Dia de los Reyes--(Kings Day), and Odds and Ends!!

Hello, again from Santiago de Compostela!!  It has been a while since our last blog, my camera is filling up, and we just need to share some more 'stuff'.  The 'festivos' (holidays) are over and there are a few things you should know about how they celebrate here.  

As noted in a previous blog, Kings Day (Dia de los Reyes) is really the big day here, as it relates to Christmas.  This is the day they celebrate the arrival of the (3) (?) Wise Men to see the Baby Jesus.

The evening of the 5th of Jan., I happened to go out
on the balcony, and noticed that a crowd was gathering
outside, in our street.

In just a few minutes, we knew that something unexpected was
about to take place, right under our noses!!

It only took a few minutes more, and the street was packed
with people, obviously readying for a parade. so. . . Hna. Bake
"forced" me to go downstairs with her and stand on the  sidewalk
and to participate with the rest of the people!!
SHE JUST LOVES A PARADE!!!

A little rain?   No problem!!
When we even mention how much it rains here, they always say:
"Well, This Is Galicia!!"

Cop car leads the way!!

Could you get away with this in America??
Obviously, during Kings Day, you may get away with a little extra.

There were a few floats, and a few small groups, all
made up to add to the festiveness of the moment.

One small obligatory band!!

King #1
(notice the buckets of candy to throw!!!)

King #2

King #3
(could this be anything like our Santa Claus riding into town on a fire engine?)
The more we learn about other cultures, the more we realize how much the same we are.

Last week we took the opportunity to visit one of Hna. Bake's visiting teaching ladies.  This woman and her husband have moved to a little town (not even big enough to call it a town) about a 50 minute drive from here.  They are so far away that they probably belong to the Lugo branch, to the west of us.  The Relief Society President also needed (wanted) to pay her a visit, and we also brought along with us their two young daughters,  (ages 15 and 21) that they have  left here in Santiago.  Our little car was full!!

This little village (aldea) probably has only a dozen houses in it.  It is picturesque enough to be

right out of a tourist brochure!!

You walk in the front door, into the living room.  On the opposite
side is a door, which, when you walk through, this is what you see.
A little shop, and in the background, his stash of winter wood, to throw
in the wood-burning stove, to heat the house.

This is the coolest thing ever!!  The kitchen table is built around
an old-fashioned wood-burning stove, that you can actually cook on!
While we sat there, we could warm out hands from the heat on the stone
table-top!!

Jeni, Santiago, Caterin, Raquel

R.S. President 'hamming" it up a bit!!

Santiago  took me on a little tour (at my request) of his neighborhood.
I felt right at home.

Ancient Catholic church!  A new one has been built, so this one
has been abandoned.  

The next few shots are of the homes in the village.

I have one of these!!

This is his little garden spot.  These are greens (grelos) that they
grow and eat all winter.  You can see where they have been
trimmed off for eating.

The ever-present 'jamon Iberica'

They just kept throwing food our way!!  That is the way in Spain.
This is the famous 'tortilla espanola', finished up on the cook stove.

We had a great visit with them!  The time flew by too quickly, and we had to head back home.  Our R.S. President works as an 'interna' (a live-in helper for some elderly folks), and had to be home in time to do dinner.  We still got her home late--but she still had a job the next day, so . . . I guess it wasn't too bad, after all.

In one of our little walks we  take, every so often, we stumbled upon a market place during the festivos.  It consists of two sets of a series of four long, narrow buildings. Inside each building,

vendors set up little booths to hawks their wares during the festivos.

One of the eight buildings.

Little booths inside each one.  We bought some awesome smoked
cheese at the one on the right.

This guy sold us some cheese also.  We was a great salesman!
While we were waiting our turn to be waited upon, he took
his knife and chipped out a little sample for each of us to taste.
We were sold already!!!  You can see for yourself, the size of some
of the cheeses!!.  You need a knife that big to do the job!!

For those with a cast iron stomach,  pig ears, tails, and snouts!

People lined up eating tapas.  Normal, every-day occurrence.

What follows is just a few things we have observed, since the last time we chatted.

As the city was built, they tried to preserve the many natural
springs that existed in the vicinity. We have seen probably a
dozen or more of these.  We have also observed people filling
their water containers from them.

Old town.

