So many to choose from – that is the only problem…
Accommodation Options:
Women Travel the World websites lists 6 options in the South of Spain – from the fabulous women only Diva Espana (I have stayed there, and would gladly have stayed longer) to a new listing near Almeria that offers horse riding as part of the package. Search
Tour Options
The Women Travel the World website Tour Calendar lists tours for women – most of them are women only and cater especially for women travellers. There are walking, writing courses, painting, horse riding, and riding and writing courses
Women Tour Companies
What are we waiting for….
You are still on time to join Women on Tour on a very special break in the sun. We’ll be spending a few days relaxing, learning useful writing tips and enjoying the sunny Andalucian countryside. Read more
We are in Santiago – the end point of pilgrimage for upwards of 115,000 each year who travel from all over Europe, mostly walking 100-1000 km.
Today we attended the midday Pilgrim’s Mass at the Cathedral, which is held every day. The place is packed – standing room only. Some pilgrims have just arrived and carry their staff and backpack, others have had a shower, but you can generally pick them – cargo pants, open faces, expectant and somehow also content and expectant. Read more
Anquish
Passion
Rhthym
Longing
Desire
What an extraordinary experience Tablao El Arena was – it took my breathe away. This is not music you play in the background for a dinner party, this is passion and pain undiluted and yearning for release.
Much like a Karanga or a Haka in New Zealand, or a Negro Spiritual – it seems to me that it sums up the deep longing and desire of a people to be free. You feel it in your stomach and it touches your heart and you are drawn into the experience to share it and wonder at it.
The Lonely Planet had an great intro to Flamenco that made me realise that in its purest and most traditional form it is a long cry from the gentle background guitar music that I enjoy or even from the sexual charged Tango we see on Dancing with the Stars.
Not that there is anything wrong with these forms, but we were keen to touch the energy of its more original form. On the advice of others we booked into Tablao El Arenal in central Seville. There was a show at 8pm and one at 10pm and you could arrive early and dine or have tapas. We have still not got used to eating at 10pm spanish time, so booked the early show. Our tapas and show meal cost E55 per person and was worth every penny.
Flamenco is a trinity of arts – song, dance and music that developed first among the Roma people in Andalucia, with influences from India. The original form was Cante Jondo – a tortured lament that grew from their marginalisation.
When I was in NZ, I thought of Spain as one thing “Spain”. But the truth is that each of the regions of Spain have their own unique distinct history, language and culture. I was aware of this when I was in Barcelona and the distinct culture of Catalunya.
Andalucia is very different – with its strong connections with Moorish Africa, the origin of Flamenco, its strong bandit culture and in Antequera the amazing remains of old Megalithic tombs – the Dolmen dating back to 2000/2500BC. Similar to sites in the UK and New Grange in Ireland – these extraordinary structures defy the imagination. Read more
