You Don't Miss Your Water Till The Well Runs Dry
In 14 BC. there was a big shake up in the Roman Empire.
After Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major had bashed Hannibal at The Battle of Ilipa in the Second Tunic War (using the now famous 'Fabian Strategy'), the Iberian Peninsula was carved up into regions. Romans then moved into southern Spain (Baetica) in a big way.
What is now Andalucía became 'rich and utterly Romanised' because of all the wine and olive oil here. Not surprisingly thousands of 'middle class Romans' moved over here for the famous 'Mediterranean diet', the availablity of slaves to do the cleaning and look after the kids and for the very tasty 'garum' (fish sauce) which they could only get at branches of Julius Lewis and Vaitrosa in Gades (Cádiz) and El Corte Inglés in Malaka (Málaga).
Álora was in the part of Baetica which included Sevilla, Cádiz, and Córdoba and was rich in olives and grapes. Olive oil and wine from round here was shipped all over the Roman Empire in big jugs whch couldn't stand up, called amphoras.
An amphora from Málaga found in Essouria (Morocco).
These posh Romans built villas all over Álora with baths and swimming pools so it was handy for them that there were lots of springs around and slaves to build the villas, grow the grapes and clean the pool. There's a bit of a villa still to be seen, just outside Álora, in the area called 'Canca'.
When the Romans left, the Visigoths, who weren't known for their personal hygiene, knocked down all the baths but the fuente (spring) at Canca carried on flowing for the next 2,000 years.
But now it's stopped altogether. Lots of people went there for their drinking water, including us. This is a disaster!
The ayuntimiento (town hall) is baffled. There have been public meetings and demonstrations and several visits to the Canca by concejales (councillors) and peritos (experts) to rub their chins and shake their heads.
José Sánchez (no relation) ('Epi' to his friends) and some peritos having a chin rubbing session up at the Fuente de Canca.
These last two weeks we've been buying bottled water by the 5 litres and have already accumulated piles of empty plastic bottles - not at all eco-friendly, and we've not been able to get out for two days because of the bottle mountain by the door.
Now Mrs. Sánchez says we've got to have a water filtration system so that we can use tap water to drink and to stop the 'cal' clogging up the washing machine, kettle, iron and water heater and it's better for Tommy too. (which sold me on the idea immediately).
It's going to cost un ojo de la cara (an arm and a leg) too.
Better news from Alora.
We arrived back here two weeks ago, just in time for the annual Romería (pilgrimage) which is always a lot of fun. Not surprisingly it involves a virgin on a throne with a baby Jesus. Unlike Semana Santa (Holy Week) which is run by ' Cofradias de Pasión' and everybody is sad, serious and gloomy, the Romería is run by one of the 'Cofradias de Gloria' and everyone is happy and cheerful. Our Patron Virgin is 'Nuestra Señora de Flores' (The Virgin of Flowers.)
The Virgin of Flowers has been a feature of Álora life since the 15th. century, which is good going since Álora was a Muslim village until 1484. The image itself was made in the 16th. century and narrowly avoided getting destroyed during the Spanish Civil War, I'm told, by getting cut up into manageable pieces by devotees and being hidden in various houses on Calle La Parra.
A lot of eating and drinking is involved in the Romería, as you would expect and we all had a jolly good time up by the convent last Sunday.
especially our much loved and now beardless alcalde José Sánchez (no relation) Moreno.
What a lucky chap! Indefatigable followers of this humblest of organs may spot the ubiquitous Desiré Cortes, looking, perhaps, just a little jealous, who does manage to photo bomb nearly all the official shots of our revered and hard working leader.
If all this wasn't enough fun for one pueblo, we now have two weeks of 'Japon en Álora' (Japan in Álora) which was kicked off last Friday in the Casa de Cultura (Cultural Centre) by 'Epi' and Shinji Naganawa, an artist who has lived here for over 30 years and is one of Mrs. Sánchez's and my favourite painters. During the two weeks we can see Japanese films, Japanese Flamenco and lots of paintings by Shinji.
In this photograph, which does not feature Desiré Cortes this time , we have our long-standing Minister for Culture and the Environment, Sonia Ramos in Japanese costume. The other lady dressed in a kimono is our good friend Lina. The highest of Shinji's paintings displayed here is almost exactly the same as the one in our salón.
Good fun to come
Not long now until our annual Sopas Perotas Day. Whoopee!
October 1st. ¡No te lo pierdas! (Don't miss it!)
Juanito Sánchez
19th. September 2016
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