Life has been a tad dull since I returned from Florida – reclaiming my garden from an army of slugs has been a priority – and finding the will to get back to work.
Day 1 back at the shop and I was advised to keep a low profile along with everyone else. A gypsy funeral was to take place in the village and they are known to become somewhat volatile should one not show due respect.
Despite the advice I couldn’t resist. So lurking behind hedges and lamp posts I followed the proceedings from a distance. Not great photographs but better than nothing. They did spot me eventually and took umbrage but I yelled ‘sorry’ and sprinted back down the High street to take refuge in the shop loo. And survived.
I am learning about these very secretive people. I have yet to meet a single person who has a good word to say for them. A friend says she can always spot a male gypsy – they wear very expensive shoes and use loads of polish. Landlords close their pubs when there is to be a funeral. I didn’t believe this and checked – absolutely true. Another friend told me that they inevitably use a fake name when booking funerals, weddings etc. If the truth emerges, it’s not uncommon for the chosen venue to cancel the booking – even a day before the event. These folk are …. volatile. And I am told they treat their dogs and horses appallingly – so much for the fairy stories I was raised on :-(.
Seeya.
footsy2 
Wow! Such a fascinating post and photos. They sound more like my idea of gangsters.
On the nail.
They certainly spend money on the funerals. Glass carriage and fancy cars! The gypseys are not well-loved all over Europe.
Apparently everyone chips in and no expense is spared.
you need to watch my great big gypsy weddings on tv… eyeopener. some of those girls are barely literate or of legal age to marry.
can’t really blame them for being upset at someone taking photos of their funeral, if it was mine I would be – that i was a tourist attraction.
i think they were using the church near me the other day. HUGE floral tributes. and apparently a massive amt of people earlier in the day although there were still a few hangers oners paying their respects. ironically we were busy ignoring each other as groups although in the same space as they were double booked with us!
Still no TV so can’t watch but certainly don’t blame them for being upset at someone taking photos – I think it is intrusive – but then I was desperate for something to blog about :-).
Thanks for the intrepicd coverage! Wow, they certainly are all decked out! Certainly not the gypsies I always imagined camped out in their wagons at the outskirts of town around campfires. 😉
Closest I have seen to that was gypsies in Greece – painted wagons et al. Wonderful.
I’ve had a few romantic ideas about gypsies – and I do like Lyz’s Federi! – but I am revising them fast. No wonder they are reviled if they behave so badly that landlords would rather lose business than have them around.