Our little aldea has neighbours, families and children, sadly no longer very common in rural Galicia.
Victor the eldest son of Thomas and Benita was coming up for Communion. The family owns the little capillia in Mer and we where invited to the full proceedings.
After asking our neighbors about these proceedings and more important about presents or the like, we where told that nowadays one buys a card and slips a cash present into it.
So, not to be outdone, we dressed to kill.
Just before the ceremony we assembled at Thomas house to have a little nib, giving strength for the sermon. At one o clock all assembled in the capilla and a cura, who is also a missionary, held a very personal and great service. 
Alphonso and his musicians played the music and sang, so no one was dependent on frail and miskeyed voices.
After this nice ceremony and mass we all shared cars and drove to the local restaurant, Parada 2, where we scared the live out of some folks having settled down for lunch. Just imagine the racket 40 or so adults and 20 kids can make when having a pre lunch drink.
When it was time to settle in the “comdidor” we all admired the multi story Communion cake, sitting proudly on the table reserved for the kids. Wisely it was taken away before the serious business of eating began.
King prawns for starters, which allowed me to try my still halting Spanish, by waving a king prawn and “es mas facil disrobar una chika….” it’s easier to strip a young lady……
Some laughed and so this may have been my first joke in |Spanish (I hope). Everyone talks and the general din is quite unbelievable. As always, when talking to us or involving us in the talk, everyone spoke castilian and the normal machine gun tempo was lowered a bit, at least in the beginning.
Once we had fought through the various main courses , don’t forget eating is serious business here in Galicia, and enjoyed the Communion cake with champagne, the coffees and a battery of liqueurs arrived together with a clown for the children.
Although the children left for a while, to dress up, all of us soon made up for the sudden drop in noise level.
We got a lift at about 8pm and arrived home shattered but delighted to have been part of such a fairly intimate and family moment.
So, if you get invited to such an opportunity, dress up, take some ear plugs and enjoy – its a long fun filled day.
Thank you all.
Martin
