A small rock in the Atlantic: 06/12/09

Sunday, 6 December 2009

Public Holidays next week and for 2010

Monday and Tuesday are public holidays in Spain

Constitution Day is normally December 6th, but since that was a Sunday, everybody gets Monday off instead. And Tuesday, December 8th is Immaculate Conception. Most shops will be shut for both days, although by law, food shops can't shut for 48 hours straight, and more shops will open in tourist areas.

While I'm on the subject, here's a list of public holidays for 2010

1 January - New Year (Año Nuevo)
6 January - Epiphany / Three Kings Day (Epifanía)
1 April - Easter Thursday (Jueves Santo)
2 April - Good Friday (Viernes Santo)
1 May - Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo)
30 May - Canaries Day (Día de Canarias) CANARIES ONLY
12 October - National Day (Fiesta Nacional de España)
1 November - All Saints (Todos los Santos)
6 December - Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución)
8 December - Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción)
25 December - Christmas Day (Natividad del Señor).

Besides which, next year La Palma will have the big fiesta called the Bajada, in July and August, (more about that another time) and most villages will have a local fiesta when it's their church's saint's day.

Labels: public holidays

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Wednesday, 2 December 2009

Cancajos Salt Pans

The wind pumps that lifted seawater into the salt pans at Cancajos, Brena Baja, La Palma

The wind pumps that lifted seawater into the salt pans

You can visit a working salt factory on the southern tip of La Palma, but if you're staying in Cancajos, in Breña Baja, it's worth taking a peak at the ruined salt factory.

The sea front promenade runs south from the main beach along the top of a low cliff, and it's a very pleasant walk. It's smooth and flat enough for push chairs.

A couple of stone towers stand towards the southern end of the promenade. The one nearer the path looks as though it might have been a castle, or a watch-tower for whatever was behind the long stone wall on the landward side.

Actually, it's a salt factory.

The old water channel at Cancajos, Brena Baja, La Palma

The tower nearest the sea used to have a windmill on top. This lifted the water up into the channel so that it ran to the tank in the second tower, and a second wind pump sent it further inland to the building on the other side of the modern path. There, it was poured
into shallow pools, where the sun evaporated the water, leaving salt.

The factory was built in the early 19th century, but I haven't been able to find out when it stopped working. If anybody finds out, please let me know.