Culture Alert
Hello all,
I thought I should update this again (just because I can!). Today is a holiday in Martos, to celebrate the first olive pressing of the season. At lunchtime I met Joe, Marie Claire and their children Jake and Ana, to visit the park.
Every year the population of Martos gather in the park to watch the first olives being pressed in the traditional way. It is very interesting. Firstly they appear to mash up the olives then they use a huge press. The press is open and there is a metal spike that rises from the centre at the bottom to about two thirds up (the press is around 7 foot tall in all). They have round rush mats that they place on the spike, they then spread the olive mush on the mat, before repeating the process, placing another mat on top. This is repeated around 50 times and then the press is lowered by means of handles which 4 men turn. By this time the pressure on the mats is high and you can see the oil pouring out of the bottom into a container. this oil is then ceremoniously transferred to what looks like an old metal milk trough.
Before the pressing takes place, everyone lines up and is given a large bag containing a small bag of olives, a bottle of water, a small bottle of olive oil, a hunk of bread and some dried salty fish. The park is filled with trellis tables and people crowd around the tables, eating the food and chatting. One big outdoor picnic type thing.
We met with parents of a boy that goes to Ana's school and talked to them for a while, watched the pressing and then went home.
Other than that I have been spending my time either writing exams for the students, or trying to energise myself to write them. I have had to teach some tough grammar points recently - things I had been putting off but had to do.
I had a good chat with a couple of friends from Thailand the other day which was nice - with work and the time difference we don't get chance often. I have also been chatting a lot to a guy I worked with in China which has been good. All in all having the internet has meant I have been able to converse far more with people I haven't been able to talk to for a long time.
I have only got two weeks left at work, which is a relief, as I feel pretty drained at the moment. I need a break and a chance to recharge my batteries.
I will hopefully update this blog at Christmas or in early January. I hope everyone has a really great Christmas.
Laus
xx
I thought I should update this again (just because I can!). Today is a holiday in Martos, to celebrate the first olive pressing of the season. At lunchtime I met Joe, Marie Claire and their children Jake and Ana, to visit the park.
Every year the population of Martos gather in the park to watch the first olives being pressed in the traditional way. It is very interesting. Firstly they appear to mash up the olives then they use a huge press. The press is open and there is a metal spike that rises from the centre at the bottom to about two thirds up (the press is around 7 foot tall in all). They have round rush mats that they place on the spike, they then spread the olive mush on the mat, before repeating the process, placing another mat on top. This is repeated around 50 times and then the press is lowered by means of handles which 4 men turn. By this time the pressure on the mats is high and you can see the oil pouring out of the bottom into a container. this oil is then ceremoniously transferred to what looks like an old metal milk trough.
Before the pressing takes place, everyone lines up and is given a large bag containing a small bag of olives, a bottle of water, a small bottle of olive oil, a hunk of bread and some dried salty fish. The park is filled with trellis tables and people crowd around the tables, eating the food and chatting. One big outdoor picnic type thing.
We met with parents of a boy that goes to Ana's school and talked to them for a while, watched the pressing and then went home.
Other than that I have been spending my time either writing exams for the students, or trying to energise myself to write them. I have had to teach some tough grammar points recently - things I had been putting off but had to do.
I had a good chat with a couple of friends from Thailand the other day which was nice - with work and the time difference we don't get chance often. I have also been chatting a lot to a guy I worked with in China which has been good. All in all having the internet has meant I have been able to converse far more with people I haven't been able to talk to for a long time.
I have only got two weeks left at work, which is a relief, as I feel pretty drained at the moment. I need a break and a chance to recharge my batteries.
I will hopefully update this blog at Christmas or in early January. I hope everyone has a really great Christmas.
Laus
xx
posted by Laus at 3:35 pm
1 Comments:
Sounds like you're keeping yourself busy Laura! OH, so that is what December 8th is! I'm not an olive lover but am currently trying to change that so that I enjoy many more foods in Italy!
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