Cordoba and Sevilla

22, 23 de mayo cordoba to sevilla

I am going to backtrack here…
I am in Seville now. Staying at my second couch surf here with a musician named Antonio. I don’t think I could be more fortunate. Empezo el duende. I feel like I have officially arrived in Spain mentally and spiritually. Last night I stayed at a very nice hostel a block from the cathedral, “El Picasso”. I met some really nice Italianos and they told me about “La Carboneria” where they play Flamenco for the tourists. When I spoke to Antonio on the phone, he told me he would be singing there before the Flamenco show, so I thought how perfect, I will meet my host in Sevilla and then see the show…I arrived with Fedele and Claudio and there was Antonio, singing. What a voice, wow. He smiled at me (as he recognized me from the photos on couchsurfing) as we walked through to see the flamenco show in the back room. I instantly liked him. In the crowded back room, we watched Rocio (the dancer) and a singer and guitarist perform…she had to keep silencing the crowd who obviously didn’t understand Flamenco…The word I have for this woman’s dancing is *Vicious*. She attacked the crowd with her footwork and at the end of every marcando she stayed in pose and slowly dropped her arms to her side as she gazed fiercely beyond the audience. I was right up front so I absorbed the power they projected very intensely. My skin was chilled to the bone and my ears cracking with palmadas (clapping compas), marcando of her footwork, and mournful singing from el cantante…

The Italiano Federe and I walked all over town until 3 a.m.…he taught me some Italian (which I repeated poorly as he shook his head at me) and he practiced his English. I taught him phrases like “I wouldn’t want to meet her in a dark alley” and “holy shit” (which apparently I say often). We formed a pretty great friendship in this time and continuously laughed and teased each other. The concept that has struck me deeply already about Sevilla is the musical atmosphere here; the sounds of both the constant church bells and the hoofs of the horses on the cobblestones. For example, I was clapping a basic compas rhythm for fede and I noticed the horses walk got synchronized with my clapping and it was a moment of “ah ha” - these rhythms come from things around us and flamenco felt like less of a mystery for a moment there…It has completely taken me and I havn’t felt this connection with a new culture/music since my first trip to Cuba. You know when something gets in deeply to your soul because these aren’t everyday experiences, but they are lasting for sure, as they take you on a certain undeniable and irresistible course.

So here I am in Sevilla at the casa de Antonio. We just had a drinks and tapas and talked about life, careers in the arts, the flamenco culture and authenticity, etc and I feel so completely at home, like we recognize each other rather instantly. He is warm and beautiful, and a deep thinker.

Let me backtrack to Cordoba which was my first Andalucian experience and my first couchsurf here. I arrived in the train station and walked down to the Plaza de Correderas. This was the main plaza for Roman social gatherings back in the day and there were many mosaics that were excavated from here. These mosaics were mostly representations of the mythology, i.e. stories about Medusa, Psyche, etc…and they are on display in the Alcazar, the home of the Christian Kings, where the Inquisition had its’ home and where they planned the attack on Granada. This fortress also housed Isabella and Ferdinand who were the head haunchos in the Inquisition to convert all the Arabs to Catholicism. They sent Christopher Columbus out on the famous voyage of 1492 that we all know so much about. Go get that GOLD! (Which adorned every corner of the Cathedral). The Mezquita (Mosque) is the biggest monument here and why tourists come to visit. It has been a Roman temple, a Visigothic Church, a Mosque during the 800 year occupation of the Moorish rulers when it was known as Al-Andalus, and it has been embellished by Catholic Cathedral architecture including the rococo style and gothic style. It’s the Heinz 47 of religious buildings…240,000 square feet. It pretty much takes your breath away. Then there is the Jewish neighborhood which has whitewashed buildings surrounding narrow winding alleys and filled with beautiful flowers and patios. It’s quite dreamy. I met Rafael (the patron saint of Cordoba) while I was doing weird self portraits on my camera under the Roman bridge. He actually ended up in the background of the photos b/c he was up on the bridge watching this strange tourist take pictures. He came down to meet me out of curiosity and we spent some time walking around the city. He had just returned from India where he studied Tabla. I am a big musician magnet, lucky me! So, I had to run and meet my lovely hosts, Brittany and Alvaro for tapas and beer so we parted ways. It is so easy to meet people here. People are very gregarious and cordial. I had a great time with Brittany, who I adored, and she was quite helpful and I had my own room! It was a most delightful start to my Andalucian adventure.

