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If ever I wished for the gift of an accomplished writer it's now - to be able to draw the reader into our experiences and memories of those 6 weeks in Sevilla. With simply no time for updating blogs whilst in Sevilla I sit here with my recollections whilst looking out over thick snow and sub zero temperatures in chilly England!! I can only hope my I attempt to write this now plus a few pics will at least give you a taste of the joys of this wonderful city that has, I believe, forever captured a special place in our hearts.
Our little apartment, part of the ground floor of a town house nestled in one of the tiny back streets in the Macarena district, did in fact serve us very well once we came to terms with it's limitations and in the short space of 6 weeks it felt like leaving home when we left.
As a driver of many years now I still find myself avoiding at all costs having to park alongside the kerb unless I've at least 3 car lengths to play with - I'd have had no trouble in Sevilla! I honestly don't think we ever saw a car without dents, scratches, and bits hanging off! Road side parking space is at a premium because the price of garages is so high. We watched incredulously as a driver bumped his way back and forth until he had squeezed his car into the space between two cars. On another occasion we watched the red car (see below) pull up in front of the white van line and reverse into it - which shunted all the other cars into each other - it was like watching a comedy film - except this was actually happening in front of our eyes!! (Note the little white car behind the van - rather looks he'll have to unhook himself from the van's back foot plate before he goes anywhere!)
We discovered later that most drivers leave the car in neutral with the brake off which allows them to nudge each other out the way when they want to get in and out!! No wonder they say either rent a car or make sure you've got secure parking when you visit Sevilla!!! I'll never worry about road side parking again - even I could do a better job than this!
Macarena is decidedly working class and proletariat - giving it a very authentic feeling - light years away from the tourist economy of the other districts - and home to the Virgin la Macarena de Esperanza with a church dedicated to her. A most beautiful church and where, one Sunday morning, we lingered with those standing at the back and drifting in and out for part of the service behind those sitting through the full service. Growing up very much a non-conformist and much later in life becoming a Christian and member of a Free Church, I have to admit to always being very dismissive of all the trappings and hierarchy of the Church of England. Though of course Spain is predominantly Catholic, the experience of visiting these churches, witnessing their fiestas and being absorbed into their way of life, truly is making me give very serious thought to what I am beginning to believe are very mis-placed judgements on my part.
Behind us was the famous Calle Feria (Feria Street) with the cavernous indoor daily market offering a huge selection of fresh fish, fruit and veg, flowers, cured meats, cheeses and so much more - in fact everything you could ever want for the food table - and where most of ours came from - and added those extra pounds so difficult to shift later on!! The famous Thursday market 'El Jueves' - the oldest market in Sevilla - is very popular with antique fans and where one can find anything from religious art to the most unusual door knobs and electronic goods - it was absolutely fascinating ferreting around this one!
Emerging from the rabbit warren of the streets in Macarena brought us out into the Alameda de Hercules - a long, wide tree-lined boulevard full of busy bars and cafes, areas of water jets creating a cooling mist, buskers and lively clubs at night.
There were all sorts of activities going on this area particularly during the weekends like the huge communal paellas
and children's entertainment and activities - even the Spanish version of Punch and Judy!
It was also a place where young people in particular were free to demonstrate their causes (always very peacefully). The toughest to witness was the one held to raise the awareness of the appalling level of domestic violence in Spain and the harsh impact of the symbol they used to get their message across - a huge pile of plumped up black bin liners, each one labelled with the name, date of birth and city of residence representing someone who had died as a result of domestic violence - it was hard-hitting and desperately sad to see.
On a much lighter note there were music events and one particular evening an amazing rock band playing in support of Amnesty International.
Following the Madruga fiesta early in December (see below) stalls selling wares and gifts from a number of Latin American countries were set up and remained at least until we left - I guess they were there until Christmas.
The Alameda, marked at each end with two Romanesque statues,
links the Macarena district to the streets that then lead to the huge shopping centre - with its simple yet very effective Christmas illuminations
and myriad of wonderful shoe shops that bring shoppers from all around Europe - and into the heart of the historic city centre where we spent so much of our time - day and night!
