Hot in the city

Most people have heard about the unbelievable heat of Seville in July and August, the kind of tarmac melting hotness that makes it difficult to breath, and impossible to do anything from mid morning until after dusk. Right now we´re in early May and already the street thermometers are reading in the mid to late 30s. There´s no getting away from the fact that it is darn hot.

Which can only mean one thing, or at least it does for me, it´s ice cream time! (cue a Dick Van Dyke sideways jump for joy in the air). And I´m not talking sickly sweet Maxibon or Cornetto type affairs, I mean serious Italian Gelato courtesy of Freskura, the handmade ice cream emporium, nestling in a shady corner off the Alameda.

Freskura pride themselves on their ice creams prepared daily in situe, using the best natural ingredients which change according to the season. There are some year round staples such as my personal favourites, the sugar and milk free chocolate and a deliciously tart frutti de bosco, but pop in late summer, early autumn and you´ll find the most divinely delicious fresh fig variety that simply bursts with straight-off-the-tree flavour.

As well as ice cream they also specialise in Italian cakes, hand made lollies, fancy pastries and teeny tiny chocolate treats. Plus I´ve also just spotted a reason to make my fifth return there this week, and that is to sample the Ice cream Bocadillo, which appears to be chunks of chocolate and ice cream encased in a kind of sweet bread roll and finished off with cream.

So if you spot someone who´s clearly eaten too much ice cream waddling around the Alameda this summer, it will probably be me. So please say hello!

http://www.freskura.com

Calle Vulcano 4

I know a little place just outside of Seville

I love Seville, I really do, but sometimes I yearn for green pastures, open spaces and somewhere that’s cobble free. It’s the country lass in me you see. As much as I try to bury it beneath an embrace of sophisticated urban living, at heart I’d rather be skipping around fields picking daisies, preferably with a puppy in tow.

So in order to keep myself on the straight and narrow, I try to factor in an escape from the city at least once a month. So when an email offering kayaking in an untouched stretch of the Guadalquivir River landed in my inbox, I knew it had ‘scratch Mary’s country roots itch’ written all over it. 

All I had to do was get to Brenes, which is about half an hour by train from Seville in the direction of the Sierra Norte, armed with some sunscreen, a hat and some comfortable clothing and the rest would be in the capable hands of Vegactiva, the organisers of the morning’s activities.

 Run by couple Baldomero and Sonia, they bring their exceptional knowledge of the local flora and fauna to every trip and as well as Kayaking, they offer hiking and horse riding, plus an intriguing kayaking and horse riding combination.

But today was just about being on the unspoilt and verdant stretch of the Guadalquivir, where the only river life was the stunning array of wild birds rising majestically from the River banks, whilst serenading us with their orchestral symphony. Other human life was few and far between, with just the occasional fisherman perched on the river bank patiently waiting to get a bite.

Most of us were in two man kayaks, I got the easy gig, sitting in front with Baldomero behind doing the heavy work and steering. Not having any experience doesn’t really matter on these trips as after the general chat on technique, it’s a pretty relaxed affair, no one’s in a hurry, it just takes as long as it takes.

 After kayaking for about 3 and half kilometeres, we drew up on a shady bank, out came the iceboxes, stuffed full with botellines (little bottles) of beer and cider, plus some homemade tortilla and other tasty treats. And then it was back in the kayaks, on with the life jackets, and time to meander our way back to the little piece of river bank we called home.

For more information about trips with Vegactiva:

http://vegactiva.com/

Pumarejo - an indomitable spirit

Right now Sevilla, Andalucia and Spain at large is a place where you can feel the civil unrest bubbling underneath the surface. Turn the corner into any of the large municipal squares and almost every day you´ll be greeted by the shouts and whistles of marchers demonstrating against the cutbacks in health care, education and welfare. Also at the top of the protesters´ agendas is the fight against residents´ evictions both from their own homes after defaulting on their mortgages and most recently from the once vacant houses they have occupied in order to stay off the street.