The biggest challenge so far has been the “break in” period. This is the letting go of ties to home (oliver especially), learning a new language, reorienting oneself to a new manner of how things are done both culturally (i.e. when to eat, how to greet) and systematically (i.e. catching a train, using the phone), and lastly getting used to living out of a bag and in a new place every night or so. I feel like this period has now ended for me and I have settled into the travel/adventure spirit. Ah yes, I made it across. Now I can really enjoy on a deeper level. This is why I am here, after all.

24 (Sunday) Mayo
Last night was a true cultural experience. I went with Antonio to his gig in Carmona, a pueblo just outside of Sevilla. The group was playing what he called “Flamenco pop”, which is the more upbeat, less mournful variety (i.e. Sevillanas , Rumbas). The trip theret reminded me of a part in the movie Latcho Drom where they drive all over to individually pick up all the musicians for the gypsy band. There were 4 gitanos sevillnos and 3 puro sevillanos. The way you could tell the gypsies apart from the others was by their fancy jewelry, slick shoes, their interest in the culos of the girlies. But mostly, by "el duende"...the damn good music. As soon as we reached Carmona we just asked people on the street where it was and then the search began….We arrive, they set up and the music gets started really by about 1. Amazing, fantastic…I couldn’t stop smiling and I was having a hard time sitting. The locals danced only to Sevillanas in couples, which was cool to watch. Most people smoked drank and clapped the compas. I finally got up for some rumbas and pretty much did Flamenco Salsa. Dranks a lot of red wine and we got back to the casa around 5 am. This was my favorite night so far b/c I am here for the music. I am realizing that just sight-seeing is pretty hard for me. I am in awe of the beauty, history, culture, etc but really I just want to be dancing…I am going to have to arrange a class soon. Today we ran out of Antonios casa to see a actuacion on the street, a procession of Christ on the cross with the burning incense, thefancy outfits, and full band. It is a spectacle and it gave me a taste of what Semana Santa is like here in April. For an entire week there are 8-10 processions a day of ancient figures from the churches held up on a platform by 20 men and surrounded by musicians, clergy, and an entire cast of ceremonial figures. The traditions here are so rich and everyone is part of the culture citywide. The mood is pretty serious and profound and all the symbols come to life during these rituals. Pretty cool stuff really. Antonio gave me a brief education on the subject and then I came back to see more history today. Also we had tapas in his barrio, San Vicente , near the Alameda de Hercules and Jesus del Gran Poder, and I now have a new favorite tapa, paella. This neighborhood felt the most authentic Sevilla, as there were few tourists and the locals were all out watching the circus, doing church activities and having big Sunday meals and paseos around the neighborhood. Antonio went to see his family and I walked around the public parks here which are complete with fountains, pools, terraces, and playgrounds. I spent a few hours in the Alcazar here which is a palace unlike anything I have ever seen….Immense (the photos can tell the story). I sat down and realized I have only been in Spain for 1 week…A very full week. I havn’t yet had an 8 hour sleep, and I am getting really skinny from walking everywhere and not eating enough. I have been absorbing vast amounts of information and I feel totally saturated by discovery and knowledge. Right now I am sitting in a shady park watching all the activity ….Ok, off to meet Antonio..
Monday 25 de mayo
So last night Antonio met me down in the center and we weaved around the Juderia (Jewish quarter)…officially the skinniest alleys I have ever seen…Very cool with old roman columns jutting out of nowhere and the ancient stone wheels for carts were placed right into the masonry on the walls…you could feel the age here. Every corner told a million stories. We saw another procession and I got some good video. We went to the roof of a hotel and looked at the view of the city. The ceramic tiles on the roofs were so colored with age, but were so well preserved. Buildings were made to last back in the day. We ate at a really cool place which was bullfight themed, complete with all the brand symbols of the competitors displayed in tiles, photos on the wall of famous bullfighters, and pig legs hanging on hooks over the bar. This was one of my favorite meals…A salad with chicken, pineapple ,kiwi, carrots, corn, and a sweet catalan-style dressing and “Gambas al Ajo” (small shrimp marinated in garlic and oil). I learned that when you dip bread in this oil it is called una barquito (little boat b/c it’s floating in the oil). Antonio told me some jokes b/c I’m trying to learn some Spanish jokes, but they aren’t sticking and I have yet to really “get” the humor…but I will keep trying (I did like the Jesus last supper joke….ask me and I’ll see what I can remember. Hint: sera yo?) We were both tired and decided to turn in early and I watched a Christopher Colombus documentary before falling deeply asleep. AND the best part EVER is that I woke up after dreaming in Spanish!! This is how you know the language is really taking root. Right now I am in the Train Station waiting for my train to Cadiz. I had the best possible stay in Sevilla and became very fond of Antonio…it felt like being with a very old longtime friend and we had a lot to share with each other. I got a little sad when I left this morning. I will miss him.