Category Archives: spain

brand new walking tours!

07 Tuesday Jun 2011

Posted by in change, sevilla, spain, summer, work

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So okay, this came about yesterday while wondering how the heckity Nog was going to not just get through the summer, but also get by in general, teaching English classes here.

For the past year or so he hasn’t been doing well in that department and so, instead of trying to flog that tired old horse (I gave up trying to make a living teaching after getting off last chemo two years ago) I came up with this brilliant idea – private walking tours!

And very special tours, where Nog would take people to unusual and “not on the tourist map” places, perhaps throw in a coffee break, and also give advice on other great places to visit, fab tapas bars and other stuff people want to know. I think it’s going to be a winner.

Of course he is a bit nervous, but in fact he knows more about the history of Sevilla than I do, and I know he loves teaching and sharing knowledge, so I really think this is going to be up his street.  And now to get busy promoting it – wish him luck!

Sevilla Walking Tours

dreaming of olive trees…

23 Monday May 2011

Posted by in holidays, Malaga, spain, summer, travel, trips

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A little iPhone art here, drawn while I was on the train to Málaga last August, passing through olive groves. And I may be seeing them again soon!

With Azar’s new found trust in Jessica I started thinking that I might be able to get away this summer after all. Given how frail he’s been lately I would never have left him on his own with just a “sitter” coming in to check up on him. Which still meant I could go away and leave Nog in charge, but he kind of deserves a summer break as well.

And so I spoke to Manolo and it’s almost certain that we’ll be able to use his fabulous apartment the first week of July (well, five nights), which will also free up casa az so that Jessica can have a nice romantic break here with Thomas (if he can make it down). Win win!

I’m so excited about this even though it’s over a month away. I just love Málaga and Manolo’s apartment is in such a great location. It’s also been redecorated so should be looking fab, and it will really feel like “going home”. Every time I go to Málaga I fall in love with it a little bit more.

I won’t find out for sure if I can have the apartment until a couple of weeks before (fingers crossed!) which means it might be hard to get train tickets.  I had wanted to leave on the Monday but realised that is my next oncology appointment, so it will be Tuesday – Sunday instead. But at least I’ll get my holiday in before the next PET scan, just in case…

Have you got any summer travel plans?

cathedral rooftop tour

17 Tuesday May 2011

Posted by in culture, sevilla, spain, video

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These are a few photos I took whilst trying to hold onto my sanity the other day when I went on that fabulous Cathedral rooftop tour. It truly was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences, even though I was scared shitless through a lot of it. But it also made me feel a bit amazed at myself that I managed to get through and even take that video. And a few of these photos were taken with my eyes shut – especially those where I had to lean over the railing under the vaulted Cathedral ceiling. Later when I got back down I could not believe that I’d actually been standing behind those angels. In fact, I still can’t believe it. Go me!

semana santa 2011

21 Thursday Apr 2011

Posted by in fiestas, sevilla, spain

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only in Sevilla…

In case you missed this on the Sevilla Blog, we are now in the middle of Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Sevilla. For those who haven’t experienced, or don’t know about it, it’s all about the processions – more than sixty of them during the course of the week, including those of the Madrugá on the Thursday night through to Friday morning (though this year it looks likely to be rained out). Each procession carries statues of the Christ and the Virgin from its home church to the Cathedral and back again, accompanied by nazarenos and penitentes carrying candles and crosses, and the distinctive music of the Semana Santa marching bands.

Because this is the largest and most elaborate celebration of its kind in the world, people come from all over Spain and even further afield to see it. With such large crowds, especially in the centre and around the cathedral, it is almost impossible for the residents to live normal lives, and for the last 18 years I’ve spent most of Semana Santa pretty much trapped in my flat just up the street from the cathedral. But this year I will be spending it in my new home near the Alfalfa for the first time, and I really don’t know what to expect in the way of crowds and inconvenience.

In retrospect it seems almost prescient that I took this video last year of the Santa Cruz procession, which plays my favourite marcha, the haunting La Madrugá by Abel Moreno. Little did I know that it was going to be the last time I would watch it go past below my bedroom balconies…