Gosh it is almost a month since you saw a blog post from me...and even then I was away having adventures.
It has taken me a long time to settle down again, four adventures in about 6 weeks was too much.
You read all about the wedding....a couple of weeks after that I was off to Spain with my Lace Guild.
A year ago our Chairman happened to be holidaying on the Costa Brava....near to Barcelona...when she chanced upon something to excite her.......near to 300 lace makers...making lace....on the sea front.
Remember she took us to Northern Ireland last year...well this was an opportunity not to be missed....and she had soon arranged that we would visit ....and hopefully take part.
About 50 of us from Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland arrived in Lloret De Mar in early September...ready to soak up some sun, before cold, cold days set in...do lots of shopping and make some lace!
The view from our tiny hotel balcony was fabulous.
Tadgh was loving it.
Even more gorgeous at night.
The day of the Festival was the National Day of Catalonia....celebrated throughout the region which wishes to be independent from Spain.
Just behind our hotel was the old town...beautiful.
The influence of Gaudi was everywhere.
The night before we were treated to a spectacle of Catalonian dancing. We watched them setting up the area.....
knowing that when we were too tired we could continue to watch from our balcony.
There were several groups of dancers, a wonderful sight.
Throughout the area were wonderful statues.....
of dancers...
...and also of lacemakers....can you spot the lacemaker in the bottom left...the statue covered in graffiti!
I determined to restore it to it's former glory with a little computer magic!
She is a Bobbin Lacemaker using the traditional tall pillow that we were to see later.
Lots of shopping.....a visit to a tropical garden...
....look real Flame Lantana....remember that??????....
Shopping was a delight in the company of friends....we shopped til we couldn't take any more!
Look at this shop selling nothing but fabulous pure white cotton.
You wouldn't I know expect me to come home with out a gecko....they were everywhere.
This one is all mosaic and mirrored glass and is huge.....2ft long...phew he just fitted in my suitcase!
I bought him to hang outside but the DIY elf thinks that he would disintegrate!
I couldn't resist this little resin gecko...only 4in long.....
...or this little Gaudi style fridge magnet...only 3.5 ins...he lives on my cooker hood with his mates.
animal Gaudi style that you could imagine.
Some more fab purchases I have yet to photograph.
Now we were ready for the main reason for coming....the Lace Festival. there was just about every
Tell you about that tomorrow!!
