Supremely elegant: an amazona in a traditional suit for riding side-saddle, at the Feria de Abril in Sevilla. Yes, I know it finished nearly a week ago, but I spent the last week catching up on all the work I…
Feria fashion: back to black
This year, Feria fashion has some interesting trends. The first is black – this isn’t a colour I’ve seen much in previous years, but this year there were a number of black trajes de flamenca. Maybe they’re a commentary on…
Expo 92, 20 years on
Today is the 20th anniversary of the opening day of the Exposicion Universal 1992. I wasn’t here for this momentous six-month event in Sevilla, a global cultural fiesta which welcomed representations from 111 countries, but I sure as hell wish…
How I know it’s spring
So spring started at 6.14am last Tuesday. Here’s how I know my favourite season of the year here in Seville has arrived. It’s all about smells, sounds and colour. Flowers: sweet-scented blossom everywhere – azahar, the orange blossom with pretty white…
The Andalucian-ness of Andalucians
Andalucians have a sense of local loyalty like noone I’ve ever encountered. They are fiercely proud of their Andalucian-ness, with famous cultural markers such as Moorish architecture, flamenco, bullfighting and Lorca inspiring the kind of adoration that borders on obsession. This sense…