The Hurdy-Gurdy Lady!

I love markets! Mention the words 'bargains', open air', 'food', 'handmade', and I am at the door before you can say 'would you like to go and have a look?' So when Andrew mentioned that there was a big open-air market in Madrid, with lots of stalls and souvenirs, I was ready and very willing! One bus ride later, we joined the throng of people meandering their way between the stalls, some stopping and changing direction, some stopping and turning back, or some just stopping! It was packed!

See what I mean!?

I was worried about losing Andrew in the crowd as my Spanish is non-existent and I would never have found my way home, but fortunately he had Mateo on his shoulders, so I simply kept my eyes on Mateo's head!

Those are people over Andrew's shoulder!

Away from the stalls and tucked into a small side street, safe from the madding crowd, sat an elderly lady with a scarf round her head, playing a bright red 'hurdy gurdy' or hand organ. We stood and watched her play for a while before we moved on and did some serious shopping!

(Photo thanks to Jose Manuel Espigares Garcia)

The selection of things for sale was incredible and I could have spent a fortune, but I was concerned about weight and breakages as I still had two flights to go. I bought a lovely fan and hand crafted leather purses, and Andrew bought bellows for us, made from wood and leather. Mateo was fascinated by the wind blowing on him when we tried them (it?) out.

Ready to use next winter.

When we got home, I was looking through a book on not-the-usual-tourist-things to do in Madrid and as I paged through it, I found a write up on the 'hurdy gurdy lady'! It turns out that Doña Salvadora is probably the last full time organ player in Madrid, as her children are not interested in carrying on the tradition handed on to her by her father. She has a photograph of her father stuck onto the side of the organ. She owns four hand organs, two of which still work. One is 105 years old and the one that she uses regularly is over 40 years old and plays six songs. Hopefully it won't break down, as there is nobody left in Madrid to fix it.

A beautifully crafted fan.

Irina’s mum gave me a beautiful blue fan and spent some time trying to teach me how to snap it open and closed only using one hand! I think you have to be Spanish to be able to do this with elegance and style! I was under the impression that the fan was used simply to keep a person cool, but, I was wrong! In the same book we found a section on the language of the fan and it is truly fascinating! Each movement has a different meaning, some of which are below:

I am married and not interested in you –Slow movement of the fan
Others are watching us- Covering your eyes with the fan
No, no, no!- Snap the fan shut.
Yes- Slowly close the fan or lean it against the right cheek.
I am yours- Drop the fan
I’ll marry you- Close the fan in your left hand.
I hate you. Goodbye!- Fling down the fan

With my dexterity I would be saying ‘I am yours’ when I really want to say ‘No, no, no!’ I really need more practice!