Olives and olive oil is what brought the Greeks and Romans to the Iberian peninsula some 3,500 yrs ago and it has been a crucial commodity ever since. The south of Spain produces the quantity with thousands of hectares cultivated in the poorest soils where nothing else will survive the extreme  weather, but around Lleida in the western part of  Catalonia there are also extensive plantations.

For the first weekend in may Falset becomes the wine capital of Catalonia when it celebrated their 14th wine fair. Priorato and Montasant are the remote and arid areas which became one of the poorest parts of Spain after the lead mining industry closed down in the 1970's and agriculture was always marginal at best.
Until a few brave and visionary souls decided to recover the old vines and plant new ones in the 1980's and 90's there was very little reason to come here other than for the mountain scenery and general tranquility of the villages.
Now it is recognised as producing some of the most exciting wines in Spain, with prices, in some cases, to match. Like most luxury goods, the last ten years has seen some real booms and these fashionable wines were leading the pack. Now comes the reality that from a dozen wineries to 82 registered with the regulatory body there is bound to be a pretty brutal shakeout process.
None of this seemed to worry the crowds who poured into this sleepy farming town for the festival to try the wonderful olive oils, varied local foods and of course the wines.The weather was truly summery and added to the festive spirit. Salud as they say here!

Some countries have kept family reunions separate from the present-giving commercial part of Christmas. Here in Catalonia the 25th and 26th of December are family days with nice meals and maybe a visit to church, but presents come on Three Kings day, or to be more precise on the night of the 5th and morning of the 6th of January.
Throughout Spain the Three Kings arrive from the Orient on horses, camels and boats and parade through the streets of towns and cities distributing the presents which all good children have asked them for in letters posted in the days before. The procession takes different forms but always involves music, dancing, singing, candles or firecrackers and lots of sweets distributed by the various Kings and their helpers, usually seated on grand carriages.
Here in Girona the Kings set up camp outside town on the 5th where children can go to post their letters and see their exotic entourage before the procession starts in late afternoon, once it is dark. The streets are lined with excited children all singing and shouting and parents vying for the best spots to film and catch sweets.
No public celebration is complete without a traditional food, in this case a "Coca de Reis" which is a round sweet doughnut shaped cake with different fillings of cream or marzipan. The person that bites on the small ceramic figure hidden in their slice has good luck for the year ahead and usually encourages multiple slices until it has been discovered.
Children have a few days to play with their new toys before school begins on the 8th and parents have to face the sad reality of extra kilos and empty bank accounts!