PICK OF THE WEEK: Andorra (Pyrenees)
Main places:
Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, San Julia de Loria, La Massana, Ordino, Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa
PICK OF THE WEEK: Monday 10th – Sunday, 16th December, 2018
Monday, 10th December at 22h at the Hotel Màgic, La Massana. (Free) Vibrand in Clau of Soul. On Mondays the week starts with the best vibrations, with live music and with the songs you like to sing!
We are waiting for you to enjoy a concert that is born of soul and goes through different styles such as funky, bag, jazz, reggae trip hop …, from the successes of current and evergreen performers such as Jamiroquai, Sting, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone, Joss Stone, Adele and Tom Jobim.
Thursday, 13th, December at 22h at the Hard Rock Cafe, Andorra la Vella. (Free) Concert at Hard Rock Cafe with Bee Appleseed & Peter Pierk. Bee Appleseed comes from Los Angeles, California accompanied by Peter Pierk from Germany. The duo describe their style as a cosmic rock-and-roll with roots in American folk music. They will be accompanied by a screening of visual artist Gallery Bypass; a whole sensory journey.
Friday, 14th December at 20.30h at the Centre de Congressos, Andorra la Vella. (15€ in aid of the Special School of Nostra Senyora del Meritxell) Charity Christmas Concert by the Petits Cantors del Principat d’Andorra.
Saturday, 15th December at 22h in the Church of Sant Julià & Sant Germà, Sant Julià de Lòria. (Free) Christmas concert with the Coral Llar de Lòria, els Petits Cantaires Lauredians, la Coral Rocafort and the guest choir, Carol en Musique de la Tour de Carol. There will be a voluntary collection in aid of Caritas, Sant Julià de Lòria.
Saturday, 15th December at 19.30h at the General Council Parliament building, Andorra la Vella. (Free) Christmas concert: Sounds of the Future played by the National Youth Chamber Orchestra of Andorra directed by Jordi Coll. To the title, Sounds of the Future, Jordi Coll will direct 25 young people who will perform in different chamber formats, from a duo to a sextet, in a musical festival where the young are the protagonists. Afterwards a drink will be offered to all to welcome the Christmas festivities.
Sunday, 16th December probably at 12h (but check with the hotel) at the Hotel Plaza, Andorra la Vella. Award ceremony for the Young Musical Performers in the Youth Talent Musical Contest Festival.The whole event will be accompanied by music – what is not clear is whether it will be played by the award winners.
Sunday, 16th December at 13h at the Ordino-Arcalís ski station (Terrassa de la Coma), Ordino. (Free) Classical Ordino: Musical Candles. Vermouth musicals. In winter, too, the classics live. Performed by children’s choirs and students from the country’s music schools.
MUSIC & DANCE
Thursday, 13th December at 18h in the Sala d’Actes La Valireta, Encamp. (Free) Aprenentage (Learning) by the Musical Theatre School, Encamp. Headed by Marta Mas, they are offering the show, Aprenentage, where the school’s 18 pupils will show the skills they have learned during the first term of the course. Aprenentage is a musical work during which students will learn a little more, in a fun way, while singing and dancing.
Saturday, 15th December at 11h and 12h at the Communal Library, Sports Complex, Encamp. (Free but registration is obligatory at the library reception desk, by email at [email protected] or by calling 732 704.) A Workshop of Family Music. The Encamp Municipal Library is offering a workshop for infants from 0 to 3, and their families, that focuses on music. The project, carried out by Sonadons (Sounds for babies?), aims to promote music amongst the youngest and expand its social side, directly involving relatives who want to share these experiences with their infants. There will be two sessions, one at 11h for children that do not walk (from 0 to 15 months approximately) and the other at 12h for walking children (from 15 months to 3 years).
Saturday, 15th December at 17h and 18.30h at La Llacuna Cultural Center, Andorra la Vella. (Adults 4€, childen free – but they must have an entrance ticket from www.andorralavella.ad/entrades) De quin color és un petó? (What colour is a kiss?) Theatre & dance performed by Escola Líquid Dansa. You are requested to be strictly on time. Once the performance starts, the doors to the theatre will be closed.
