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Category Archives: culture

la vida sin besos (life without kisses)

07 Tuesday Jul 2020

Posted by azahar in coronavirus, culture, films, sevilla, spain, welcome

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

coronavirua, covid, customs, sevilla, spain

More Ennio Morricone from Cinema Paradiso… a montage of all the kisses that were cut out of film scenes by the fervent village priest, later spliced together for an unforgettable cinematic moment (floods of tears every time I watch it).

Life without kisses…

And I’m not talking about romantic kisses, though I do miss those too. The other day someone mentioned on Twitter that one of the BEST THINGS to come out of Covid was that she would no longer have to go through the trauma and social awkwardness of having to greet people with the Spanish “air kiss” on two cheeks. I should point out that she is British living in Spain, so the whole kissing thing has never felt natural to her. Then other Britsh expats chimed in saying much the same thing. Not me though.

I LOVE kissing everyone I meet! For me this is one of the BEST THINGS about living in Spain and very sadly for me it has come to a stop, at least for the foreseeable future. Though I have seen people in the street greeting friends with kisses, and even removing masks to do so. It’s like they can’t help it. For me it’s always been more awkward when someone sticks out their hand for me to shake. Like, eeeeeeewwww… I have no idea where that hand has been. Because let’s face it, a cheek is not going to come into physical contact with as many gross options as a hand does throughout the day.

How are you greeting people these days?

 

 

los reales alcázares

26 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by azahar in andalucia, culture, sevilla, welcome

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alcazar, sevilla

alcazar 2020 (1)
Last week I went to the Alcázar with my friend Corinna, the first time either of us had been there for ages. Thing is, it’s free for Sevilla residents but it’s always so bloody crowded that we usually just can’t be bothered. But as they had just reopened the palace and gardens, and it was before foreign tourists were allowed to arrive, we took advantage. And it was lovely. There were a few people, mostly Spanish, but no tour groups, and we often found ourselves with nobody around us in the gardens. Heaven.

Here are some pics…

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oops!

04 Saturday Jan 2020

Posted by azahar in culture, humour

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

lost in translation, sevilla

I was in one of my favourite tapas bars today and heard my waiter pal Jesús say to a couple of customers… “if you wait by the bar I will service you soon”. Oops. And yes, I set him straight, and boy was he embarrassed. Was going to send him a whatsapp with a written reminder but don’t know how to properly translate “to service” into Spanish.  🙂

asociación de la capa

18 Monday Nov 2019

Posted by azahar in culture, sevilla

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Tags

capas, customs, sevilla


The Asociación de la Capa was out in full force this past weekend in Sevilla. Their goal is to keep the custom of wearing capes alive. Gotta admit they look sharp.

chasing virgins

11 Monday Nov 2019

Posted by azahar in culture, religion, sevilla

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sevilla, virgen del amparo

Spent the weekend and Monday being a “fixer” for a photographer coming to shoot virgin processions, as well as different virgins in various churches, for a travel magazine. In the end we saw three processions, but for me this was the highlight, especially because it happened by chance. I had stopped in at the Iglesia Magdalena near my house to ask if I could arrange a photo shoot and the lovely archivist Aurora invited us to come “backstage”, as it were, and see them preparing inside the church just before the evening procession on Sunday. Apparently this was the first time they have ever allowed this for people outside the brotherhood. Wow.

This is the Virgen del Amparo and below are a few pics I took backstage, focusing on the costaleros, who are a bit of an obsession with me during Semana Santa. I mean, I just don’t get WHY they do this, especially as many of them end up with lifelong injuries from carrying all that weight on the backs of their necks. This time I even got a short video of them lifting up the platform with Aurora’s husband holding up the skirting so I could get a better look. I am still going through other photos I took over those three days – might share more later.

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