No people without houses, no houses without people

 
A country decimated by unemployment has left huge swathes unable to afford to pay for their accommodation, and with over 130,000 unsellable properties lying empty in Seville alone, many have taken to squatting in what have become known as Corralas. This isn´t squatting in the sense that you may be familiar with, ie young, crusty types who break into posh houses and then proceed to turn them into a burned out, graffitti´d crack den. (you have to excuse me for turning into The Daily Mail for a moment). These are entire families, including young children and the elderly, who out of sheer desperation have taken measures into their own hands and occupied vacant buildings, facing often draconian measures by the properties´ owners and the authorities.

This anti-eviction movement dates back to long before the current property fuelled financial crisis, where in Seville since the 1980s there´s been a slow, insidious campaign to oust some long standing residents who have somehow avoided rent adjustments over the years and as a result limited profitable returns for their landlords. Often any maintenance of the buildings has been slowly withdrawn leaving the buildings in such a run down state that there has been no alternative but for residents to move out. Such as in the Case of Casa Pumarejo, which lies just within the walls of the historic city centre, bordering with the working class district of the Macarena.

Dominating Plaza Pumarejo and dating back to the 18th Century, this impressive building has claimed many uses in its time, including a prison the civil war, a hospice, a school for adults and after a conversion of the second and third floors at the end of the 19th Century, the heart and home to many local residents. However since the 1990´s, it has fallen into a state of disrepair, with the owners deciding they´d rather sell the historic building to a hotel group, using the tried and tested method of withholding vital maintenance to force the remaining residents out.

But their attempts have been thwarted at every turn, and rather than buckle and give into their demands, the residents´ resolve has been strengthened, and a fiercely active community created. As well as protecting the rights of the tenants within Casa Pumarejo, a whole network of community projects have grown out of this elegantly crumbling shell. Just take a peak at the Plataforma Pumarejo website and there are a whole raft of services and facilities available from a library, Italian cinema, a kind of legal aid office, Spanish classes, a sewing group and yoga. All are self-generated and directed towards the local community, and have more than a hint of an anarchic kick back against the system. None more so than ´The Puma´, a local currency used for exchanging goods and services within the local area.  

The Puma is part of an exchange programme where instead of paying someone with Euros you exchange Pumas (1 Puma = 1 Euro), as long as you are both part of the Puma network. Signed up are a variety of companies and individuals supplying goods and services such as locally grown vegetables, artisan bread, natural beauty products, bicycle repairs and osteopaths to name but a few. But if you´re not ready to sign up to be part of the Puma Network, you can dip your toe into the inviting local exchange waters by coming down to the monthly market happening every second Saturday of the month, where all the suppliers ply their goods and trades and you can buy Pumas from a desk at the entrance of the building. I bought the most amazingly delicious homemade bread from the aptly named ´Anarchopan´, and was sorely tempted by some seasonal veg straight from the huerta (veg patch), but rather annoyingly had just done my shopping at the nearby Feria Market.

On these days Plaza Pumarejo heaves with a warm haze of community spirit and Cruz Campo beer, that makes me want to close my Santander Bank account and deal only in Pumas from that day forth. Just in the act of exchanging my Euros and buying that loaf of bread, I felt the inner anarchist bursting out from inside me. Who knows next time I might go wild and buy some bread AND vegetables, by which point me and ´The System´ will be over for good. 

Monthly market Plaza Pumarejo, second Saturday of the month from 12pm October - May, 8pm onwards June - September

http://monedasocialpuma.wordpress.com/que-es/

http://plataforma.pumarejo.es//?width=1280

http://corralautopia.blogspot.com.es/

The Essential Tapas Mix

Seville has been the place that I´ve lain my hat now for almost 3 years, and in that time I ´ve witnessed it´s culinary stock rise beyond all recognition despite the never ending proclamations of economic gloom and doom. At this juncture a few locals might disdainfully arch an eyebrow at the suggestion that their hometown hasn´t always been the centre of the eating out universe. But as a non pork consumer, I can only begin to describe how wearing a tapa of spinach and chickpeas can eventually become despite how delicious it might have initially seemed.

