Postcard from Castro Urdiales

The Market

Here in Castro, still exists the fantastic market building, though I wish they had consulted me before they repainted it in these dreary colours!
The fish and meat market has moved to a modern building with facilities for refrigeration, but this is still the fruit and vegetable market.

It is very busy in the morning with local traders often selling produce from their own gardens. In the afternoon when I took these pictures only the two largest stalls were open.

The Haunted House?

A spectacular house built in 1900 in the "English Style".

Number 13 on the gate.......I wonder!

Friday Flowers

The Bride's bouquet, Zantedescia lilies, tiny roses, strands of moss, honesty, and hearts on a string.
Very structured, but very pretty.

No white ribbon on the wedding car in Spain, but always flowers decorating the door handles.

Have a lovely weekend.
Georgie

A Modern and Traditional Spanish Wedding

The main reason we are in Spain is that we have been invited to a family wedding. My husband is half Spanish, and his family in Spain have invited all the family from England to share in this happy occasion.
The wedding ceremony was held in the garden of a hotel just outside Bilbao. The weather was perfect....even a little too hot!

As at every wedding guests had dressed for the occasion. What the fashionable Spanish guest is wearing this summer.....

Men in sunglasses and suits.

Fantastic fascinators.

Smart and colouful suits.

The Bride's parents.

The Bridegroom's mother in grey and a friend in blue, I think they may be discussing their choice of shoes!

Grandad provides a comfortable spot to enjoy the ceremony.

The beautiful bride arrives on the arm of her father accompanied by the two little ring bearers.

Who wait to perform their part of the ceremony.

Which proceeds in brilliant sunshine.

Married!!

Then a traditional Basque dance accompanied by pipe and drum, to honour the happy couple.

Then they are showered with rice and greet their guests.

We all sit down to probably the largest wedding breakfast menu I have ever seen.........10 courses!!!

The remains of the meal. empty glasses, empty bottles, no one had room for the bread!
There was dancing until the early hours, a fabulous day spent with family and friends...........perfect.

Portsmouth to Santander

Our holiday begins with a 24 hour ferry crossing from Portsmouth in the south of England to Santander on the north coast of Spain.
We left Portsmouth on a grey and misty day, passing a fascinating mix of old and new as we left the harbour. It didn't look too promising for a crossing of the Bay of Biscay, a notoriously rough area of sea.

In fact it was a very calm crossing, just rather grey and misty for the whole journey........so no sunbathing on deck, but I managed to read a book on my new Kindle, and although the cabin was tiny we had a good night's sleep.

We arrived in Santander at midday, another grey and misty morning, it seems the weather has followed us to the north of Spain.

But by the time we had driven 45 minutes along the cost to our destination, the town of Castro Urdiales, the sun had come out to shine on the newly rebuilt sea front promenade, a promising start to our holiday in this beautiful part of Spain.

Friday Flowers

White Spray Chrysanthemums, plain, simple, charming.

I'm at a wedding this weekend and then on holiday, so next week's Friday Flowers will be coming from the north of Spain. Providing of course that I can sort out an internet connection, my Spanish is not bad, but this may be a challenge!!
Have a fabulous weekend.
Georgie

Friday Flowers

Euphorbia with strange tiny flowers on cup shaped bracts in the lime green colour that adds a zing of colour to my mainly green garden.
And fern leaves in a fascinating variety of shapes, I try and add a new one to my collection every year.

Have a lovely weekend.
Georgie