Andalusian culture

When you think of Andalusia you think of Flamenco, bull fighting, food and drinks.

Flamenco is a dance which was founded in the triangle Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera and Sevilla. There were many poor people in the 17^th and 18^th century and their life was filled with poverty, criminality, prostitution and alcohol. The people in this environment full of fire and sadness found their relief in passionate music. At first they would only sing and the singer would accompany him or herself by clapping a rhythm. Later the guitar and dance were added.

Bullfighting also found its origin in Andalucia and that's something you really notice as soon as you go to one fo the fight in cities like Sevilla. Lots of people join the festivities and are very enthusiastic about everything that happens in the arena. Of course bullfighting is very debatable. The people who support the fights see it as part of their culture and a true tradition. The ones who are against it think it is not fair to the bull and think that animals should not be killed for amusement.

 

Besides bullfighting and flamenco, there is also a rich tradition with regards to food and drinks. Most people have heard of tapas, but most of them might not realise that these little snacks find their origin in Andalusia. Literally “tapar” means “to cover” and a tapa was used to cover a drink to protect it for the flies. There are also explanations which say that a tapa was introduced by king Alfonso X, who was against binge drinking and set a rule that one could only drink alcohol when it was covered by some food. Pub owners found a way to comply to the rule by covering the glass with a piece of sausage. Now a days you can buy all kinds of tapas. When you are in Andalusia the best drink to accompany the tapas is a sherry. The original sherry comes from Jerez de la Frontera. Within the old city walls in the centre of this city you can find numerous bars Vinos de Jerez.

Together with everything mentioned in this blog the sherry forms the backbone of the Andalusian life. We can't wait to enjoy that life!!