With the approach of Christmas it was a magical place to be this time of year - not a drop of tinsel in sight but all the hundreds of orange trees lining the streets and in the plazas alongside the towering palm trees were covered in tiny little twinkling lights at night and the tempting smell of roasting chestnuts wafting by just too much to resist and we weren't disappointed!
The seemingly never-ending rows of cabin stalls selling every item conceivable for folks to build not just nativity scenes but entire towns with surrounding countryside were always busy with shoppers making their selections. The nativity scene (Belen) has special significance in Spain where organisations and families create elaborate re-creations of the scene of Jesus' birth. These Belens are erected in churches, city buildings, stores and more modest ones in houses - and attract hundreds of people waiting patiently for their turn to visit and admire these amazing creations - not a Father Christmas in sight - except the occasional little one clutching onto a balcony here and there but no visits to Father Christmas - only the Belens. With so much to enjoy and even more buskers and street entertainers than usual everywhere, day and night, was buzzing with the excited chatter of everyone out enjoying themselves and sitting both inside and outside the hundreds of cafes, bars and restaurants where chairs and tables continue to spill out onto the pavements and plazas all through the winter - only during siesta time did the city fall into quiet for a short while.
We were privileged to be there for the fiesta to celebrate the Virgin Mary - 'The Madruga' - streets thronging with onlookers and joining in the candlelit procession as it wound its way slowing through the streets to the church beside the cathedral accompanied by the traditional brass band.
The four week intensive language course was much more of a challenge than even I'd anticipated! I became more and more despondent and frustrated as my listening/spoken Spanish lagged further behind my written/reading ability. However I managed to convert the final three days of the last week into 1:1 conversation only lessons which proved to be an excellent move and brought my morale back to where it had been before plummeting to the depths!! The icing on the top of the cake was when the taxi driver who took us from Malaga rail station to the airport on our journey home paid me a very welcome compliment on my Spanish having conversed with him throughout the journey! As hoped, I did make some very good friends and am keeping in touch with an Italian who lives in Rome and an American who comes from New Orleans who've both offered genuine invitations to visit whenever we wish.
The language school also arranged a couple of cultural events each week, one of which was a taster of Flamenco dancing - to which Michael was also very welcome which is how we came to be taking Flamenco dance lessons from one of the top dance teachers in the Sevilla Conservatoire! We so enjoyed the taster lesson we asked Carmen if she would consider giving us a few 1:1 lessons - and she agreed! I think she rather enjoyed the challenge of taking on two 'pensionistas'! She invited us to go along to the Dance Conservatoire and sit in on one one of her dance classes - it was splendid and a rare privilege watching her in action and the dancers who after the end of the current term will progress to university to study the theory before becoming professional dancers. Then it was our turn - a slight difference in tempo and style but Carmen was super fun and so very patient and encouraging. We managed to fit in 5 lessons which has given us the basic steps and movements to allow us to break into a little improvised Flamenco of our own whenever we have the opportunity in the various little friendly bars where Flamenco music is played and where folks dance as the fancy takes them. We never managed to locate such a bar before our departure but that's for the next visit - and after lots more practise!
Dance Conservatoire & Michael very much enjoying his dance lesson!!
Without school to attend during the final two weeks (apart from our customary three times a week sessions in the gym and dance lessons) we were free to do just what we wished - and we filled these days from the moment we got up in the morning to retiring very late at night - not even time for siestas!! Visiting the historic monuments, art galleries, an exhibition on photography through the years, enjoying wandering around the areas beyond the city centre and across the river, relaxing in the Marie Louisa park still abundant with the vibrant colours of bougainvilla against the autumnal colours of the trees
and of course many opportunities for al fresco dining and drinking plus picnic lunches.
What more can I say? It was a sad day that we packed up and closed the door on our little apartment - thank you Coral and Fernando. We hold and treasure some wonderful moments and memories of our stay, made all the more special because of the time of year.
There's never one when you want one - now they're parked as far as the eye can see ...........
