Also widely read by men
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Female Focus Alcalalí - a craft market that is just a little different
In Alcalali on the 20th and 21st February there will be a real craft market, selling goods made by the man or woman actually on the stall, proud of their work, and hoping that you'll also like it.
Some twenty people who live and work in Spain will set up shop in the little village of Alcalali. Not only will they show what they make, you can also watch them at work, ask questions on techniques, tools and materials, and quite a few speak some English. There will be people working with leather, wood and iron, people making macramé and jewellery, people who love their work and want you to share the pleasure.
There will be two Tonies: Valencian Toni with an enormous mortar in which he mashes sugar, almonds, zest of lemon and a little cinnamon, to make turrón. And English Tony making sturdy handbags and belts on the spot. Blacksmith Vito will be hammering away on his anvil, Beate brings her Iberian loom to demonstrate, and José carves bone and horn to make beautiful knives, combs or original pendants. Eloisa makes three dimesional caricatures in modelling clay while José Luis bends colourful aluminium wire into table lamps that look like giant insects. There will also be workshops for children and old fashioned table games.
The fair is organised by Amata, who have spent the last 20 years organising the few real craft markets to be found in this part of Spain. Everything on the stalls has to be made by hand and has to be made by the person actually on the stall. It's not easy to make a living in this fashion, when there is so much competition from people selling mainly imported goods in other markets, but it can be done. Which is why you'll see here items normally to be found only in expensive galerias in the big cities, but which will cost you not much more than in the nearest pound shop.
The village of Alcalali has asked Amata to organise this fair as part of its Feslalí event, the time when people come from all over the Costa to tour the mountains and enjoy the almond blossom. As part of the festival, the local restaurants are holding a "ruta de tapas" based on almonds, there's a photographic competition, guided walks through the country side, live music on the Saturday in the local square and it all promises to be something to enjoy.
The narrow streets and picturesque little squares invite you to take a stroll through the village. You can visit the village church (18th century), housing a Museum of Sacred Art. In the middle of the village you can also climb the medieval tower, around which the village grew; from the glazed-in top storey you have nice views over the valley. Alcalalí is famous as a place to go for a meal: although the village has hardly more than thousand inhabitants, there are 5 restaurants just outside the village, all with outside terraces and various bars around the cosy little Plaza Mayor near the church.
Alcalalí, in the Jalón valley (OK, OK, switch on the GPS) on 20th and 21st Ferbuary, from 11 in the morning until 9 at night (when it starts getting chilly).
For more details, ring 639 979 678 - Elvira speaks English. Or look at the Amata web site
www.amata.es in English, or you can practice reading Spanish.
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