Category Archives: sevilla

corpus cristi

15 Thursday Jun 2006

Posted by in culture, holidays, photos, religion, sevilla

≈ 11 Comments

corpus-cristi-2006-002.jpg

Today is a public holiday in Sevilla, one of the few places in Spain that celebrates Corpus Cristi. And as usual the Sevillanos do it up big time. Arches are built in the town hall square, altars are constructed, balconies and shop windows are decorated (there’s even a competion for this) and the night before the procession route is strewn with sprigs of rosemary and rose petals.

All for one rather boring procession that lasts about an hour.

However, what is lovely is to get up early and walk the route before the procession starts. The rosemary is still fresh on the ground, there aren’t many people about and you can see all the displays and decorations before going for a fab brekky once the procession has started and the crowds have moved from the bars to the streets.

We got out a bit late this morning and the procession had already started, but we got ahead of it and managed to take some photos, which you can see below. The window display ones are a bit wonky because of the reflections – and you can usually make out Nog and me as ghostly shadows in amongst the holy relics, loaves of bread and bunches of grapes. I just wish there was a way to transport the gorgeous fragrance of freshly crushed rosemary in the cool morning air . . .

Corpus Cristi photos

tapitas

05 Monday Jun 2006

Posted by in food & drink, sevilla

≈ 11 Comments

I love living in Sevilla. This evening was just one example of why.

Nog was out teaching so I went out to do a bit of shopping, then met him after his class. We decided it was such a lovely evening that we didn’t want to go home yet and convinced each other that we should go out for tapas (even though we should be saving money right now).

So off to one of our favourite local places, Modesto, for a ‘fritura’ – a kind of tempura-style dish of breaded and fried onion, red & green pepper with several fat fried prawns on top. After that we ordered some sizzling garlic prawns, just cos we’d never tried them there before (we usually have those at Bar Las Teresas).

Meanwhile, a guy came in who looked like he was perhaps a lottery ticket seller – also obviously a regular though we’d never seen him before. And after a bit of bantering the barmen brought him a huge plate of various fried things – clearly a special order – and I asked Manolo (who I call Cheyanne, but that’s another story) what the big round things were, cos I’d never seen them before either. And Sebastian the chef called out from the kitchen – nice open kitchen in front of the bar where we usually sit – that they were battered lettuce. I said ‘get outta here’. He said ‘hang on a sec’.

Five minutes later we were handed a complementary dish of battered & fried lettuce (the long thick crispy stuff, similar to romaine lettuce) as well as some delicately breaded aubergine with alioli on top. 😯

And it was wonderful!!! I asked Sebastian if it was on the menu and he said no – that sometimes they make up the lettuce thing to serve as a garnish with certain dishes . . .

It was just ever-so-slightly unfortunate that we were already quite stuffed after the fritura and garlic prawns to finish off the lettuce fritters . . . but it was just one of the many, many lovely and really human and really nice things that keep happening here.

Not sure how well I managed to get that feeling across. Also, after three glasses of rioja I’m feeling a bit squiffy and so should probably toddle off to bed. Might edit this a bit mañana . . .

viveros

12 Friday May 2006

Posted by in sevilla

≈ 43 Comments

viveros2.jpg

This morning we were wandering about and found just by chance a ‘vivero’ here in the middle of Sevilla – most of them are out of town. Am trying to find a proper translation for this. Nog says it’s like a ‘garden centre’ but it isn’t really. It’s more like a huge greenhouse offering plants for sale with a bit of other stuff, like pots and, well, not much else. It’s mostly tons of plants and then a few pot and soil options. Quite basic.

And we got to thinkin’ . . .

First of all, I should say that I lurve having plants in the house. If I could, all my rooms would be filled with plants and flowers. Except … one of our cats tends to eat and/or destroy all plants or fresh cut flowers within reach. Hence, the only plants we presently have in our flat are in our bathroom. Either hanging from the ceiling, off the wall in a planter, or up on a high dividing wall/shelf thingy beside the shower – well out of cat reach. And they are fabulous and, well, I have always wanted more.

So whilst wandering around the ‘vivero’ this morning we also saw these round metal things that can hook onto a balcony – out of cat reach! They hold yer basic flower pot – the metal ring fits under the ridge of the flower pot. And I decided we had to have plants on all our balconies!

Our flat has six balconies, three facing a main street and three facing a side street. I thought the three facing the main street would have green-glazed ceramic flower pots with red geraniums in them – the most typical balcony flower adornment in Seville. And the three facing the side street would have blue-glazed ceramic flower pots with maybe boston ferns in them. Two on each balcony, in the corners.

I’m just not sure about which plants are poisonous for cats – I kinda reckon geraniums might be. Shall have to google about that.

But I was just wondering if there were any particularly ‘green-thumbed’ people out there who might give me some advice about which plants to buy. I’m not particularly stuck on geraniums or boston ferns, they were just a first idea.

One side of the flat faces east and gets the early morning sun, the other side faces north and never gets any direct sunlight at all.

Any suggestions?