According to the web and travel guides, it was a winery. In my mind, the images of our visit were clear; seeing their vineyards, understanding their processes, and walking through the steps.
Google maps pointed in the directions of a small village. Even as I double checked the various sources for the address, everything pointed to a spot in the center of town! By the time we arrived, signage along the way affirming that we were headed in the right direction, I was totally confused! The setting for Cooperatiu D-Artes was, with hindsight, exactly what a cooperative for the village of Artes should be; a place where the village could present their olive oil, produce, crafts, baked goods, and collaboratively produced wine to the public.
As I opened myself up to an experience radically different than I expected, I found myself under the care of older woman who represented the village goods with a wonderful sense of belief, enthusiasm, and warmth. The four of us were accepted as if we were long lost family that needed to catch up on everything! As I loaded up on oil, herbs, and other products, I found myself in the clutches of a woman wanting to capture the visit in a picture.
Even now as I remember the time together, a sense of belonging, being part of a story I had never imagined, and feeling that comes with genuine laughter and smiles is overwhelming! She was amazing. It was a living example of the psalmist trying to describe his God; “As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103.11)
In the end, we also experienced a small production line with three simple machines. There were cellars below cellars below cellars carved out four stories below street level.
Last night I enjoyed the first taste of the olive oil. What overwhelmed the wonderful reactions of my senses was the depth of the experience that has stayed with me. She gave me a gift I will remember with hope; unconditional acceptance.
