For the last few days we have had my niece staying with us and we have been showing her around the local area. She has lots of photos for memories - here is a selection of them.
Click left on any of the photos in order to be able to see it full size.The old olive mill down by the Matarraña river in Torre del Compte is the summer home of our friends Andrea and Marc.
The original mill not only used to press the olives in order to release the oil, it also used to grind the corn.
On Saturday we were with our friends Mari Carmen and Raúl in Alcañiz for a splendid lunch with typical food of the region...
...followed by a peach tart made by Margaret. Delicious!
This weekend was the big weekend for bikers throughout Spain and beyond who had descended on the town for the racing event which was taking place at Motorland just outside Alcañiz.
70,000 were expected but I think I counted a lot more.
The new by-pass had been opened for the occasion but is closed now while it is finished off.
The roofs of the houses in Valderrobres are always a picturesque sight, here seen from the castle.
And here is the castle itself, or at least, one corner of it.
I'm sure that this room in the castle could have been the inspiration for one of Escher's paintings.
The arches make great shadows at this time of day...
...while through the arches themselves, the view is stunning.
Another arch but this time leading onto the old stone bridge across the Matarraña...
...and on crossing the bridge a glance to the left reveals the backs of all the houses.
A rare sight as the bridge is deserted.
Up to the ermita de Santa Bárbara at La Fresneda and a view looking towards Calaceite...
...plus a view of the old railway bridge crossing the river...
...and the village of La Fresneda from the same vantage spot.
A drive up the Valle del Silencio to the Sanctuario de la Virgen de Gracia, a 16th century convent...
...with interesting views from the outside through the decorative windows to the countryside beyond.
"I'm sure I'll find salmon in here one day".
We live closer to the Greenwich meridian line here than we did when we lived in England. This photo was taken in the western hemisphere, by a matter of inches.
Our friend Emilia's mosaic bench. She is a very talented ceramicist and we have been working with her on a mosaics course. More of that later!
The village of La Fresneda as seen from our newly tarmacked road.
The ermita de Santa Bárbara at Valdealgorfa. Santa Barbara is the Patron Saint of Workers at Risk and Sudden Death so that is why there are several ermitas with her name on around here.
A view of Torre del Compte with the Puertos de Beceite behind, (the mountains between us and the Mediterranean). You can see our house if you know where to look!
And of course the village of Torre del Compte itself with the ermita de San Juan,...
...the church,...
...the fantastic views down the
Matarraña valley,...
...and one of the remaining entrances to the village.
It's no surprise we love living in this region!
The dancers were very energetic as they showed their prowess with castanets, tambourines as well as sticks and some very fancy footwork.
The dancers were very energetic as they showed their prowess with castanets, tambourines as well as sticks and some very fancy footwork.
