Category Archives: spain

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.

awful afflelou

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in rants, sevilla, shopping, social media, spain, wtf?

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Exactly a week ago today I came home with my new glasses, something I was quite pleased about because I’d finally found a pair of lightweight frames that were cute and suited me. It’s always difficult finding frames to fit my wide face, mostly these days because shops only tend to stock glasses in “average sizes”. Used to be I could try on a frame and, if I liked it, ask to try it in a larger size. But I digress…

I’d gone out shopping with my friend Fourat because I wanted to get another opinion that I felt I could trust, and our second stop that morning was the Alain Afflelou store near my house. I honestly wish we’d kept going now. Before ordering the lenses for the new glasses I told the salesclerk that the frames were too tight on the right side and he said – no problem! – and that when the glasses came back with the prescription lenses they would do the final adjustments then.

Well, as you know, when I picked up the glasses and got the final adjustments done, I noticed after I got home that the lenses were no longer aligned with the frames. In fact, they were quite wonky. So the next day I went back and was surprised to be told that those particular frames couldn’t be adjusted without warping the frame. Well, not MY problem, right? And so, although I was disappointed that I’d have to keep on looking for glasses I reckoned what the heck and asked for a refund. And that’s when it ALL WENT TO HELL…

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extremo… or posible?

11 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in food & drink, hope, restaurants, sevilla, spain, tapas, tapas tours

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Yesterday was a bit of a blur as I had – for the first time ever – two tapas tours in one day. Talk about Tapeo Extremo! First a regular Sevilla Tapas Tour at lunch time and then a Gourmet Tapas Tour in the evening. And both went fantastically well. Met lovely people, had an amazing time with great food & wine & conversation. Ended up quite zonked but happy. Very happy.

So I now have a new goal, which is to set up this gastronomy tour biz properly, inspired by Twitter pal Gabriella Ranelli who runs Tenedor Tours in San Sebastian. As most of you know, I’ve been testing the waters since getting off chemo and back to work, but haven’t felt quite ready to bite the bullet and start up a new company with all the extra time and expense that would entail, especially as so far it’s just been a very part-time gig. But if things keep going well I think it may be time to start doing this as a proper full-time job.

Tomorrow I have another double-whammy day coming up with both lunchtime and evening tours – for the second time ever!! – but then nothing for a couple of weeks. Still, it’s quite exciting to think I could actually make this work. Will keep you posted…