Both deeply Spanish and resolutely synthetic, the most proud region of the south of Spain embarks in a universe just for her. Warning: you are likely to want to come back.
A flamenco party
First, there is the place. It will have to be chosen on a human scale, so that the vibrations of the music take the Spanish passion until it touches our skin. Then there is the voice, rough and grated, like the surrounding landscapes. The voice carried by the dry guitar and the clapping of hands. And then appear the dancers, a man in Andalusian costume, the high waist highlight the camber, and the woman, between flower, giant butterfly or big bird of the islands. So we too can’t help but get up, raise the chin, push the shoulders back, and the space of singing, we are children of this country.
See the bulls
See the bulls in a Ganaderia, the farms where the fighting bulls are bred. One of the most prestigious is Miura, in the Zahariche fin-ca. It is said that the Miuros are the most dangerous, the most combative and the bravest of the lidia torsos. High on their legs and with impressive horns, they are somewhat aristocratic … and difficult to torment. Many bullfighters have paid the price: Pepete, killed in 1862 by Jocinero, El Espartero, killed in 1894 by Perdigón, Dominguín, killed in 1900 by Receptor, Manolete, killed by “Islero” in 1947, “Nimeno II”, very seriously wounded by “Panolero”, who ended his life in 1991 because he could no longer torment. When one sees their dark silhouette cut out on the blue of the sky, one finds them beautiful and placid.
Holy Week in Seville
That week, the heart of the entire city beats to that of the processions. The week starts on Palm Sunday, with the procession of the brotherhood Hermandad de La Borriquita. About 650 penitents, dressed in a tunic and the Capote, the large pointed hood, march to meet the procession. The peculiarity of these first Nazarene is that they are all children. Civilians and travelers, believers and non-believers live the processions by following them, or admire them while looking at them, making them a hedge of honor or, for the lucky ones, from the balconies of the buildings. This lasts until the following Sunday, during the resurrection of Christ.
The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
Alone, this sums up Andalusia. First Roman temple, the Visigoths made a church.Transformed into a mosque in the 8th century when Abd Al-Rahman I seized the city to create the emirate of Cordoba, it is then enlarged by three times, becoming the most beautiful achievement of the Omayyad in the city. As soon as Ferdinand III of Castle reconquered the place, he converted it into a church, keeping its architecture. She was then promoted to Cathedral. Today, some argue for it to become a place of worship interfaith. It would be a nice conclusion.
Grenade
It was the last stronghold of the Muslim kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. We understand that they clung to it: the situation is so beautiful, at the confluence of three rivers at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. They marked the city of the most beautiful jewels of the Islamic art of Al-Andalus: the palatial complex of the Alhambra, the summer Palis and the gardens of the Genera life … not wanting to be outdone, the Christians, from the time of the recapture, erected jewels such as the monastery of San Jeronimo or the Royal Chapel. A delight for travelers.
