I've no wish to be a 'party pooper' but I'm glad to see the back of the fiesta season. It's not that I don't appreciate the sound of a brass band striking up from the village square with appropriately rousing music, nor the fact that the local area can be full to bursting with participants at the fiestas. I can enjoy the programme of activities laid on for residents and visitors alike and understand these activities can make a welcome break from what can sometimes seems like a relentless progression of one hot day after another during August. Even the loud amplified music that continues throughout the night until sun up the following day I can block out by using my paws to press my rather long and handsome ears against my dachshund head - I'm not sure what Ella does with her silly little flaps of ear skin - but the one thing I cannot ignore or abide is the fireworks. Every fiesta announces its iniciation with a battery of loud bangs. These heart stopping explosions continue to punctuate the day and night at seemingly random intervals, including in the morning, just half an hour after the night time music has finally come to a halt and neighbours might think it safe to try and grab some sleep, up strikes the band and these startling fireworks, the ones that go 'bang' without further merit to their existence. Not to be forgotten are the displays. At Cortijo Opazo we enjoy a tranquil spot in the countryside surrounded by a collection of no less than eight villages, all within short walking distance. Most of these mount a colourful and LOUD display during their appropriate celebrations, and we can enjoy each and every one of them. Fabulous for the firework afficionado, but for us canines, sworn enemy of the unexplained noise, it makes life very challenging. We are duty bound to bark a such unpredictable occurances, and continue barking until they cease. I know this is to the annoyance of the tall ones I live with, but I have no alternative, it is in my genes and is an instinctive part of my terrier dachshund nature. Ella, as a mongrel, just cowers behind the sofa, what use is that to anyone? But it does upset our constitution and puts our nerves on edge. It's affecting my appetite too, and now, I simply can't get enough food! There was a lovely lady here earlier in the summer who continually gave me extra treats; sadly she only stayed a week - but I hear she is making a return for Christmas, have we ordered the turkey yet?
The month of August starts with the week of cultural activities in Portugos. Very civilised, the day times are spent with workshops for the members of the village, how to make a butterfly out of a old plastic bottle, an alien looking frog from a papier mache covered balloon, or a drama workshop. The evenings are spent showing pictures of various village activities during the year on an open air screen. But most important are the theatrcial presentations done by all age ranges of the village community, Portugos is very keen on theatre. Then come the Fiestas Patronales, the fiestas of the patron saints of the other villages. These vary from village to village but would usually have the format of a Mass in the church - with fireworks - a parade around the streets of the village with a statue of the patron saint - with fireworks - a brass band - with fireworks - a game session for the children - announced with fireworks - an all night dance - also announced with fireworks - and a colourful firmework display - with fireworks, of course. The order seems to go, first weekend in August, Atalbeitar, followed by Mecina and Mecinilla, then the large fiestas of Pitres to coincide with the national Spanish holiday of August 15th, then a suggestion of a fiesta in the villages of Capilerilla and Fondales, terminating with the third weekend of August and the fiestas of Ferrierola, which includes a large communal paella dish for all to share, and a full scale water fight in which no prisoners are taken. In addition this year we have had the Music In the Mountains season and the celebration of 10 years of the National Park of the Sierra Nevada by performing various musical itmes including a version of Beethoven's Hymm to Joy done in Alpujarran style - this even appeared on the national television news.
So, all in all, August is an active time up here in the Alpujarras, and for us dachshunds, a trying one. This is why I will be pleased to see the back of the fiesta season - that is until October, when Portugos mounts its own fiesta to its patron saint, and the biggest display of fireworks out of all the villages.
Yours, with ear plugs to close at paw,
Fergus
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