Granada Carnation Red

Granada Carnation Red

We arrive in Granada just in time for the Cruz de Mayo. A bit like our May Day, it’s a very ancient pre-Christian festival that continues under the guise of Christianity. Instead of maypoles, people erect huge crosses in courtyards and plazas. They are then covered in rich red carnations. Around these, there are temporary shrines with objects symbolising the main trade of the area. For example, in one square there are the dyes, yarns, spinning wheels and cauldrons used to dye cloth and to make embroideries.

Dyers Shrine

Baskets of Dye

Beautiful old and new embroidered shawls are draped over window ledges all around the courtyards. The shrines compete and awards are given for the best Cruz De Mayo .

Cupid and Shawl

Shawls, Shrine and Cross

Cross with theatrical set of Granada landmarks

Cross with Flamenco accessories

The local deities are out too, along with pots and pans in shining copper. You can find the crosses by listening out for very loud flamenco music, which is played at every site.

Baby Jesus of Granada - see inscription

Apple and scissors

An apple and scissors are seen at various sites. Apparently, this is not as we thought, to ward off evil against the harvest, but a pun. Apple in Spanish is "Pero", which also means "But" , so it is to ensure people admire the crosses and shrines without any "Buts".

A Roman god peeps out from behind a cross

That night, we go to the Sacre Monte hills, where the gypsies live in caves, and meet some friendly people who tell us they are from the pueblos around Granada. They are dancing to very loud music and I join in clapping the rhythm. Colin is quietly sketching them. They are all amazingly generous and offer us skewers of chicken and custard tarts they have made at home, and bought in for this picnic. No one is drinking alcohol. 

All ages and sizes join in the dance, and of course they are all brilliant at it and make quite flirtatious hip wiggling moves that few old timers in the U.K. could ever do. Unfortunately for me, one lady siezes me and drags me to dance. “No puedo....” I say, hoping this means "I don’t know how”. Anyway, after a brief and embarrasing attempt she agrees. “No hablas” she says. I shuffle off. Then they all flock around Colin’s tiny sketchbook. One lady recognises herself, it’s fantastic they all say, except her husband, who obviously still sees his sixty year old wife as the twenty year old he married. No, it’s terrible he insists.

Pueblo People dancing

Pueblo People clapping (Compas) 

Pueblo People with Alhambra

Part of the celebrations include horse riders with beautifully dressed horses like  the ones we saw in Seville. Two of the chaps look ahead with deadpan expressions as their amigo becomes romantically entwined.

Horse riders

Romantic horse riders