- this was a day long strike by all Sevilla's taxi drivers
Enjoying an early evening walk along the river
Plaza del Cabildo (city centre)
The Plaza de Espana, though splendid by day, is eerily beautiful by night ~
One of the Plaza de Espana towers:
Mudejar Pavilion and Plateresque Pavilion, Maria Louisa Park
Bell Tower of St Anne's Church - one of the oldest churches in Sevilla
The monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas - Isla of Cartuja
- 'Sitting comfortably' (or just a frustrated tree climber??!)
- the monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas
Spires
Still working on why I like this one....
I really don't think it's THAT cold today!
.......
and it's great! I didn't give much thought to how I would react to all this. Now I'm plunged in the midst of studying Spanish in a school in the heart of Sevilla I have to admit it feels completely surreal - and wonderful - what a privilege and amazing experience! School is 09.30 - 13.30 Monday to Friday with 2 breaks - the first taken up with a much needed boost of caffeine in the bar downstairs followed by a spot of sunshine on the school's roof terrace - from where we can see across to the cathedral and down to the hustle and bustle of the streets below. A small friendly school, excellent tutors and some interesting classmates - American, Italian, German, Danish, Portuguese ....... I seem to be the sole English student but a max of 10 students at any one time. This is surely going to be real challenge - the entire lesson is delivered in Spanish and I'm not that conversant with the language yet - that's why I'm here!!! Should be very interesting .......................
As I walk to school each morning Sevilla is only just waking up and by the time I return, most of the shops have closed again and workshops hidden behind closed doors for siesta time (makes light on the purse!). Everything comes to life again in the evening and tonight we stumbled across a couple of workshops with the most exquisite pieces of work in the making - and some completed pieces of stunningly beautiful stained glass. Optimistically, I enquired if any of the pieces were 'se vende' (for sale) sadly to be told they were not - though I guess such items in hand baggage might create a challenge at check-in at the airport! Then there were the silversmiths busy restoring and creating some amazing pieces of work - commissions from the local churches. There's such buzz in this area with its old town character and sizzling nightlife.
Having spent 3 very hectic but immensely enjoyable weeks back in the UK staying with and visiting friends and family we flew back to Spain for our 6 week stay in Sevilla on 31st October. We were booked on the 6 a.m. flight to Malaga in order to give us plenty of time to navigate our way to the main line station in the centre of Malaga to catch the train to Sevilla - a two and a half hour journey - then the final leg by taxi to our apartment in the Macarena quarter of Sevilla -the northern area of the old town. All went swimmingly smoothly except for the one and a half hour flight delay due to a computer malfunction prior to take off which meant losing the tug facility and our take-off slot. Fortunately we had a gem of a captain with a quirky sense of humour who eased the long wait with his quips, invites to the cock-pit, offers of drinks and cold snacks and use of mobile phones until we received clearance. Malaga train station was housed inside a huge bright and modern shopping mall with a very pleasant restaurant where we enjoyed some tapas and vino which, along with a little shopping, helped while away the 2 hours before our train was due. Super efficient rail service which somehow takes so much of the strain out of travelling which meant at the end of a total of 13 hours travelling we were still feeling pretty bright and breezy.
The taxi driver dropped us and our luggage off outside the address we had given him and drove off - a house sited in one of the typical back streets of the city with extremes of beautifully tiled/balconied houses to the more rundown neglected interspersed with those little essential grocery shops - including would you believe Lidl!! Everything looking so unfamiliar and anonymous at that moment and standing on the pavement outside No. 41, I took reassurance from the phone call I'd made from Sevilla train station to a number we'd been given and hoped we'd have a response to the intercom at the front door! The final bit of our journey and the door was opened. We were lead down a long corridor to our ground floor apartment at the back of the house - suitably described as 'student style' I believe!! Very small (compact I think is the word) and basic but clean. You know the score perhaps: a shower that manages to deposit more water on the bathroom floor than in the shower tray; 1 towel each; 3 plastic folding chairs and table in the lounge/diner and a small TV for Spanish channels only and another item of furniture that goes under the description of 'sofa'; a small 'fully equipped' kitchen which means it comes with washing machine (as yet to be tried and tested!), 2 small hob plates and a microwave (no grill or oven) so a quick review of our cooking habits required here, and sufficient crocks, pans etc. But, we have an enormous fridge/freezer - quite bizarre in the circumstances - but due to lack of cupboard space most useful for items one would not usually choose to refrigerate!! Then of course we have our little 'patio' - bedroom, lounge and kitchen are built around the tiny patio - from where we get our only daylight into the apartment and by peering up 3 storeys high and looking up at the little square patch of visible sky we find out what the weather is doing (though who'd be silly enough to think it's doing anything but sunshine and blue skies here!) After a swift and necessary readjustment of expectations and a few chuckles, we decided it would do us fine for our 6 weeks - I know we'll be very happy here - who wouldn't be in this amazing, wondeful, incredible city?