But of late there have been some healthy winds of change in town, and a new breed of modern yet affordable tapas bars now jostles for space amongst the more longstanding eating establishments on the block. And in my mind, this can only be a good thing. So I thought it about time that I pay homage those places that consistently serve up tasty morsels to the famished masses, so here, in the words of Pete Tong, is my Top 5 ´Essential Tapas Mix´.

1. Sidonia and Duo Tapas
Hailing from the same owner, I´ve waxed lyrical about these two in the past, but they never disappoint. Both offer a modern take on the classic tapa, presented exquisitely and served with aplomb, all at affordable prices. Simply a must.

Sidonia, Calle Calatrava 16
Duo Tapas, Calle Calatrava 10

2. Eslava
Eslava is one of those places that you save up for special occasions. Not because it´s ridiculously expensive or particularly fancy pants, it´s just a wonderful dining experience that you want to reserve for those particular moments like birthdays, parents coming to town, promotions at work etc. It might also be that it is a bit of a rigmarole to get a table, as unless you´re perched at the bar, there are only a few tables at the back, and always a long waiting list to be seated, but it´s always worth the effort as the food is delicious. Everything is incredibly fresh and you can find a mixture of classic dishes like Salmorejo for instance, alongside more experimental modern variants such as their award winning dish which is a melt in the mouth, bite sized egg, balanced on a mini boletus mushroom cakey thing. The service is friendly and efficient, and they´re prepared for non Spanish speakers with an English menu at hand for those awkward lost in translation moments. And here for once it´s an advantage to feel like eating dinner before 11pm at night, as your almost guaranteed to get a table if you arrive at the much more anglo saxon time of 8pm.

Calle Eslava 3
http://www.espacioeslava.com/es/restaurante/bar-de-tapas

3. ConTenedor
Offering a Tapas menu by day and restaurant food in the evenings, Contenedor is a culinary oasis in the slightly edgy backwater of Calle San Luis, which runs two streets parallel north of the Alameda. The moment you set foot inside the door, you know you´re in for something special. The decor is Boho chic, the lighting intimate and the food simply delicious. They pride themselves on selecting the best ingredients and changing the menu regularly to fit in with what´s in season, so compared to some places it might weigh a little heavier on the pocket, but as an overall experience, it´s worth it. Inside you´ll be in good company as the clientele feels artsy and cool, as do the waiting staff, who are helpful and mostly multilingual.

Calle San Luis, 50
http://www.contenedorcultural.com/

4. Los Coloniales
This was the first ever Tapas Bar I ever went to in Seville, and in the space of a few months I had become a regular visitor. Consequently, I´d started to get a bit tired of the menu. But having had a break, I found myself back within its familiar walls and it reminded me why it´s so popular with locals and tourists alike. The food is traditional, but tasty, and the portions are huge and incredibly reasonably priced, so for the hungry and on a budget, Los Coloniales is always a winner. There are in fact two restaurants of the same name, offering pretty much the same menu, one in the leafy quiet square of Cristos de Burgos with a much sought after terrace, and then a second near the Cathedral, which is a bit more touristy, but still value for money. Fine dining it isn´t, but it´s still worth a visit.

Plaza Cristos de Burgos 19
Calle Fernandez y Gonzalez 36 y 38

http://www.tabernacoloniales.es/

5. Taberna Panduro
Another new kid on the block that´s establishing a loyal following is that of Panduro tucked away on a side street in a less frequented enclave of the old part of town. The menu is inventive, with my particular favourites being the fideuas (noodles) in squid ink and a creamy pea risotto, but there´s plenty on offer for meat eaters, which seemed to be going down well with the other diners. It´s got a lively atmosphere, mostly filled with post work locals (yes there are some people still working in these parts), topped off with a very enthusiastic waiter who takes great joy in showing off his English given any opportunity.

