It was a clear and dry morning as 41 members on the Spanish Culture & Cuisine trip set off to see Cieza in Bloom. After leaving Jávea we made our way southwards to the Jardines de Villanueva Restaurante in the centre of the Ricote Valley. We sat down to a typical Spanish almuerzo, with bread, Cieza olives, Murcian ratatouille, pipirrana, zarangollo, artisanal grilled bread, Murcian salad, homemade jam, mineral water, lemonade, jugs of vino tinto and bottles of El Coto vino blanco.
We then set off for a coach tour through the Ricote Valley and its varied landscape, our first photo stop being at the Salto de la Novia de Ojós. The cliff owes its name to the legend of the Bride’s Leap – a legend from medieval times when the beautiful daughter of the commander of Santiago in Ricote fell in love with a Christian officer and following his death in battle, she threw herself from the top of the cliff of Salto de la Novia.
Nigel Bentley, the leader of the bird watching group, managed to spot a grey heron in a small weir, capturing these great images.
We drove slowly past the Azud de Ojós reservoir, built in 1978 to regulate the Seguro River and generate electricity. The river looked rather grey and murky, probably due to the rains during the past few weeks. Our next stop was at the Noria Grande Abarán, designed in 1805 by Francisco Libián. A century later it was rebuilt and replaced by the current mixed structure of wood and iron. It has 128 buckets located in what is known as the crown, that have a performance of 30 litres per second. The structure has recently been completely restored so the wheel is able to turn again and irrigate the fields of Abarán.
Whilst we were in Abarán Ray Brass took a photo of this café and its name has a special meaning. Also take a close look at the doorknob. Ray told me that he and his daughter Lisa both have this symbol on their front door as a good luck charm.
The Indalo is a Bronze Age magical symbol found in the cave of “Los Leteros” in Velez Blanco. It has been customary to paint the Indalo symbol on the front of houses and businesses to protect them from evil.
Legend has it that the Indalo was a ghost that could hold and carry a rainbow in his hands (thus the arch over the head of the man). The Indalo has been adopted as the official symbol of the province of Almería, where it is used as a lucky charm. A story believed by some to be behind the symbol of the Indalo man, is that of a man taking shelter in a cave from the rain; when the rain stops, out comes a rainbow, and when the man walks away from the wall of the cave, the image is left there. Thanks for sharing Ray, there is always something new to learn!
Our guide then directed the coach to the best viewing places to see the beautiful orchards in bloom in the Cieza region, explaining how farmers have been able to extend the fruiting period. The fields were certainly a very pretty sight.
An old railway station was still virtually intact, which in the past used to carry boxes of fruits to the surrounding areas and further afield to be sold. Our final destination was to a little hamlet, with a small museum and café bar/shop, where jars of peaches, wine and fruit trees could be purchased and refreshments enjoyed before our return to Javea.
Thank you to all of the members on the trip for making it such an enjoyable day, and to our photographers (Nigel Bentley, Ian Cummings, Detlef Glogowski, Tom Miller, John Reynolds and Angela).
Report by Angela Chantry, Group leader, Spanish Culture & Cuisine
The next SC&C day trip will take place on Thursday 10th April: The Vermouth Experience (guided walk through the orchards, pick your own oranges, tastings of various jams, biscuits, liqueurs, Vermouth Workshop and tastings, followed by lunch at an old mill with drinks included). If you would like to join the trip, please send an email to Angela:
spanish.culture.cuisine@u3ajavea.com