Yesterday (Sunday), map in hand, we checked out the route to the language school and found it tucked right inside the heart of cafes and bars just a stone's throw from the cathedral - what a location! The school is located in an old converted Spanish house around a 20 min walk from the apartment with so much to see and enjoy en route including, in contrast to these back streets and just around the corner from here, a modern, up-market tree-lined avenue with fountains, colourful children's play areas with a miriad of cafes and bars. As we made our way to the centre we could hear the faint strains of one of my favourite pieces of classical music and to my absolute delight we came upon 2 lads playing the violin and the cello accompanied by pre-recorded piano music - it was as if someone had given them my list of favourite pieces as we stood and listened - I couldn't tear myself away. It was the typical Sunday in Sevilla - folks out and about enjoying the warm sunshine, tables and chairs spilling out of all the bars and cafes full of folks enjoying the social scene, musicians lost in the reverie of their own playing - guitars, accordians ........ It's certainly good to be back.
More excited than apprehensive, I await the delights and challenges and new friendships I hope the language course, which begins on Tuesday morning, will bring.
That was certainly one brilliant 3 day party!
We were warned we should pace ourselves and not try to see/participate in everything as there's so much going on during the day then dancing starting around midnight every night, going on through to somewhere near breakfast time - we did try but I have to confess to failing rather dismally, too concerned we were not to miss out on anything with the result that Monday was pretty much a write off - it was worth it!
There was a lively festive atmosphere over the entire village with the main street taken up with various stalls, inflatable slide, ball pool etc for the kiddies. It was all very colourful with lots of illuminations hung across the street and bunting in abundance. The 2 bars had set up awnings to the opposite side of the street providing full cover against rain/sun (and sadly we did have a little rain after all the many weeks of unbroken sunshine) with plenty of chairs and tables set up. Only during these 3 days do the bars both offer hot food - day and night (well almost all night!). A local company took over an empty garage where we could order spit roasted chickens - no time for cooking meals for anyone during those 3 days!
The main events were held in the huge village hall at the far end of the street where there was more hot food available and a bar running from lunch time to whenever the last partying stragglers decided to leave in the morning - didn't like to ask what the folks managing this were 'on' in order to keep going for 3 days and nights with virtually no break!
There was always something going on with domino and football tournaments going on in the background; bicycle and motorbike tape races - right under our balconies which was one reason for a missed siesta! 
The 'Poets' evening when various individuals and groups staged readings, sketches and singing. Then there was the 'platos tipicos' on the Sunday lunchtime when folks brought along typical local dishes which were laid out along trestle tables set full length down the centre of the hall - I assumed, rather like at summer fetes back home, these were to be judged. I was rather puzzled as little plastic forks were given out to everyone in the hall - I should have guessed by the huge number of people sitting expectantly around all the tables and chairs - when the word was given, one huge sea of bodies descended on the table dipping in to all those dishes - I've never seen the like!
Now this is VERY serious business ........../
It didn't take me long to join in the friendly melee and indulge in some wonderfully delicious food! An amazing assortment of savoury and sweet, hot and cold dishes. All accompanied by the wonderful singing of the El Higueralian choir. In no time the food was completely demolished leaving behind only a few crumbs and many empty plates.