Calle Doña Maria Colonel 17

Peace amongst the Frenzy

Right now Sevilla is in the midst of an attack of Feria frenzy. For those who don´t know, La Feria de Abril is a week long excuse to dress up in your finest and most expensive Flamenca dress (or smart suit if you´re a chap), drink from an ever-flowing teeny tiny glass of the Andaluz version of a Spritzer called Rebujito, and dance Sevillanas like your life depended on it. It is an assault on every single one of the senses, and speaking personally after a couple of visits, I´m usually feria´d out and in need of some peace and tranquillity.

My chosen form of gettting away from the maelstrom of life is meditation, and Seville is alive with places where you can sit in silence with others who recognise the same need to tune into what´s going on inside and tune out of the external hustle and bustle. 

Not surprisingly around the Alameda there are several centres offering the opportunity learn how to meditate. In Diksha Yoga centre on Calle Relator, Silvia offers guided meditation sessions every Wednesday at 9.30pm lasting an hour, and often featuring meditation exercises to free up your Chakras (energy centres recognised by many Eastern spiritual practices).

Just up the road on Calle Parras the Sevilla Sangha (Buddhist group) of Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hahn come together every Thursday at 8pm to practise various forms of meditation (sitting and walking) to cultivate Mindfulness (which is a kind of concentrated awareness of the present moment), and also organise monthly mindfulness days in Alamillo Park, plus weekends in the Sierra de Huelva. And on Sunday evenings at The Shala, near the Macarena Arch, Eva leads an introduction to meditation.

Ok, so I´m off to meditate before donning my best bib and tucker, sticking a flower in my hair, and heading back into the madness of Feria once more.

http://www.yogadiksha.com/ Meditation every Wednesday 9.30pm, with a donation of 3 Euros

http://thaysanghaluces.wordpress.com/ Meditation every Thursday at 8pm

http://www.lashala.com/lashala.htm Meditation every Sunday at 7pm

http://www.zensevilla.org/

Flamenco on the hoof

I have a confession to make, one that in Seville I should utter in low tones. OK, so here goes, ´I know nothing about Flamenco´. There I´ve said it. I  know I´m not the only one here who doesn´t, but there are certain occasions when I feel like I´m the only person in the room who can´t tell a Bulerias from an Alegrias, and when it comes to ´tocando palmas´ (that´s clapping to the uninitiated), I might as well well stand in the corner with a dunce´s hat on.

But that doesn´t stop me from at least showing my face at the odd Flamenco evening, which on the whole I do enjoy, although maybe not fully understand. So on Sunday evening my old Sevillanas dancer Aina Nuñez was dancing at the Rincon del Buho near Plaza Pumarejo, and I thought I´d gather a few troupes and go support her. But as I arrived things dead on 8 o´ clock, when the show was due to start, Aina, her fellow dancer Maria Mandragor and the musicians were stationed outside on the street, and proceedings looked far from ready to start. It turned out that even the noise while warming up was more than one of the neighbours could bear, and after threats to phone the police if the show went ahead,  Aina and co were frantically calling round to find a venue to step in at the last minute.

After a series of dead ends, luck was finally on their side, and off we trouped in the direction of Plaza San Marco to Bar La Puerta Sol on Calle Sol. A few of my friends had been to La Puerta Sol to see Flamenco in the past, and it´s somewhere that has the reputation for young, first time artists making their debut in front of the public. But on these occasions, it´s any port in a storm, and within 15 minutes the show was back on the road. 

At this point an aficionado would be able to wax lyrical about the technical marvels of the performances, whereas my meagre flamenco knowledge limits me to a poor man´s review. But Aina and Maria intense, passionate precision, coupled with the tight bond between the musicians created an electric atmosphere, where after the previous false start, everyone was willing them onto their eventual explosive climax. This was topped off with the always fun ´fin de fiesta´, where fellow dancers and singers join the artists on stage and bust some flamenco grooves in a kind of dance-off love-in. You know you´re experiencing the real deal when this happens, and for me it´s invariably my favourite part of the night. So on this occasion it was a win to Flamenco, and a loss to the narky neighbour. Let´s hope there won´t be any rematch.

