Category Archives: culture

rained out

04 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in culture, fiestas, religion, sevilla, spain

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[click on image to enlarge]

Things have been very quiet around here Semana Santa-wise. After months of scarcely any rainfall it’s pretty much been coming down non-stop since Palm Sunday. Tomorrow it looks like it may lift for about 24 hours before starting up again on Friday.

Above are some pics I took on Monday evening. It was quite sad to see everything deserted and the odd nazareno – like that young boy – making his disconsolate way home after his procession was cancelled.

On the right are a couple of rogue nazarenos I saw yesterday, making their way over to their church. But about an hour later the skies really opened up. Me? I was all cosy at home in PJs watching a film on DVD with Peter and the cats, as I will be again this evening. But tomorrow I have a tapas tour – I don’t know what I was thinking! Oh right, about paying the rent 😉 …. but in fact I do love a challenge and so it should be an interesting night.

It’s actually been a few years since I’ve gone out following the processions and looking for the best vantage points. But I do love Semana Santa and the general upheaval and chaos. I don’t even mind the inconvenience of shops being closed or not being able to get out and about because of the crowds. I guess a part of me enjoys how this crazy week really shakes things up. And in spite of loving my “new” home I still miss hearing La Madrugá played below my bedroom balcony on Martes Santo… so glad now I got up to film that video as it was my last time.

Oh, and this is also the first time in my 19 years here that the orange blossom (azahar) has coincided with Semana Santa. It also seems to be lasting a bit longer this year. Heaven.

comfort food

01 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in cooking, culture, diet & nutrition, food & drink, health & happiness, home

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Today I made this very comfort-foodie dish based on having tried it a few times elsewhere. It has some of the usual comfort food ingredients (potatoes, eggs) as well as some chorizo and spicy pimentón thrown in for good measure. And most enjoyable it was too!

Here is the recipe: huevos rotos

But as comforting (and delicious) this late Sunday lunch was, when it comes to comfort food I’d probably say my favourites would include cheese. Like, mac & cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches.

What’s your favourite comfort food?

sons of anarchy

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in culture, television, twitter, video

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It’s like the Sopranos on motorbikes!

A couple of weeks ago Twitter pal Antonio (aka @The_LazyPig) mentioned he was watching the third season of this and was loving it and so – always on the look out for a good series (preferable to films these days) – I got onto Amazon and saw they had a special offer on a season 1 & 2 pack. And today at lunchtime Peter and I finished the last episode of season one, which had a very satisfying cliff hanger.

It’s all very Shakespearean and the acting is great. I am also whisked back to my teenage years when I was 14 and used to hang out with a biker gang. I have no idea if they were up to anything illegal and didn’t actually get that involved, but as I recall they were all rather protective of me. It was also the last time I ever got on a motorbike. Next up: Game of Thrones (the Sopranos in Middle Earth!).

Sons of Anarchy on Wikipedia

semana santa practice

29 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in culture, fiestas, religion, sevilla, spain

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Bet you don’t see this where you live! And as many times as I’ve seen it, including the guys above a couple of nights ago, I am always stopped in my tracks and, well, a little bit in awe. They are costaleros practicing for Semana Santa, when they will carry the statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary on the backs of their necks throughout the processions. Here they are practicing with weights instead of statues while they perfect their moves because, as you can imagine, it’s quite difficult to manouevre these things, and taking corners is especially tricky. During the processions you never see the costaleros (other than those taking breaks and having beers at nearby bars) and I find it fascinating to see them at work like this.

[also posted on azahar’s Sevilla]