Bourques in Barcelona: First Christmas in Spain 2009

Christmas now seems like a very long time ago, given that we have just celebrated Easter and Spring has definitely "sprung" here on the shores of the Med (given that it has been many years since my seasonal allergies have been THIS bad!). As we quickly unpacked our shipment from Canada and settled into our new home, we found some Christmas decorations and tried to make things cozy and homey inside. Steph arrived two days late due to delays in both Houston and London but once here, she helped pick out a live potted tree and decorated it in the living room. We spent a rainy day in Barcelona visiting the Christmas market to buy our "caganer" for our nativity scene and a small replicate "Tio". Now the Catalans have some rather peculiar Christmas traditions: in each nativity scene, either in the family home, the Church or in a public square, you will find a "caganer" (literally "crapper", s character who has dropped his pants and is doing "number two", a symbol of fertility for the coming year). We chose one for our house and found ones to present to Lou and Ben as well! Football players, castellaners, even famous people all become "caganers"! The second tradition here is to have the "caga tio" (or poop log) in the home. It is a wooden "beast" (a decorated log) that lives in the kitchen or dining room in the days leading to Christmas and has to be "fed" (dry bread and water) so that on Christmas Day, after hitting it with a stick, it will "poop" the gifts for the children, which are traditionally sweets. The current tradition developed from a country tradition of placing a tree trunk (tio) in the fireplace. The tio gave the gifts of heat and light. In time, the story became more sophisticated, and likely children thought heat and light weren't terribly exciting as presents! Further below you will see a large tio in the village square of Cornudella. I guess you had to be here...

The giant Nativity Scene in Placa de Sant Jaume in the Barri Gotico, Barcelona

Many days during the holidays we were awakened by the sunrise over the Med and the village below.

Our little potted Christmas Tree from the local garden centre (30 Euros) and it has already died!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Fresh potted plants abound at Christmas-poinsettia, amaryllis, lily and cyclomen, which lasts throughout the winter outside.

Lou and Steph celebrated Christmas upon his arrival on Boxing Day. Does he look just a tad jet-lagged?

The village Church in Cornudella where we celebrated Pat's birthday on December 27th

The "caga tio" in the village square

Birthday dinner at the Hotel Siurana above Cornudella (see blog dated January 14, 2010): Steph, Lou, Pat and Kathie

A day-trip for lunch at Claude's in Banyuls-sur-Mer then a visit to Salvadore Dali's home in Port Lligat on the Costa Brava

View of the little cove outside Dali's house

Inside the home-you can take a self-guided tour at a pre-set time...just be sure you are not late in picking up your tickets and that you have the printed receipt! (We didn't have our printer working at that time, so thought the receipt number from the website purchase would be sufficient...NOT! Pat and Lou were subject to the wrath of the lady behind the wicket who felt compelled to explain just how wrong we were!)

Outside the gardens were also full of art, particularly Dali's signature egg motif

A scarecrow-like work of art (made out of recycled materials) viewed at some distance from a stage. Note the ribcage made out of the bow of a rowboat!

Steph and Lou in a giant egg...the Easter Bunny got ahead of himself this season!

Pat and Kathie

New Year's Day in a local bar by the Med: Pat, Lou and Steph

The road along the beach in Caldes d'Estrac: Lou and Steph soaking up some rays but the air was still chilly! (Lou did regret his choice of shorts later on!)