FESTIVALS & TRADITIONS
Saturday 15th at 20.30h and 22h and then on Sunday, 16th December at 18h, 19.30h and 21h in different parts of the parish of Escaldes-Engordany. (Tickets 3€ from the E-E tourist office or the reception desk at the Comú.) Pessebre Vivent/Nativity Scenes Live. A project that was reborn with the desire to pay homage to the Andorran pioneer of nativity scenes, Esteve Albert, to its creators and to all the citizens of Escaldes-Engordany who, over the years, made this representation possible. The live Nativity Scenes includes more than a hundred actors and actresses, enthusiasts, artists, traders and cultural associations deeply rooted in the parish, such as the folk dance group Esbart Santa Anna. There are live animals, lots of children, stalls selling traditional foods etc. This is the second year that the artistic direction has been carried out by Ester Nadal and Boris Cartes. The one in charge of the musical performances is Lluís Cartes.
(For a vivid, eye-witness description of the original Pessebre Vivent in English by the writer Ursula Ure, one of the very first British residents in Andorra, go to Andorra Revealed on sale at the little La Massana bookshop/ stationers, Entre Linies, in the small square at the top of the La Massana street to the church, or contact [email protected] )
CINEMA
Monday, 10th December at 19h at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. (Free) L’Ascencion (in French) Directed by Ludovic Bernard. Starring: Ahmed Sylla, Alice Belaïdi, Kévin Razy The Story: A young man from the suburbs, with no mountaineering experience, decides to climb Mt Everest to show a woman he’d do anything for her.
In 2003, the UN declared the 11th December, International Mountain Day. Almost 1 billion people live in mountain areas, which play a vital role in the ecological balance of the planet, but continue to be subject to numerous threats.
Monday 10th to Thursday, 13th December at 20.15h at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. Ben is Back Written & Directed by Peter Hedges for his Oscar nominated son, Lucas Hedges. Also starring: Julia Roberts and Courtney B. Vance. The Story: Nineteen-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns to his family’s suburban home on Christmas Eve. Ben’s mom, Holly, is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son’s drug addiction. Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother’s undying love gets put to the test as Holly does everything in her power to keep Ben clean.
Tuesday, 11th December at 21h at the National Auditorium, Ordino. The International Day of the Mountains: Himalaism Andorra. (In Catalan) Domi Trastoy spent much of his childhood between Os de Civis and La Rabassa. Only later did he start dreaming of higher things. The first ascent aroused in him a mountain hunger that he had never known before. From that moment on, each challenge that he gave himself has become reality: Aconcagua, Cerví, McKinley, Kilimanjaro … until finally Everest called. With four friends, he spent the entire spring preparing to achieve that milestone. On 22nd May, 2013 at 4am Domi arrived, at 8,848m, on the top of Everest to become the first Andorran to climb to the mountain’s summit.
Wednesday, 12th December at 21.30h at La Llacuna Cultural Center, Andorra la Vella. Cycle of Cineclub. Isle of dogs. Directed by Wes Anderson. Starring: Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edwrd Norton. An animated film in English with Spanish subtitles. The Story: When, by executive decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, 12-year-old Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.
Saturday, 15th December at 19h at the Auditorium of the Palau de Gel ice rink, Canillo. (Free) Opening of the annual season of Mountain and adventure films.
EXHIBITIONS
Until Monday, 31st December from Tuesday to Saturday, 10h – 14h and 15h – 18h; Sunday from 11h – 14h. The last projection is fifteen minutes before the closure (13.45 and 5.45).
Sunday afternoon and Monday, closed. Open days showing the video of the church of Santa Coloma (in Catalan) at the Church of Santa Coloma, Andorra la Vella. Andorra’s architecturally important church of Santa Coloma, will be showing free projections every 15 minutes without prior reservation. Visitors will enter in groups of 10 in the order of their arrival. The scheduled projections may be altered by the church’s worship needs. The video clip is free until the opening of the Espai Colomba. (When the museum opens, the entrance tickets will be 8€ (audio guide included). The Church of Santa Coloma is one of the oldest churches in Andorra. Of pre-Roman origin, it was built at some point between the 8th and 9th centuries.
During the Romanesque Lombard, 12th century period, important building works were carried out, including the construction of the circular bell tower. At this time the church was also decorated with a pictorial mural cycle: the apse is completely covered with fresco paintings that extend to a part of the triumphal arch that encloses the body of the church with a middle arch overpass point, typical of pre-Romanesque Visigoth architecture. The removals plus the alterations inflicted on both the paintings and the apse itself over the centuries, make it impossible to return them to their original locations. Under these circumstances, the videomap is the best technical solution to see, on site, how the Romanesque paintings could originally have looked. Video reproduction will allow visitors to enjoy the sensations that were produced by the murals in their original state. Some of the paintings had to be reconstructed, e.g some of the figures, pieces of sky and costumes. This has been done after careful study of the techniques of the school of the Master of Santa Coloma and of his circle of creators. In total, six projectors have been installed.