Ditto

Rain just does not bother the people of Galicia!

You may have already seen this one from Facebook.  I think Hna. Bake posted it before, but. . .

SEPIA:  aka:  little squid-like creature!!!  The big slice-like
pieces were not too bad, but that part that looks like eye-balls,
and a head--well. . .that's a little crunchy.    Once is enough for me!

This is a cabbage.  Note, that it is not round, like ours.  It grows

sort of flat, and oblong, but boy, is it good!

The missionary work continues.  We have had another success, working with a part-member family. 

Baldo, the man in the picture below, has become active again, and has been teaching his young 18 year old daughter the gospel.  When he felt she was ready, he turned her over to the Sister Missionaries, and they taught her the lessons in just two appointments.  That is not the normal way to do things, but,. . . she had already been taught quite well and thoroughly by her father.  

Hna. Baxter, Deborah, Hna. Iregui
Deborah is only 18, but is in the middle of her first year of
studies at USC (Universidad de Santiago de Compostela)

Boyfriend, father Baldo, Deborah, and mother Mary
We are hoping to begin teaching the boyfriend real soon,
He is willing.  

We are approaching the end of January already!  This winter has been so mild, at least for us, being used to the inversions and cold in Idaho.  Yesterday, we almost hit 70 degrees!!  It was warm and so o o o o o o  nice!  I am  definitely getting spoiled this winter.

I begin teaching classes this week to the teachers in 5 of the 8 branches.  The goal is to give them some ideas on how to improve their presentations and to effect lives.  It gets a little scary for me to have to teach something in Spanish, but it is getting easier, the longer we are here, and the more I actually have to use the language.  We are only as good as we allow the Lord to bring us along.

We are both loving our time here in Santiago!!  It will be tough to leave, when that time comes. The people here have blessed our lives so much.  Sometimes I wonder who is helping whom? We love these strong valiant people.  Till next time....

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MERRY CHRISTMAS MADRID- AND SANTIAGO-STYLE !!!!!!!

Even though it looks like Fall, these next 6 pictures were
taken just two weeks ago!!  Winter isn't really winter here,
at least not like western Treasure Valley winters!!
Our lowest temp. so far is just 36!  Mid-day highs regularly
reach into the mid 50's!

Several cool things about this photo--The trees still have a lot
of their leaves, and the two old ladies walking down the path.
No matter the weather, no matter the time of day, you can always
see some of the "Jet Set" taking advantage of the park's  various
beauties.  

Today is December 25th, and we are missing our family!!
Christmas just is not the same without them close by.

We have had time to take a leisurely stroll through the big park just above our place, and to take a few pictures, which will appear below, later in the blog.

The Elders and Hermanas are here, having made our breakfast, and are settling in to reading their messages from home, and preparing for the opportunity to skype with their families a little later in the day,  (right now, it's only 4:30 in the morning there!!!)  Maybe some of the littler ones are up, sneaking around the house, trying to see what Santa has delivered!!  We always had a fun time, trying to find ways to fake out our kids, when they were trying to get up way too early!!'!!!

A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to fly to Madrid, courtesy of the Mission President and his wife, to spend some time with the other 'matrimonios' (senior missionaries).  They Pres. and his wife try to get us all together at least once per quarter, just so we know that they have not forgotten about us.  It is greatly appreciated!

We arrived at the airport in Madrid about the same time as the two new matrimonios who were coming in from the States, so we got to meet them and to help settle them into their motel rooms, where they stayed for the first two days, while meeting with the other matrimonios, and getting their residency approvals started.  One couple will head to the Canary Islands, to work with the JAS   (Young Single Adults), and the other couple will head to Oviedo, up on the north coast, in the Province of Asturias, not too far from where we are.
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After the matrimonio 'conference' we had time left in the day, so the mission office couple, the Larsens, had a neat idea to take the metro downtown, to the center of Madrid, and to join the throngs of people, out to see the Christmas lights.  Riding the metro again brought back some nice memories from our time there in Madrid, but coming out of the ground and seeing the veritable multitudes gathered there, to do the same as we were doing, about did me in!!  Elder Bake and big crowds do not mix real well!!! But. . . we are tough, and can do hard things!!!  After seeing the lights in the city center, we returned to the Temple Block, then drove to Atocha (where the main train station is located), and drove by some of the lighting there.  This is the same train  station bombed by the terrorists, back in '04.

