2007 June 29 - End-of-Term (School's Out) Party

The End-of-Term (School’s Out) Party was held on 29 June 2007. This officially marked the end of our Spanish classes….this year! Classes should start again in late September or early October, 2007.

Everybody was asked to bring a dish to feed approx. 4 people. This way we would be able to sample different dishes from various countries and/or cooking styles. I brought a Cajun dish (a recipe my sister, Hedy, gave me) of shrimp, Philadelphia cream cheese and plenty of seasoning! I mixed it with macaroni pasta. It was a hit!!

Margaret and Colin furnished the meat, sausages, wine and cold drinks.

People seem to enjoy these parties because there are many dishes to choose from.

For the people who really like a particular dish, I think we should also have the recipes printed on index cards for the people to take.

(Photo by Colin)

I’m going to slip this picture in. It was taken just prior to the End-of-Term party.

Colin and Margaret invited Jordi and me to have a meal with them and their guests on their balcony. Colin’s cousin, Eva, and her husband, John, were visiting them and would be there to experience our End of Term (School’s Out) Party and the Fiesta for San Juan.

Eva later commented that she had never experienced anything like our party and the Fiesta de San Juan -- and she had thoroughly enjoyed them.

The party for the students and friends was held in Margaret and Colin’s bodega (cellar, basement)

I hope I get everybody’s name right. If I didn’t, send me a comment and tell me where I made a mistake. I’ll correct it right away.

(All names of the people in the photos will be read from Left-to-Right.)

Miguel is the husband of our Spanish teacher, Beatriz. He is the baker in Monroyo and also a volunteer fireman. Therefore, he was the right person for cooking the bar-b-que.

(Photo by Colin)

Overseeing the bar-b-que process were some of the students from the Spanish Class. Vivian (from Ireland), Vera and Filip (from Belgium) and Floyd with his back to the camera.

Because we are such a small class, Margaret invited the women in the “Women’s Club” and their husbands. This turned out to be quite a crowd – I think there were about 30 people total.

For some reason, MOST of the women (and a few men) sat together at one table, and the majority of husbands sat at the other. I tried to get a picture of everybody at the party. Now, let me see if I can name all of the people correctly…..

Photo: Vera & Filip (from Belgium), Maria, Rosa, and Pili

Photo: Rosario, Rosalina, Nieves, and Mercedes

Photo: Jim & Vivian (from Ireland), and Margaret

Photo: Fintan, Mánus (Vivian's sons), Beatriz (our Spanish Teacher), Rosario

Photo: Rosario (again), Toñita, Maria Dolores

Photo: Emilio (married to Pili), Antonio (Mayor of the village and married to Nieves), Tamzin (from England), and Ruth (from Switzerland)

Oops!

Looks like Dorothy and Toto have left the building!!

Photo: Colin, Miguel, Rosi, José Luis (married to Maria Dolores), Rafael (married to Rosalina), Fernando (married to Rosario)

You will have to scroll back to find the wives pictures.

Like I said, for some reason, most of the couples didn’t sit together.

Photo: Jordi and Filip

Photo: Jim & Vivian, Beatriz, Floyd.

Fintan & Mánus (Vivian’s two sons) in front.

Photo: Mánus & Fintan (Vivian’s sons)

After eating, Vivian, Beatriz and Vivian’s older son, Mánus, decided to play some tennis. Vivian was playing against her son and Beatriz. She was moving really fast around the court and showed some really fancy foot-work. I later realized it was because she was barefooted and the court pavement was super HOT!

~•~ The End ~•~

2007 June 23 - Fiesta de San Juan

The Fiesta de San Juan is held every year in late June in the street next to the San Juan ermita (small chapel). The piece of street where all the dancing happens, is right in front of Margaret and Colin’s house.

(It’s a good thing like to party. If they didn’t, they probably wouldn’t be able to hear the TV for the loud music in front of their house!)

As in the past, our Peña (club, group) had a late lunch before the festivities. Margaret and Colin offered their bodega (cellar, basement) for the lunch. They were having guests from England, they decided this would be a good way to introduce Colin’s cousin, Eva, and her husband, John, to the people from the village.

After the lunch, the festivities would start in front of their house and there would be Cava (Spanish champaign), wine, pastries and dancing in the street!

(All names of people in photos will be given Left-to-Right)

Photo: Juan Miguel, Narciso

Several people helped to cook a seafood paella.

I said several people because as someone passed the pot and took a taste, they decided it needed this….or that….or something else – and would add it. In any case, it was FANTASTIC!

Photo: Jordi, Patricia (in front), Margaret, Eva, John
(Photo by Colin Phillips)

Photo: Floyd, Maribel
(Photo by Colin Phillips)

Photo: Maria José, Rosi, Jordi, Chus, Pablo
(Photo by Colin Phillips)

(I don't know the lady behind Chus. If somebody knows her name, please send me a comment.)

Photo: Jordi, Rosi, Juan Miguel
(Photo by Colin Phillips)

Everybody was hungry and were waiting for the paella.

Photo: Colin and Eva

Photo: Eva, Maria José, Narciso (standing), Margaret, Annie, Lola, George

Photo: John and Eva

Photo: Patricia, Isabel, Miguel Angel

Photo: Carlos, Manolo, Maribel

Photo: Chus, Rosi

Photo: Jordi, John, Eva
(Photo by Colin Phillips)

This was the band.

The man played the piano and did most of the singing.
(I think the lady was there primarily for “window dressing.”)

Everybody was enjoying the music and dancing in the street.

Whoa!
I’m not sure where this guy came from….maybe from under the bridge to the village!

(Actually, it’s Pablo with a wig. He had a great time with it!)

So many bottles....and so little time!

Photo: I don't know who they are....but they seem to know each other!

Photo: Jordi and Eva

Photo: Margaret & Colin

Photo: Rosi & Pablo, Maria José & Narciso and their daughter, Coral

It was another successful Fiesta. But as the old saying goes -- "All good things must come to an end!"

When the street party broke up, many of the people that had dinner in Margaret and Colin’s bodega, went back for some dessert and coffee….and some wine….and any other liquor they had. The party didn’t break up until around 2:am.

~•~ The End ~•~