Category Archives: fiestas

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]

christmas eve 2011

24 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by in christmas, fiestas, food & drink, friends, holidays, home

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This has been one of the most relaxed and pleasant Christmas Eves I can remember. Got up a bit later than usual and had some coffee and breakfast. Luckily I got all the supermarket shopping out of the way yesterday, so today just had to pop over to the market for the fish and veg. I couldn’t believe my flatmate Peter! He was Feliz Navidad-ing everyone and being all chatty. I think maybe my delight of Christmas has rubbed off a little…

After getting back from the market I wrote a few Christmas cards and we went out again, this time to just stop by a few places – well okay, tapas bars – and say Merry Christmas to everyone. Of course we stopped for tapas at some of them, and I also got to pick up some amazing blue goat’s cheese (cabrales) and a strong cured sheep’s cheese at our second stop, to go with my Victoria Nº2. And then we took a walk through the Christmas Market. My friend Pablo showed up at our last stop and we went next door with him for yet another drink while he had a tapita. And then the owner Carlos invited us to a glass of cava…

So just got home about an hour ago. Have been getting things ready little by little. Going to roast some small potatoes in garlic and olive oil to go with the salmon steaks with jamón and cava sauce. Some simple steamed broccoli to go with that. As a starter I’m going to deep-fry some gorgeous langoustine tails we got at the market today and serve them with alioli. For afters Peter has his chocolate cake and I’m sure he’ll also partake of the three cheeses (the two bought today and also the famous and fabulous cranberry wensleydale). And then we’ll get cosy with the cats and watch a Christmas movie or two…

I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas Eve too!

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sweet christmas

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in christmas, fiestas, food & drink, wine

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So there I was working away on the laptop this morning when the doorbell rang…

Then a messenger came upstairs with this! A surprise bottle of Victoria Nº2. I don’t usually like sweet wines all that much but the first time I tried this wine I just went “WOW”. Because it’s not only sweet but also very complex. Lots going on there. And it’s naturally sweet, not fortified like sherrys are, so it isn’t cloying. Made from Muscat Alexandria grapes, the oldest grape variety in Spain, they are picked late in the season and air-dried in the shade. It’s such a beautifully balanced wine.

So, that takes care of Christmas dessert. Now I just have to decide on what wine to have with dinner. I think perhaps that surprise Chardonnay I’ve been saving.

What are you having for Christmas dinner?

corpus cristi 2011

23 Thursday Jun 2011

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

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I made sure to get up early and take in Corpus again this morning. I wish I could post the smell of the rosemary and the feel of the cool morning air.

And also how great this tasted afterwards!  —>

Now it’s back to work. No rest for us freelancers, especially after being out all day yesterday with lunchtime and evening tapas tours and a class with Agustín in between. Quite a “full” day but now I’m way behind on my social media stuff.