This was the 11th year of the Flamenco Festival in Gorbio. No small
thanks are due to our mayor, Monsieur Michel Isnard. I love that a mayor
walks around in a soft shirt, jeans and with designer stubble ... He's a
renowned artist himself and but for him we'd not enjoy so many fabulous
cultural events in the village. He's hard-working, down to earth,
encouraging to everyone - he calms tensions - and is so well liked. The
village is all the better for having a mayor like Michel.
But the Flamenco Festival is something very special for our mayor. At
the microphone he told a story of a gitan child, 'la petite gitane,' whose family was one of
many gitan families persecuted by Franco during the Spanish civil war
and who fled Spain and ended up in France. That was Michel Isnard's
mother.
No wonder he adores and promotes the passion of the gitan flamenco.
And a final word of thanks to the incredible Isabel Cortes and Luis De
Alméria. They own
'Los Flamencos' their flamenco dance and singing
school at Port de Bouc, not far from Marseilles. Each year they organise
this festival bringing with them the sensational dancers, singers and
musicians. And normally, if we are lucky, Isabel (who also gives
flamenco classes each afternoon in the Salle des Fetes) dances for us at
the end of the evening. (see the last photo). Senor De Almeria is a
renowned gitan singer and we heard his wonderful voice in the church on
the first night.
Thank you Monsieur le Maire and all the volunteers. And thank you Isabel
Cortes, Luis De Alméria and all the dancers, singers and musicians.
Until next year ...
~~~~~
C'était le onzième Festival de Flamenco à Gorbio. De grands
remerciements sont dus à notre maire, M. Michel Isnard. J'aime qu'un
maire se promène en simple shirt et jeans, avec une barbe de trois
jours ...C'est un artiste de renom et sans lui, nous ne profiterions
pas d' autant d'évènements culturels dans le village. C'est un
travailleur, les pieds sur terre qui encourage tout le monde - il
apaise les tensions - et il est très aimé. Le village a de la chance
d'avoir un maire comme Michel.
Mais le Festival Flamenco est quelque chose de très spécial pour notre
maire. Au micro, il a raconté l'histoire d'une jeune gitane, «la petite gitane», dont la
famille était parmi les nombreuses autres familles gitanes persécutées
par Franco pendant la guerre civile espagnole et qui a fui l'Espagne
pour la France. C'était la mère de Michel Isnard.
Pas étonnant qu'il adore et fait partager sa passion du flamenco gitan.
Un dernier mot de remerciement à l'incroyable Isabel Cortes et à Luis de
Almeria. Ils sont propriétaires de
«Los Flamencos» leur école de
danse et de chant à Port de Bouc, non loin de Marseille. Chaque année,
ils organisent ce festival amenant avec eux de sensationnels danseurs,
chanteurs et musiciens. Et normalement, si nous avons de la chance,
Isabel (qui donne aussi des cours de flamenco chaque après-midi dans
la salle des fêtes ) danse pour nous à la fin de la soirée. Senor De Almeria est un chanteur gitan de renom et
nous avons entendu sa voix merveilleuse dans l'église, la première
soirée.
Je vous remercie Monsieur le Maire ainsi que tous les bénévoles Et
merci à Isabel Cortes, Luis de Almeria et tous à les danseurs,
chanteurs et musiciens. Jusqu'à l'année prochaine ...
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Amazing what grows in a flowerpot! Here are three boules nestling
happily in a plastic pot at the Restaurant/Bar Les Terrasses in Gorbio..jpg)
Isn't this a great idea? For one euro you can rent a 'Serenity Box' on
the beach. Insert one euro and remove the bracelet (which includes the
key) - put in your purse, camera, whatever - close the door and wear the
bracelet.
This is Eléna Hidalgo from Madrid. Another fabulous dancer who entertained us at the Flamenco Festival in Gorbio.
Another night of flamenco in Gorbio, another fabulous dancer. This is the beautiful Maria Moreno from Seville - she was sensational! 
During the Flamenco Festival in Gorbio, we had three glorious nights of
good food, great music and singing and of course, the passion of
flamenco. These photos of dancer Sarini Nieto were taken on the first
night. 
After the beautiful chants in the church, everyone has made their way to the Place aux Victoires for dinner under the stars and where, later, we'll enjoy fabulous flamenco. We've been shown to our allocated tables and served delicious (and strong!) sangria by the many volunteers in their red t-shirts. Alain lights a candle - and that's Pierre in the photo below. The volunteers were truly fabulous - organised, helpful and obviously having a good time themselves. Bravo to the volunteers of Gorbio! Tomorrow: the paella!
