The Harvest in Priorat

September has come and gone. Our two week hop across the pond, to the Priorat for the vendimia was a glorious time. We bounced from the hotel to Waldo and Cristina's townhouse, trying to be useful with small chores like hemming curtains and hanging up paintings. Best of all was filling in at the hotel, as barkeep, waitress, sous chef, and dishwasher. Like an episode of "Fawlty Towers", so delightful!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6698933542780842398#

The cruelty of time

I have reconciled myself to the fact that few will read this "blog", but those of you that do, I can only say that the few months that have passed between my last entry and today 'splain it all. As we prepare to head back to La Figuera, to drill once again for the coveted water, I am struck by how much pain and joy co-mingle. My eldest son, my first born, is getting married. And a dear friend, one I had struggled hard to hang on to, has died. And yet I persist in returning to the Priorat, to the finca, because I believe, I dream, I imagine. Is that so wrong? Septiembre, Cristina, Septiembre.

Adios

I am officially signing off from Gratallops, this morning at 1:25 a.m. as we leave for Barcelona at 6 a.m. for our return to the states. It has been a ride. Today was a let down with the well, as we didn't get to see water gushing. More work to do. So, for now, dear friends and family, hasta proxima (until the next one).

Well!

After a nightmarish weekend, spent primarily prone in bed with fever and cough, we rose this morning to a clear sky. David and I dragged ourselves through the tasks we promised to deliver on, planing doors and painting details in the hotel, while Cristina chastised us, demanding we take to our beds. But a promise is a promise, and we had offered our services as best we could to help get the hotel up and running by weeks end. So paint I did, each room its own unique color story. I love this place, so creative, so individual. And I love Cristina. She threw her back out on Sunday (she's at the chiropractor now, a 9 p.m. appointment, image that stateside!), yet she persevered with her cous cous for yesterdays meal, and it was stupendous! Problem was most of us were three sheets. Fredi and Cristina with backs out, David and I with flu, Maryanne overwhelmed by the demands for new wines at the bodega where she is vintner. We were a sad crew. But we enjoyed!
And today, sun, and the well. We arrived at the finca to find that Vincen's man had done the job, clearing the way for various trucks, what we had gotten a provicional clearance to do from the delightful engineer in Tarragona, Laura Guitar. To say it was a shock would be an understatement. Like a drastic haircut. But it has to be done. Most of the almonds have been so neglected we have to start again. And olives need to be pruned and tended, some need to go, as old school was to plant them at the edge of the terrace wall, and they are endangering the stones. That won't do. The stone walls are a marvel, and much harder to replace than an olive tree, especially one that has been neglected and hasn't grown so well.
It was complex, there were mixed emotions seeing so much equipment on my beloved finca,like giving one of my babies their first haircut. But it must be done, not only for aesthetics but ease of maintenance and cultivation. So many machines! Tractors, water trucks, drilling equipment. Like Richard Scarry's "Busy Busy World". Kind of strange, after a month of solitude.
When we left at 6 this afternoon (for in Spain this is still afternoon!)they had reached 75 meters. We are anticipating water at 150. So nerve wracking, you can't imagine. We drove away knowing tomorrow is make or break. An amazing sunset, the "golden hour" spreading an extraordinary light over the mountains and pines. I wept from the sheer beauty. Romance cannot be squelched! And, after all, tomorrow is another day.

Sidelined by flu

We've been felled by the flu that seems to be going around. David, who so rarely gets sick, has been bedridden. I am working to keep the worst of it at bay, but feel pretty crappy myself. Just as we get all the ducks lined up! In any event, the well is happening on Monday. After provisional permission to clear a way for the trucks, we are realizing the task we came to accomplish. Light candles for water. It's all very nerve wracking, with diviners, forest rangers, and monstrous moving equipment. Add to that being sick, and it's truly a test of nerves and endurance.
On a lighter note, the almond blossoms are blooming! The sun continues to appear. And the oranges are delicious. Cristina is preparing a huge cous cous feast for tomorrow, and my job is to do touch painting in all the rooms for next weeks Valentines Day reopening of the hotel. So being sick is just not an option.