The highlight of the entire 3 days of course was the Friday evening procession which really signalled the start of and was the reason for the feria. Like all other Spanish villages and towns, El Higueral has its own patron saint:
La Virgen del Carmen
The proceedings were very typical of those we've already enjoyed in other towns - the misa (Mass) is held first before the statue of the Virgen del Carmen on the large float is brought out of the church and then carried aloft on a few strong shoulders through and around the village accompanied by the solemn music of the band, single fireworks exploding every now and then to mark the progression of the procession, followed by a many of the villagers carrying the 3' long candles - a humbling experience sharing in the candlelit procession with these devout folks. It was a long walk down and up steeps streets on a rather chilly evening taking a good hour and a half before we were back at the church whereupon the dozen or so men who had carried this weighty float without a break upped their speed and literally ran around in circles on the spot, turning the float 28 times to the huge cheers and applause of us all. Then it was off to start the partying ................
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be dancing the sevillana (a flamenco style dance) in an outdoor theatre set against the magical backdrop of the floodlit castle of the hilltop town of Iznajar! What a simply amazing opportunity, experience and privilege. All the hard work, frustration and despondent moments (and nerves!) completely forgotten in the sheer pleasure, enjoyment and adrenalin rush of the performance in front of a huge crowd of spectators!
When we first arrived at the venue there were only a few rows of chairs set out and a handful of folks milling around so we drew the conclusion that this was a very low key affair - how wrong we were! Long before our performance slot the place was absolutely heaving with people - it was standing room only with further huge crowds gathered along the railings above the stage. It was a full evening programme of dance and song which heralded the start of the largest annual fiesta of Iznajar - in honour of the village patron saint 'Virgen de la Piedad' - a week long fiesta!
I'm so glad I didn't give up!
I signed up for lessons back in June under the illusion I was in for fun dance classes - only to learn a few weeks later that these classes were leading towards a performance! It seemed highly unlikely considering, particularly for us 3 Brits, the difficulties we were having not just learning the steps but co-ordinating the arms and learning the turns without tumbling over ourselves and each other. The Spanish lasses from the village appeared to have such a natural aptitude - reference footnotes below! As the performance date loomed the fun turned to despondency and frustration for me as I battled not only with this foreign dance but having little understanding of all the instructions delivered in Spanish!! I was so close to giving up a couple of weeks prior to the performance when one of the Spanish lasses in the class and from this village, seeing me struggle, offered to give me some extra coaching in her house any time I'd like to go round. I grabbed the chance and miracle of miracles, with Maria's patient coaching plus my determination and lots of extra practise, I was just about ready in time for the performance!
I will never, ever forget that memorable night - Val, Julia and I sat downing our glasses of 'dutch courage' with our respective other halves, nerves mounting by the minute (nope - the G&Ts didn't help one bit!!) -
- the sun going down and the moon, a huge orange ball that evening, rising into the darkening sky beside the floodlit castle. What a totally magical and enchanting setting.
Various dancing groups from little tiny tots learning their first sevillana steps through to older children up to the 2 adult classes performed throughout the evening - our group being the very last performance of the evening. Finally it was time - we took our places on stage, the music started. As we moved into the first few steps of the sevillana my spirits soared - the fun and excitement of the dance plus relief at the realisation that I seemed to be remembering all the steps and turns and without falling over myself! It was all over so very very quickly - all the worry, anxiety and frustrations, all those butterflies - all dissolved and in their place an overwhelming sense of achievement. I enjoyed every moment and left the stage with a pang of sadness that it was all over in the blink of an eye.
Quite unexpectedly, all dancers were summoned to gather around the stage where each of us was called up individually by name and presented with a red carnation and a certificate for a diploma in the sevillana!! Yay!!!!
Ruth with dance tutor, Paqui, Julia and Val
A little background information on the the sevillana dance courtesy of Wikipedia and andalucia.org :
This dance is characterised by its gracefulness, liveliness, nimble dynamism and flexibility. It is danced in pairs (either 2 women or a man and a woman). The dance is executed in a series of 4 coplas (poetic compositions, in verse, used as lyrics) each of which has a different choreography. We only danced the first 2 parts - maybe 3 and 4 at a later date ...... ?The sevillana is danced at fiestas, weddings, family parties where everyone joins in. It's something they have grown up with and learnt simply because they're surrounded by it. It seems everybody knows how to dance the sevillana and children are encouraged from a very young age - they are passionate about the Sevillana - a clue perhaps as to why us Brits found it the challenge we did ??