Aina Nuñez - Flamenco and Sevillanas classes 625 908 496
http://facebook.com/ainanr

Bar La Puerta Sol, Calle Sol 67 (Flamenco shows most weekends)



  

Teatro Minimo

I remember when I first starting writing this blog and asked around a few folk about any hidden gems they might have stuffed up their sleeves, the lovely Hannah mentioned that she´d just been to something called ´Teatro Minimo´ at ´Un Gato en Bicicleta´ on Calle Regina near the Setas (frankly everything right now seems to be in spitting distance from my favourite urban waffles). But I'm ashamed to say that this was back in September and it's taken me over six months to drag my sorry arse over to see a performance.

So on Friday evening, I fancied taking in some easily accessible cultcha and Teatro Minimo fitted the bill perfectly. This is theatre 'light' as each performance lasts just 15 minutes which helps when you're watching in something other than your mother tongue. The venues and theme varies from month to month, but are usually based in and around the aforementioned hipsterish bookshop 'Un Gato en Bicicleta' while taking advantage of other shops and bars nearby.

This month the theme is loosely based around Medicine, I say loosely as the first playette (as I hear by name it) was about a Zombie invasion that centres around a doctors surgery, with the primary victim being the local doctor. The audience were seated in the mocked up surgery waiting room and were regularly addressed (and mauled) during the performance. It was a comedy, which can be risky choice for me as I still sometimes miss the punchlines in Spanish humour, but it was genuinely funny, and scary at times (although I appeared to be the only member of the audience burying their head into my neighbour's arm).

We just had time to squeeze in another 15 minuter, which was round the corner at Abaceria La Reina. As a bar in its own right, it's got to be one of the smallest I've ever been in, so to fit in a theatre performance was a feat in itself. Precariously positioned upstairs, we watched 'La Cara y el Espejo' (The Face and the Mirror) which was cautionary tale about Cosmetic Surgery drawing on Gothic horror classic Frankenstein. There was a bit of ham acting going on at times, which might have been more noticeable as the actors are within inches from the audience, but they just about managed to get away with it.

The Medicine theme continues for the month of April, from Thursdays to Sundays and also features two other pieces, 'Decisión Asistida´ and ´Branca´. Performances start from 8pm, but you can dip in and out as you choose, with the last sitting at about 10.40pm. This is easily digestible theatre, from the easy on the pocket prices (4 Euros per piece), to the even easier on the palette Ribera enjoyed at ´Abaceria La Reina´. And for any Guiris out there, it´s the perfect way to tentatively dip your toe in the sometimes intimidating waters of Spanish theatre, without sinking like lead to the incomprehensible, murky bottom. 

http://www.teatrominimosevilla.blogspot.com.es/

https://www.facebook.com/teatro.minimo.31/info

Un Gato en un Bicicleta, Calle Regina 8, Sevilla

The Corralones... How come I was the last to know?

As the writer of a blog uncovering what's bubbling underneath Sevilla's social radar, I should know more than most about what's hot and what's not in town. So I've surprised myself with how long it has taken me to cotton onto the Corralones in Calle Castellar, just five minutes walk from the Setas. I'd heard various murmurings from my handful of chums who'd nonchalantly dropped into conversation that they'd ended there until 5am on various booze filled evenings, but apart from some pre-Feria Sevillanas classes in a dance studio last year, I'd never fully experienced the full force of the Corralones magic.

But inevitably it would only be a matter of time before I found myself staggering around the dark recesses of  this well trodden cobbled courtyard, peering into the raggle taggle collection of lock ups that open their doors every night to transform themselves from artists studios and rehearsal spaces into illicit drinking establishments. The first night I went I was mesmerised by the music being played in Casa Senegal one of the only places that is actually a bonafide bar. Like all the places it's tiny, and on the night in question it was rammed with a sea of swaying bodies who like me were spellbound by the hypnotic rhythms emanating from the tight band of musicians playing some of the most curious and exotic instruments I'd ever seen. From time to time some crazy African style break dancing would spontaneously erupt much to the enjoyment of an already enraptured crowd who occasionally and far less sure footedly joined in.