CHILDREN (All events are in Catalan unless otherwise stated.)
Monday, 10th December at 17.30h in the Public Library, Pas de la Casa. Children’s workshop: Un Arbre que es llegeix! (The Tree that is read) led by Martona Linares and Teresa Blanco A new children’s workshop dedicated to Christmas. And what will we do? Well, we’ll recycle old books that will turn into fabulous Christmas trees to decorate a corner of your home. The workshop is free and is aimed at children 7 years and over.
Monday 10th and Tuesday, 11th December at 17h in the Public Library, Encamp. (Free) Write letters to Father Christmas and the Three Kings. We will be waiting for you at the Communal Library to do a workshop where we will write letters to Father Christmas and the Three Wise Men. And it will not be any old letter, because we will write, not only for those toys you like so much, but also write messages asking for special things. Then we will decorate it to make it unique! And if you wish, you can leave the letter in the Royal Box that you will find in the library.
Saturday, 15th December at 10.30h in the Escaldes-Engordany Art Center. (3€, aimed at children aged 6 – 10. To register Tel. +376 802 255 or [email protected]) Saturdays of Water – A Green Christmas: A Creative Recycling Workshop. Think green, recycle, be creative … and use waste materials to help decorate CAEE and your home: cloth and card leftovers, specially green colours, plastic dishes and wrapping paper.
Saturday, 15th December at 11h in the University Municipal Library, Sant Julià de Lòria. (Free) Session Born to read: Petits contes de Nadal (Little Christmas stories) with Assumpta Mercader. (for infants 0 – 3) Synopsis: For the little ones, the Christmas holidays are a magical time. In this session we will build a snowman, discover how Christmas animals celebrate Christmas, that the animals of the forest were the ones who first decorated a tree to celebrate the holidays and congratulate Christmas in a fun way! It is a story session designed for the little ones, to share with them their first books and enjoy, with short stories, the pleasure of hearing and reading stories.
Saturday,15th December at 17.30h at the Palau de Gel ice rink, Canillo. (Free. Registration at Canillo Library. tel. 751 623) An Escudella de Contes de Nadal (a hotch-potch of Christmas stories) with Assunta Mercader. In this Christmas story session we will discover why the White King has such a white beard. We will learn where the tradition to decorate the house with beautiful, and often shiny, things comes from. We will follow the vicissitudes of a shepherd who became the first caganer and, besides, we will create together a Christmas stall and we will find out who went to the famous “ball”. A session explained with the help of a beautiful decoration and, as always, with the collaboration of the public.
OTHER
Saturday, 15th December at 11h at the Tobacco Museum, Sant Julià de Lòria. (3€ for adults. Children free. Limited places. Reservations by phone to 741 545. The Escape Room is aimed at children aged between 5 and 12 who are accompanied by an adult.) Escape Room at the Tobacco Museum. Do you want to enter rooms full of hidden secrets? During Escape Room sessions, attendees will travel to Andorra from way back in 1918, and they will find Pure and Cali, two cigarette makers looking for a way to exterminate the plague of moths that is destroying Andorra’s tobacco plantations The assistants will have to help Cali and the Pure to find the antidote, solving tests of ingenuity, dexterity, deduction and reasoning, among others, so as to exterminate the moth in less than one hour. Pura and Cali will be there!
GASTRONOMICAL NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY
Another Christmas Menu has arrived!
CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH at the Restaurant Can-Pere, Anyós
Tuesday, 25th December at 15h for Lunch at 15.30h
Reservations: at 835415 or 346221 or Email [email protected]
Cost: 49.50€ per person
MENU
Mini Sausage Rolls with Bellini Cocktail
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Chefs Homemade Spring Rolls with sweet Chilli Dip
Or
Chefs Beef and Tomato Soup
Or
Spinach Wrapped Chicken Liver Pate and Toast
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Lemon Sorbet with Vodka
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Traditional Roast Turkey with
Chestnut Stuffing, Bread Sauce, Cranberry Sauce
Brussel Sprouts with Chestnuts, Glazed Carrots, Buttered Cabbage
Roast Potatoes, White Wine and Turkey Gravy
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Christmas Pudding with Rum Sauce and Brandy Butter
or
Fresh Raspberry and Lemon Cheesecake
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Coffee and Mince-Pies
HALF BOTTLE OF HOUSE WINE AND WATER INCLUDED
Culturally yours,
Clare.
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Look for about the author of the blog Clare Allcard
See also Andorra travel guide
See also Pyrenees travel guide
See also France travel guide
See also Spain travel guide
