Mental Meanderings: Seville, Spain

Meanderings

Feb 6

MENTAL MEANDERINGS IS OUR ONGOING SERIES FOR ALL OF US WHO PROBABLY CAN’T HOP ON A PROPELLER PLANE TO BORNEO THIS WEEKEND BUT STILL NEEDS TO SATISFY OUR CHRONIC WANDERLUST.

We highlight a city somewhere around the world and give you all of the pieces you need to close your eyes and have a little 10-minute vacation. We hope you’ll be inspired to watch a movie, listen to a new song, pick up a book by a new author, or try cooking a new dish for dinner that brings a far-off corner of the world into your living room for a bit.

Happy daydreams!

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN GET A TASTE OF THE CITY, AND BRING IT INTO YOUR HOME…

LISTEN

Some cities have music in their soul. Seville is one of those cities. Walk among the back alleys and you’ll soon hear the haunting strains of Flamenco. After all Seville is the birthplace of Flamenco. The world is better for it!

When we say Flamenco, we are talking about the song, the dance, and the guitar. Flamenco actually is a gracious, elegant and passionate form of expression, steeped in history. It just might be the most mysterious and emotional kind of music there is. In our book the master of Flamenco guitar is Paco de Lucia. Sit back, close your eyes, listen. For a moment you’ll be transported.

If you are passing through Seville, whether you are interested in this type of dance and music or not, you must take an hour or two to visit a local tablao and watch a real Flamenco performance. You never, know, it might change your life. But don’t wait, watch this documentary. It’s a great primer.

READ

WATCH

One of the most interesting things to us about Spain as a country is how widely varied the culture and soul of different regions and cities really are. Our movie pick this week, Ocho Apellidos Vascos, is a fun look at that clash, as a Sevillian man tries to woo a girl from the northern Basque region. It’s a great look into the city, and the balance between cultures.

EAT
The history of sangria is pretty straightforward. Over 2,000 years ago the Romans made their way through the Iberian Peninsula and planted vineyards along the way. As water at that time was considered unsafe for drinking, it was common to fortify it with alcohol to kill off any bacteria. The first sangria were likely heavily watered down mixes of wine, water, and herbs and spices. saying that, the easiest way to think of modern day sangria is as a wine punch, often involving fruit and other alcohols. But it is important to note that there is no standard recipe here in Spain. It is a complex drink and many people have different ideas as to what should be in it. Give it a go!