Robledillo de Gata.

Robledillo de Gata
Robledillo de Gata

Robledillo de Gata.

It is in the North of the Province of Caceres which is in the top of the Southern half of Spain with Portugal to the West and is the last village in the Sierra de Gata, lying right to its western flank and so neatly tucked under the meseta of Salamanca to the North that its inhabitants speak more like the folk in Castilla&Leon than Extremadurans (Extremeños, really), which they are.  Here is a map to make it easier:

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Robledillo de Gata, Caceres, Extremadura, Spain

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Robledillo de Gata, Caceres, Extremadura, Spain 40.322419, -6.470992 Robledillo de Gata, Spain (Directions)

An Olive Oil Museum, Honey and steep streets.

Sign to the Olive Oil Museum
Sign to the Olive Oil Museum

I visited the Olive Oil Museum several years ago and I learned a lot but have forgotten all of it now but it is well worth a visit.  The purpose of my trip was to buy honey and pollen for which the Sierra is famous.

Honey, nobody is at home.
Honey, nobody is at home.

Unfortunately the house was empty but I tracked down the woman who sells the honey coming out of evening Mass and heading for the bar with her friends.

The honey lady in green.

The honey lady in green chatting with the priest.

I caught up with her in the bar which is right at the top of the village. Since her house is at the bottom and the roads are very steep I agreed to return another day for the honey.

The bar.
The bar Barrero.

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption.

The 16th  C Church of Our Lady.
The 16th
C Church of Our Lady.

The Church had emptied and had been well locked up by the time I arrived.  It was formerly a palace of the Monroy family and then passed on to some dukes from Benavente, up North in Castilla.  They however, lost it in a dispute with the villagers and it was converted into the Church of today.

The Church pillars have interesting carvings and all in all remains palacial.
The Church pillars have interesting carvings and all in all remains palatial.

Today is the feat of St. George who is a big saint in Cataluña – and also celebrated in Salamanca.  In Extremadura it is not a holiday but some other villages have processions.

Coming downhill to the Church.
Coming downhill to the Church.

April 23rd, feast of St. George.

It was appropriate, therefore, that hanging from a window was a boy named George.

George on his feast  day.
George on his feast day.

The women who had just come out from the Church were congratulating him on his feast day but George was much more interested in discussing the Champions League semi final draw possiblilities.  George is 18, according to the women and hangs out of a beautifully flowered balcony.

A meadow, a black dog and narrow streets.

Springtime in Robledillo.
Springtime in Robledillo.

The apple trees had already lost their blossom and this meadow was overgrown.  By July it will be baked dry, although the village has a small river running through it and several fountains with good untreated water.

The black dog.
The black dog.

This little black dog was suitably inoffensive in this very peaceful town which has a good offering of well-restored traditional houses for visitors who come to enjoy the peace.

The former main road into Robledilla.
The former main road into Robledilla.

And finally,

Just as I am recovering from my worst cold for many years I thought I would take a photo of these two lovely children holding hands when one of them sneezed.  Very politely she sneezed onto the pavement, evidence of the village’s aristocratic past.

Well-mannered children of Robledillo de Gata.
Well-mannered children of Robledillo de Gata.
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