Category Archives: andalucia

going for it…

22 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in andalucia, getaways, health & happiness, holidays, travel, trips

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So after the HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT of not getting my CT scan results yesterday (though I DID get to ride in a Jaguar XF!) I have decided – fuck it – I’m just going to go for it. I’ve been putting off making any summer travel plans. You know, JUST IN CASE. Because if I suddenly needed surgery or treatment, well, then I’d lose deposits and/or entire payments for hotels, flights, etc. Given that I’m not feeling too badly and that nobody seems to know what is going on… I have decided to book my summer holidays! Today.

First up… three days in Granada in mid-July. It’s been over three years since my last visit and I really want to catch up, and also hang out with Gayle @granadatapastour on her home turf. From there I will carry on to Málaga for a few more days. Not sure for how long yet, but that is flexible as I am staying at a friend’s place.

Then… a week in San Sebastián at the end of August! I have been planning to visit my friend Gabriella @tenedor (aka Shawn of The North 😉 ) for YEARS. And now it is finally going to happen. I will also spend a day or two in Bilbao, that bit is still up in the air. But I am going to book my flights and then the rest of it I can sort out later.

And so, excited and nervous. Apparently I have the next oncology appointment on July 5th, though I wasn’t given a time and was told I will have to sort that out myself. In the meantime, life goes on… I hope…

greed

20 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by in andalucia, sevilla, spain

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Here you see the landmark Edificio La Adriática in Avenida de la Constitución, now reduced to housing cheap & cheesy souvenir shops. Below was once a traditional family-run shop in Calle Francos that is now a tacky “express market” catering to the tourists living in all the holiday apartments in the area. It’s bad enough that we’ve already lost Barrio Santa Cruz to this sort of crass tourist-focused commercialism, but now it’s spreading further afield. There is almost no more affordable decent housing in the Casco Antiguo. Likewise, independent shops have been closing in droves, only to be replaced with shit like this.

Yes, tourism is one of the most important industries in Sevilla. Heck, it is also (in part) how I make a living. But by destroying the centre of town like this, what will be left to attract people here? Before long what was once one of the most charming and beautiful cities in Spain will soon become a wasteland filled with tacky shops, awful bars and restaurants, and streets filled with huge tourist groups. Wait… soon become? It’s already happening. Shocking that the local government is just looking at the short term profits. You’d think the Spanish would have learned by now that if you over-fish an area then soon there is nothing left. I hope there is still time to turn this terrible greed-fueled trend around.

málaga friends

12 Tuesday Jun 2018

Posted by in andalucia, friends, Malaga, malaga getaway, spain

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Many of you know that I consider Málaga to be my second home in Spain. For awhile I even toyed with the idea of moving there. But for now I am happy in Sevilla and always look forward to seeing my Málaga friends when I go to visit. This last Málaga getaway was a bit different in that I got to see dear friends that I don’t usually see there. And it was great.

When I first arrived I met up with David, Kasha and Kyra for an impromptu snacky lunch and quick visit. We went to a small local bar and had a lovely time catching up and then ended up at a nearby playground. Good times.
Then in the evening I FINALLY got to hang out with Thane and Bob IN MÁLAGA. We’ve met up in London and in Sevilla but it was the first time we have coincided in Málaga even though we all go there a lot, and we had a fab traditional dinner at Los Mellizos with our mutual friend Victor.
Finally, I found out that Anna & Jorge had also been invited to the Premios Andalucía de Gastronomía (which is why I was there in the first place). So after the presentation and cocktail lunch we got to spend some time together in town before I had to catch my train home.

And then there was Victor. Always Victor. Victor is always there for me when I’m in Málaga and he is one of my dearest friends. So yeah, it was a great visit. Spending time with all of these amazing people that I am privileged to call my friends – and even more amazingly – they call me their friend too. Love you guys. See you soon! xx