Life in Ciudad Rodrigo

I feel this is may be for completeness rather than because of its nail biting excitement, traditional roots or insight into Spanish life. Today I bought a sandwich, a tortilla sandwich, plus a can of Casera Cola for 2.50€. That's the essence of the post. But the odd thing is that at least three people had mentioned Operación Bocata - Operation Sarnie - to me during the week saying what a good thing it was. Something not to be missed. In reality it was just the WI selling cakes and tea except that there were no cakes, no tea and no WI. The rolls in this case were made by volunteers with ingredients donated by well wishers and the money raised will got to Manos Unidas - United Hands, an anti hunger charity. I was there quite early so the crowds hadn't exactly built up hence the rather empty looking photo at the top.I noticed though, on one of the town websites, that it looked as though it got a bit busier later .

Last year Maggie chanced upon a craft fair sale here in Ciudad Rodrigo. She went in to see if they had any Christmas cards. The group of mature women who had organised the sale soon recognised her for a Brit and insisted that she talk to one of their members - Señora Bromfield - a Spanish woman who had married a Briton and spent 27 years living in the Midlands. A year later Maggie is still friends with Mrs Bromfield. Indeed we were invited to lunch with her today. Our meeting place was to be the craft sale organised by Manos Unidas a Catholic based charity that sells "Third World" handicrafts to raise money for humanitarian projects. We brought a brilliant nativity scene made up of a Peruvian Mary, Joseph, baby Jesús, Kings and donkeys. I was impressed by the hard sell, no holds barred advertising for the craft sale. You will see, in the photo, the huge hoardings and eye catching displays the group mounted to entice passers by into parting with their cash. Well, if you enlarg...