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Showing posts with label Vallehemoso fiestas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vallehemoso fiestas. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 08, 2021

Fishing or leaping ?

The above image shows the statue near the picnic area at the Embalse de La Encantadora, the large irrigation-water reservoir near Vallehermoso in La Gomera's north-west. The lake-like reservoir contains plenty of fish, and permits for angling are available for a small fee from the local town hall. Should you catch anything, you can cook it right there as the lovely picnic area boasts ovens and barbecues, basic kitchen facilities (all under a traditional roof) and clean toilets. Most times there's even a large stack of firewood supplied for use by the public and all these facilities are free of charge. A great place for parties, too, but please inform the locals and the town hall of your plans if a larger crowd is expected to attend. The locals nearby are very helpful and it might be a good idea to invite them. They do make good wine there, you know...
The statue of the aboriginal Gomeran stands on a small headland jutting out into the artificial lake very close to the picnic area.
However, he's not holding a fishing rod, nor some type of spear. The long pole he grips was and still is used for the so-called 'salto del pastor' (shepherd's leap), a means to speedily traverse the rough and steep terrain of La Gomera. There's more about that tradition, with a video of how it's still done today here...

Monday, August 12, 2013

Fiesta and more fiestas

Below are some impressions of the current main fiesta on La Gomera. This one is dedicated to the 'Virgin of Candelaria', the patron saint of the Canary Islands. Here on La Gomera it is celebrated in the mountain town of Chipude, the capital of La Gomera in olden times (now San Sebastian is the capital). Chipude boasts one of the nicest and oldest Christian village churches in the Canaries. This fiesta is one of the local highlights of the year and thousands flock to Chipude for the week-long celebrations. The photos below were taken in the afternoon heat - it really gets going much, much later when the cameras are forgotten and it continues until the 'wee' hours. By the way, this wasn't the only fiesta this weekend on this small island of just over 20.000 inhabitants and many more fiesta will be celebrated over the coming weeks and months. How do they survive all the fiestas over the year(s) ? Fiesta goers need two things: A flexible liver and a lenient bank manager - or vice versa.
Church of Chipude decorated for the fiesta

I'm a drummer,too, and I'd
love to be treated like this.
Red carpet and all... 
Pace yourselves, boys - it is still too hot

First dancers have more room, later on it'll be crammed
Backstage VIP gossip