Traditional embroidery, Casa Lujan, Puntallana, La Palma There’s a shop of crafts from La Palma beside the museum at Casa Lujan in Puntallana. It sells things like traditional embroidery and ceramics. In the centre of the room, there’s a traditional loom, although they didn’t have any rugs for sale when I was there. (Palmeran rugs are made with a linen warp, and rag weft. If you order one, you generally…
The exterior of the church of San Juan, Puntallana As Palmeran churches go, the church of St. John the Baptist in Puntallana isn’t all that old. The presbytery and the side chapels date from the 16th century, and the nave from the 1719. It was officially declared an Asset of Cultural Interest (rather like a listed building) in 1994. The main altar in the church of San Juan, Puntallana The…
Puntallana now has a Farmer’s market, too. They hold it on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, from 10 am to 2 pm. It’s smaller than the market at Puntagorda or Mazo, but it’s plenty big enough to get fresh veg for a week’s self-catering. And it’s right beside St John’s church, which is beautiful and well worth a visit.
There’s an alternative kind of accommodation aside from the obvious hotels and pensions on La Palma, and that’s casas rurales – country houses. As the name suggests, these are houses for rent in the countryside. It’s self-catering accommodation, which is, of course, very flexible, and tends to suit walkers. The local government has a registration scheme, and they have a reputation for being demanding, which is good news for tourists….
The feast of San Juan (St. John the Baptist) is June 24th. Many people light bonfires on St John’s Eve. In the days before municipal rubbish collection, it was a practical way of having a clear out. But in Puntallana, there is a long-held folk belief that the bonfires keep away witches. Jumping over the fire is supposed to protect you from disease and the Evil Eye. It’s also a…
A long time ago, a young goatherd in Puntallana fell in love. Nothing unusual about that of course, especially since the girl was very beautiful. The trouble was that she didn’t feel the same way. He was tall, handsome and athletic, but she hoped to marry someone richer. After all, a goatherd’s wife worked fourteen hours a day and went hungry in the bad years. But he wouldn’t take “No,”…