The unexpected joys of Sardine burial

 I loved going through France on this trip because it was all new. I have enjoyed visiting familiar places and seeing how they connect. Today we are doing one of the things which means I am suddenly surprised.  I was streetviewing away when we hit a sign saying Archidona. Not having planned ahead it looked like a place to stop on our way to somewhere else.  Then it looked like a brand new settlement, built in the age of the car. Then we hit the old town.



We start the day on the flat, then suddenly climb up 68m.  We will sink 200 more on the other side of the hill.  Las Rejas is the first place we get to in terms of having a coffee and a nibble.  It is mostly a morning and afternoon place for snacks. It opens at 6.30am and closes at 12.30pm.  I|t reopens from 3.30pm till 6 Monday to Thursday.  On Fridays it opens till Midnight.  Saturday is only open 8pm - Midnight and it is closed Sunday.  https://guias-viajes.com/spain/malaga/las-rejas/



Las Rejas gets a solid four from 167 people.  Virginia said ‘A simple but very welcoming and clean place with excellent service. The food is homemade, delicious, and affordable. The staff are very helpful and friendly; the service is the best part.’



Archidona has almost 9000 people.  Once it didn’t. It has your usual very Ancient peoples knocking about. It was catapulted into History when, in 756, Abd al-Rahman I was proclaimed emir and established the emirate of Cordoba.  Apparently Archidona was very much keen on the Age of Reason and its Governor, Luis de Unzaga y Amezaga and his wife, Isabel Saint Maxent, founded the world’s first bilingual public education system in New Orleans. The place welcomed King Joseph Bonaparte in 1810 - who they hoped would modernise the place.   Never mind eh!



Now, it is Maundy Thursday and so a holiday.  We missed 20th January and the Carnival called  ‘Thursday of Godmothers, Thursday of the Godfathers and Thursday of Fathers and Children.’  Apparently they play the Burial of the Sardine. A sardine is the symbolic burial of said fish.



According to the https://archidonaturismo.com/festivities/ Holy Week includes – The Bell Ringers: they establish the rythm of the marches.
– The Apostolate: twelve figures that symbolize the twelve apostles. – The Embassy of the Angel and the Sermon of the Descent: religious theatrical representations. – The Zumba: an unique instrument that announces Christ’s falls. It also includes a Children’s Holy Week, in which the little ones can participate. It is a profoundly rooted and distinctive celebration in the province of Malaga.’



On we go to La Galeria Azul.  32 people rate it five stars.  It is woman owned and LGBTQ+ friendly. https://lagaleriaazul.com/#  The top words are Space, Raisin, Magical, Gift and Organized.  Monica said ‘My gratitude to Manuela, a wonderful hostess and person. It has been a true pleasure to share and be part of this group exhibition and to visit the blue gallery 💙 in person. I fell in love with this beautiful and well-maintained space where the details speak of the care and dedication with which Manuela is devoted to art and how she transmits and shares it with others, offering her services and expanding her knowledge by teaching classes in the gallery itself. My thanks to her, and we shared some very beautiful moments at the opening that will remain in our hearts 🥰🥰 THANK YOU FOR CREATING AND SHARING SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL 🥰🎁✨🙏💙💙💙💙’



Down the road we go to the Museo Municipal de Archidona.  https://www.malaga.es/es/laprovincia/patrimonio/ds-0/tp-0/cnl-96/bs-gracia/lis_cd-4130/museo-municipal   Gert notes ‘Fine museum. But given the fact that the museum is partly financed by EU-fonds display-explanations.  should be offered in at least english or german.’



Javier gives more details ‘The original building of the Casa del Pósito, or granary, in Archidona dates back to the 16th century, although its entrance is from the 18th century. On either side are two stone coats of arms with oval fields: the one to the left of the door bears the arms of Pedro Téllez-Girón "El Grande" (1574-1624), the third Duke of Osuna, and the one to the right, those of his wife, Catalina Enríquez de Ribera y Cortés de Zúñiga. The building served to store the harvests and in-kind tributes of the Dukes of Osuna, Lords of the town. Converted into a museum in 2004, it is divided into three rooms. The first offers a journey through the history of Archidona, from the Paleolithic era, highlighting the Cueva de las Grajas archaeological site, to the 21st century. The Sala de la Villa serves as an exhibition and museum space, both for permanent and temporary displays, and is also available for use as a ceremonial venue for events and ceremonies. The Sala de la Memoria Colectiva (Collective Memory Room) summarizes the city's diverse religious, cultural, and traditional events.’




We will wander out of town, turn off the main road, and past some very elderly olive trees.  I know that we have mentioned this before but the oldest olive tree is 1700 years old. It is always one of those things but the idea that Diocletian was doing his thing and the Roman Empire was going on for ever when it was planted.













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