Roadblock

After determining with Vincens that we needed to get a permit in order to clear the way for construction trucks and the well driller, and an initial meeting with "Pink", we finally met the foresters at the finca today. More obstacles.
Let me back track by saying we occupied ourselves with various activities for the past few days, while waiting for said meeting. Spent Thursday driving around, our destination (Miravet).There is a small ferry on one side of the Ebro River that carries cars to the other side and drops you off in "downtown" Miravet, with its glorious castle , built by the Moors, inhabited by the Templers, and over taken by the Aragon Kings. Moorish meets Romanesque, with battles and beheadings. Besides being a heritage site, the village is also famous for its pottery. From there we headed to the coast, twenty minutes away, for seafood in (Cambrils). A rainy day, but not enough to deter the intrepid duo from sitting under the canopy. Marvelous sardines, squid, hake, and halibut, "a la plancha" (on the fire). And yesterday we explored (Vilella Baixa), the village next to Gratallops. Fantastic! Truly emblematic of a quintessential centuries old village. We went to track down some properties we found on the internet, still dreaming and scheming about the village townhouse to accompany the country farm. Capped the night off watching the(Goya's), Spain's version of the Oscars. Never saw so much cleavage in my life. Substantial cleavage, not necessarily attractive cleavage, yet amazing in the abandon. Very different feel from the Oscars, risque and delicious. Odd thing was Penelope Cruz (who I adore) won Best Supporting Actress for her work in an English language film directed by an American director. She was fantastic in Vicky,Cristina, Barcelona, however, shouldn't that be just the Oscar nod she received? No matter, the audience cheered wildly, as she is "Hollywood". Oh, the allure. Amazing gowns, nothing you would ever see on an American actress, almost trashy, way too flashy, but oh so good.
And today, the foresters, the environmental regulators. Suffice to say, it did not go as planned. We unfortunately drew the guy who is related to the sky cab at airport curbside checking who weighs your bag and says its 51 pounds, you know what I mean? So, rather than get the go ahead to bring a truck down to clear a ten foot path for a single truck, we are now having to go to Tarragona tomorrow, deal with more officials, get more permits,etc. Bureaucracy is mind boggling. At four this afternoon I just wanted to fold up my tent. But by six we had a plan, we have pistachios, a glass of wine, and a fire in the fireplace. After all, tomorrow is another day. And there are no problems, only solutions.

Backroads and Panoramas

It has been a whirlwind of activity, trying to get this well dug before our month in the country is up. A trip to the finca with Vincens, to see about clearing paths for both the well driller and the builders revealed the problem of two pine trees in the way. Rule of law states no pine trees are to be cut down without permission from the "forestal", the land management wing of the government. So down to Falset we headed with Vincens on Friday morning, following his instructions to keep a low profile and show respect. He asked for the boss once we reached the office, and out walked a woman in a very official forest ranger outfit, which set off her cotton candy pink hair marvelously. It was all I could do to keep from blurting out "amazing hair" as I watched Vincens demur. The outcome was that she was willing to send some of her guys out to the finca on Monday to check out felling the small, rangy trees in question. So we wait for Monday, and hope that we catch a break. Amazing system. On the one hand, I am thrilled they are protecting the land, and I adore the pines that surround the finca. On the other hand, come on, two scruffy pines blocking the way of the terrace entrance, give me a break. But attention must be paid, and Pink is my new best friend.
Next day we headed to the finca to collect more firewood, and begin clearing a path for the trucks (just dead almonds, no pines!). Because we wanted to load up the car, and didn't want to schlep wood all the way back to the boulder, where we usually park and walk in, we opted for the "back road", and even more circuitous and amazing dirt road, winding over hill and dale. Made it to and back, our sweet little Opel loaded down with most excellent firewood, bumping it's way through olive groves. On the way we saw more beehives, only this one was suffering damage, with lots of dead bees outside the hives. There was still one that managed to give me a good welt from its' sting, teaching us to not muck around in their area too much.
We capped the day off with a hike up to the Ermita de la Consolacio, one of the small monasteries that dot the countryside, as part of the great route of monasteries. So breathtakelingly beautiful I was reduced to tears. The panorama from the top encompasses multiple villages, multi-million dollar wineries, winding trails that lead from village to village, and a boundless sky. As the sun began to set we could hear the bells of both Gratallops and Vilella Baixa ring the hour. Heaven on earth.