It was this thick with people, for blocks and blocks!!
Think of Times Square in New York City!!!!

Beer Company--doing some advertising!!

A few minutes on the Temple Block put all things back into proper perspective!!

Headed back to Santiago, just before touching down.  This view,
out the window, shows the typical countryside, outside of Santiago.
The following--pretty much the same, just a minute or two before
landing.

.

On the 17th of this month, a few scattered lights began to go up here in Santiago.  As time went by, more and more seemed to appear, until quite a few began to adorn the streets.  They are not quite the same as how we do it in the States, but it still adds to the  feeling of the season.

Doesn't do it justice!!  Just a few yards from our piso!!

Bo Nadal=Merry Christmas in Gallego!!

Stay with me here on this one!!  Because so many folks live in
apartment buildings, Santa has to be very inventive, in order
to get into your home!!  On the left, he is parachuting down!!
On the far right, he is climbing up the side of the building,
like in the picture below.  The middle shot is of the
Tres Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men), also climbing up to
bring gifts to well-behaved children!!  The most important day
for the people of Spain is on the 6th of January, (my Dad's birthday).
That is the most widely celebrated day of the Christmas Holiday, when
the Wise Men came, and the gifts are exchanged.

Los Reyes bringing their gifts!!!

Last night we were all invited to the home of our Relief Society President to have a nice dinner with her.  Her name is Etelvina, and she is from Colombia.  Hna. Bake and I were the first to arrive.  She greeted us at the door, then took us into a room to meet some people who were there.  One of them was a middle-aged woman, then two really old folks.  The man stood to greet us, but the elderly woman just sat (slumped) on the couch).  The old folks were the parents of the younger lady.
After the greetings, we were escorted up one flight of stairs into what seemed a separate living quarters, which I assumed were those belonging to Etelvina.

When we were finally all present, and dinner was ready to be served, we (6 of us) sat down to the table and she served up our meal,  Then she excused herself, and noted that she had to go downstairs and prepared the dinner for the folks downstairs.  It was only then that I realized that we were in their home, and that Etelvina was what they call an 'interna' (live-in caretaker of older people).  She had to have gotten special permission from them to even invite us to dine with her!!  And. . . they were kind enough to grant it!!  We made sure to heap upon them praise and thanksgiving for allowing us to celebrate Christmas with Etelvina, and for her being able to bring us into their home.  This makes one feel a whole lot humble, when you realize the sacrifices that others make in your behalf,  especially on behalf of Etelvina.   She told us that her family, years back in Colombia, would always have the missionaries over for Christmas Eve dinner, and she had wanted to continue that tradition.  What makes this even more amazing for me is that her family still lives in Colombia!!  She showed us recent  pictures of her husband, daughter, and two grandchildren, whom she got to see during a recent trip back home.  She lives and works here, alone, trying to make enough, to save, to try to bring the rest of her family here.  What a neat little lady!!

Etel, performing at our Branch Party!!

Our little car (burro) is only equipped to hold five, so. . .
when we take all of us somewhere, one has to ride in the
"maletero", where you put your suitcases!!!  Elder Hale,
fights to make the sacrifice.

Ferns, growing on the moist trunks of trees!!
It rains a ton here!!!!!!!

Christmas day, and these were blooming!!!

Same with this tree!!  Some bloom red, some white, and some pink.

ELK WITH MASSIVE ANTLERS!!!   Can you see it?

Famous educator!!  They never get the respect they deserve!!

Sea shells, symbol of Santiago, painted and hung from the tree.  

Hna. Bake will tell you all about the "Two Marias", These two sisters lived in Santiago.  Their brothers rebelled against those in power and had to live on the run.  The girls were not treated very well by those who were looking for the brothers.  They were seamstresses and would model their clothes as they walked through the park.  They were kind of eccentric women.  You can read more about them if you google two Marias Santiago de Compostela. This statue is to honor them.  (This really does look like them.) 

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve here in Santiago.  Our testimonies of Jesus have grown.  We know that He loves us.  He came to make it possible for us to live with our Father again. We are where we are for a purpose.  Sometimes I fell like we are being helped, as much as we are trying to help the wonderful people in Santiago. Our Father loves His children. He sent His son. This we know.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!!!