Just a few doors up another African venue was rammed with more pulsating bodies, this time moving en masse to the beats of a group of African drummers. Anyone who knows me has heard my regular Seville gripe about the infrequent opportunities to really dance in this city, and when I say dance I mean speaker hugging, heart thumping, bass line pounding dancing, but this came pretty close. And without any additional help, I was in ecstasy.

But that's not where the fun ends. The Corralones is like a mini festival. On the nights I've been there's been at least four different live music acts playing from the different venues, and it's not just the old favourites who regularly play the Sevilla live music circuit. I've seen some young, talented musicians who more than tip their hats at the UK music scene, some amazing funk, blue grass, in fact pretty much every musical permutation going.

But that's not the half of it. The magic of the Corralones is the pure random bizarreness of it all. Take Maria Luisa Toledo purveyor of second hand Feria dresses, beer, tinto de verano and beef burgers. Yes I kid you not. Last time I was there, I came away with a dress for this year's Feria (yet to be taken in and let down by Maria Luisa's own fair hands), a bottle of Cruz Campo, but not a burger, though I did come pretty close to some raw meat whilst trying on a few frilly numbers behind the rickety, latticed partition. Previously only stationed on the infamous Calle Feria Thursday flea market, this is Maria Luisa´s key moment of the year, in which she caters for the pre-Feria frenzy currently hitting the entire female population of Seville, many of who have been on an ´Operación Feria´ diet for months. And fear not if you don´t want to fork out a fortune on your own bespoke number, you can hire a dress for the week at a mere snip of 50 Euros, which she will especially adjust to your measurements.

You see the Corralones have always been a hive of entrepreneurial activity. Back in the 17th Century it housed hostelry (now a school), followed by stables for the horses of the Duchess of Alba and upholsterers for the carriages they pulled, and as four wheels replaced four legs, in moved the car mechanics, and just 30 years ago the Semana Santa craftsmen. Right now it's a hot bed for creative talent where metal workers, sculptors and painters rub shoulders with Flamenco dancers, jazz musicians and African dance students.

It's exciting, there's a real palpable buzz that fills the whole place, especially at night where it feels anything could happen. I just hope it doesn't become a victim of its own success. The last time I was there my heart sank for the neighbours on Calle Castellar who must be driven insane by revellers who for some unknown reason were hanging out on the street rather than being inside the Corralones where the sound carries less. Not surprising then that the police are regular visitors to clamp down on the unregulated party antics. But with a little bit of luck, the magic will continue, as with springtime almost here, we will soon herald in the warm, balmy evenings of the long, summer months to come.

The Corralones, Calle Castellar 52

Second hand Flamenco dresses to buy and hire - Maria Luisa Toledo, Taller 4, Tel 608347843

http://corralonesdeartesanoscentrodesevil.blogspot.com.es/2011/10/en-el-corralon-de-castellar-encotraras.html

Sidonia and Duo Tapas: you need never go anywhere else

Dining out in Seville can be a bit hit and miss. Find yourself too close to the tourist spots and more than likely you´ll be faced with underwhelming morsels at over the top prices. As a tourist back in 2008, my first taste of Seville´s much lauded cuisine left me rather non-plussed, so it has been a gradual and pleasant surprise that there is delicious, modern culinary delights available at very economical prices.

