, July 30, 2013

OENACH ATLÁNTICO 2013 - July 26 - 28


OENACH ATLÁNTICO 2013 is a festival celebrating the lifestyle, arts and customs of Galician celts in Naron. Sounds both interesting and fun.


Friday July 26 - Relighting the flame of the new solstice in the celtic village.
22:45 Night of Galician music with traditional songs and instruments.



Saturday July 27 - 11:00 Fair opens:  Artisan Fair.  Open market.  Play area. Gastronomy demonstrations. Wine tasting and food court.
13:00: Alxbera ethnological exhibition of music.  Exhibition of traditional dancing and costume.
17:00: Popular games demonstration
22:30:  Dramatic recreation  in the Castro de Eravedra presented by the Grande Compañía de Teatro Comunitario Aldeano de Sedes and awards presentation.


Sunday July 28 -  11:00 - Living recreation of celtic village life, with thematic pallozas including stone work, basket weaving, ceramics, weaving, leather, metalworking, Artisan fair, open market, play area, and food.
12:00 Demonstration Cans do Palleiro and training
13:00  Dramatic recreation village field
13:30  Municipal Pipe band Padroado de Cultura of Naron
17:00  Popular and country games demonstration
19:30  Castro de Eiravedra Open race  for all ages (registration until 30 minutes before race time)
20:00  Closing Ceremony Oenach Atlántico 2013.




Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Four Thieves



Legend has it that in the 1600´s Marseilles was suffering a plague.  Taking advantage of the fear and desperation, a group of four thieves began robbing the houses and corpses of those who´d fled the city or died.  Upon their arrest, the Magistrate offered them a deal - burn at the stake, or offer their secret for surviving amongst the plague victims and simply hang.  They confessed to soaking kerchieves with a vinegar and herb mixture that, when worn over the face, prevented them from being infected.

Alfred Rethel: Death as the Avenger

Innumerable versions of the herbs exist.  From Wikipedia -
Four Thieves Vinegar (also called Marseilles Vinegar, Marseilles Remedy, Prophylactic Vinegar, Vinegar of the Four Thieves, camphorated acetic acid, Vinaigre des Quatre Voleurs, and Acetum Quator Furum[1][2]) is a concoction of vinegar (either from red wine, white wine, cider, or distilled white) infused with herbs, spices or garlic that was believed to protect users from the plague. The recipe for this vinegar has almost as many variations as its legend.

This soap is made from palm, olive, coconut, sweet almond and castor oils, green clay and spirulina. (I wanted to use up the last of the palm oil I had.  I won´t be using it any more for sustainability reasons.)  The refreshing EOs:
Lavendar - Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic, Diuretic, Insecticide, Sedative
Cedarwood - Antifungal, Antiseptic, Astringent, Expectorant, Sedative
Eucalyptus - Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic, Antiviral, Stimulant
Sage - anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant (As it turns out, sage EO is a bit tricky, so do some research before using.)
Peppermint - Analgesic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Decongestant, Digestive Aid


I think this could have label appeal for pilgrims on the Camino.  And possibilities for related tasty salad dressings, cleaning vinegar solutions, or room sprays, too, assuming one eases up on the garlic, with bonus plague protection!

Hans Holbein

Monday, July 8, 2013

Pazo Eidián


A heatwave is affecting Galicia this week, just like the rest of Spain, but I still think longingly of those thick stone walls while we swelter in our piso.

On one of our jaunts around the Melide area we headed south toward Agolada and saw a sign ¨Pazo¨.  Well, why not.  So we drove around some back roads, got lost, turned around and, after asking a friendly farmer, found the unmarked turn-off we´d missed.


The Pazo Eidián has been turned into a lovely hotel.  They did a beautiful job, we were shown around by the caretaker who was nice enough to interrupt his aperitivo and show us the grounds and interior.  He said despite the crisis their events business was doing well, weddings and communions, etc.  I wonder how long it takes grapevines to cover a patio. . .


We were especially taken with the lareira and the old beams they´d kept in place.


They have a pool and tennis courts, in short all the amenities people look for, in a very pretty setting.  Not least when it´s 90 degrees.