Of late, it´s almost impossible to drag me away from my two favourite haunts on Calle Calatrava, Sidonia and Duo Tapas, which are run by the same owners and share many of the same dishes on their menus. I´d always preferred Sidonia, I say always, I only discovered it six months ago, despite living in the Alameda for almost two  years. It´s a long and narrow tapas bar, that´s decked out in a brightly lit modern style with various over sized kitchen implements serving as decoration or light fittings. For me Sidonia has it all, a really interesting menu that caters to all tastes, successfully and fearlessly drawing on influences from outside  Andalucia, and, they have Sergio. Sergio seems to be the main man on the restaurant floor, and has the perfect mix of genuine charm, utter efficiency and a can-do attitude that makes him worth his weight in gold (particularly in Sevilla where waiting staff often rank off the scale on the grumpometer scale).

 Stand out dishes for me are the Gnocchi in a Gorgonzola sauce, the king prawn capirotes (aping the pointy hoods worn by the Nazarenes in the Easter processions) and the Tataki de Atun, with the tuna seared to a rare perfection. I´m not a meat eater, but I´m reliably informed that the meat dishes do not disappoint either. And then there are the desserts, which are all so deliciously tempting, it´s often impossible which one to choose. Recently I´ve been opting for the Copa de Limon, which is taste bud tangling mixture of lemon flavours and textures, but light enough not to require the loosening of belts at the end of the meal. And you won´t have to loosen your wallet too much either. I usually find that I have change from 10 Euros when eating at Sidonia, including drinks, which by anyone´s standards is tremendous value for top notch food.

But last weekend, with a friend staying from London, and having already been to Sidonia for lunch, we found ourselves at Sidonia´s younger sibling, Duo Tapas, just a few doors down the road. The menu at Duo Tapas has a very similar feel to that of Sidonia, but the restaurant itself is much bigger with a busy, buzzing atmosphere. Because of this there´s a tendency for much larger groups of people to dine there and I think that´s why in the past I´d always found it to be a little impersonal, but on this occasion we were served by a really delightful Italian girl, who took great care in advising us on our wine choices and generally made us feel utterly looked after. 

So once again folks, I´ve come to the conclusion that the Alameda is in fact the centre of the known universe, or at a universe known by me. I mean, practically on my doorstep, I have two of the most reliably enjoyable and reasonably priced eating establishments in Seville. Life doesn´t get much better.

Sidonia, Calle Calatrava 16, Alameda, Sevilla

Duo Tapas, Calle Calatrava 10. Alameda Sevilla

Old favourite comes good

Regular readers of my blog will know how I like to make insightful observations about the idiosyncrasies of the local folk of Seville. It´s easy to do because Seville has the strongest identity of any place I´ve ever visited, and often it´s the Seville way or the highway.

One little foible that´s had me flummoxed from the very start, is the unwavering loyalty to a particular drinking establishment. This sounds like a good thing right? But it can be maddenly frustrating, as every week it´s the same thing, in the same place, talking about the same old things, particularly when there´s a whole city to be discovered.


One group of friends (you know who you are) could be found without fail outside Alameda drinking hole Sonoro every Friday and Saturday night. It got to become a bit of a running joke, but one I wasn´t really in on, as from outside Sonoro was just like any other bar. And along with most Sevillanos, my grupito de amigos, only ventured inside to get buy their beverage of choice. So I just didn´t really get it.

Since starting this blog, I´ve found myself doing my damnedest to try out new exciting places, so Sonoro and I had sort of parted company. Until last night that is, when we had a timely and emotional reunion, kissed and made up and put any bad feeling behind us. The thing is, and this is what I´d forgotten, Sonoro is kind of cool. It looks and sounds like a proper bar, the lighting is interesting (by Seville standards), and there´s usually some fairly decent house music being played, plus the clientele is the kind of polysexual  and cultural melting pot that for me always ticks the boxes. But folks, you´ve got to hang out inside to find out, and now´s the time to do it as Sonoro is the perfect place to dodge the deluging downpours, and the early March chilly evenings. And then when spring comes and the balmy evenings return, you all have my full permission and indeed blessing to resume the default position of sipping cervecitas and Tinto de Verano outside on the street.

Cafe Sonoro, Calle Vulcano 7, Alameda de Hercules, Sevilla