Author: Greg

First days in the new hometown

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I stepped off the plane in Saskatoon a little over a week ago, dragged two full suitcases to a taxi, and about fifteen minutes later (the proximity of the airport to downtown is a major plus compared to Halifax!) I was in my temporary apartment and unpacking.  My first days included the mundane details of setting up a life in a new city, but I also set aside a fair chunk of time for some exploring before I started my new job.

First things first – Saskatoon is a very picturesque city.  Those trails along the river will be seeing a lot of me:

Saskatoon skyline

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La Giralda: Seville from above

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Seville is a stunningly beautiful city.  From the ground, especially in the Santa Cruz barrio, the tangle of streets and narrow lanes going in all directions makes for visual drama the likes of which I haven’t seen on my travels to date.  All those tight streets, though protection against the searing heat of southern Spanish summers, can leave you with a closed in perspective on the city.  To get above it, for a wider lens view of Seville, you have two primary choices – the Metropol Parasol, and for my money, the superior views from La Giralda, the bell tower of the Seville Cathedral.

After touring the cathedral on an on and off rainy afternoon, we scaled the tower just as some ominous clouds were approaching the city.  From about half way up the tower we could see there were only a few minutes until another downpour:

View from La Giralda, Seville

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Living off tapas in Seville

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In my perfect universe, every meal would be tapas style.  Small dishes, lots of sampling and experimenting, sharing – these form my idea of how to eat.  I’ve already written about a week’s worth of eating in Madrid where every single meal we had outside of our apartment was tapas style.  Well, we continued that trend for our time in Seville too.

On our third night in Seville, we started the night at Bar Alfalfa.  It’s a compact place with the noise of conversations filling the high, arching ceilings.  We were lucky to find a table along the windows on a rainy night.  The draw for us here was their gluten-free friendliness allowing my wife a few more ordering options than at other places.  That alone would put a smile on her face, but on this night, a man at the bar with his pet bird on his shoulder made her, and everyone smile:

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Slowly becoming Sevillanos

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Being in Spain last fall was a lesson in slowing down. Seville in particular was the perfect backdrop for a slower paced vacation. So while we made the rounds in Seville – a soccer match, some flamenco, the Plaza de Toros and the Metropol Parasol to name a few – a lot of my favourite memories are from fairly pedestrian activities and from just savouring being in Seville.

On our first night in the city, after leaving a flamenco show, we swung by our apartment, picked up some drinks and snacks, and headed for the Plaza del Salvador.

Iglesia del Salvador

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Late night soccer in Seville

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When you think of Spain it doesn’t take too long going down the list of cultural touchstones until you reach the beautiful game.. fútbol.  So while I would want to go to a match simply for the pure enjoyment of watching the sport, I also wanted to experience this important Spanish slice of life while I was in Seville.

The city has two teams – FC Sevilla, the more accomplished and decorated side, and Real Betis, the city’s “second” team that has struggled throughout its history.  Real Betis is known to have some of the most loyal supporters in Spain, even drawing huge crowds when they bounce down to the country’s second division, a place they were as recently as the previous season.  But this year, they ascended back into La Liga, and on a Saturday night in October, were taking on RCD Espanyol.  With a little help from our Airbnb host back in Madrid, we obtained tickets for the match, and were among the first people through the gates when they opened at the Estadio Benito Villamarín.

Inside Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville

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Las Setas de la Encarnación

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After visiting the world famous bullring, the Plaza de Toros, the next stop on our first afternoon in Seville was decidedly less steeped in history and tradition.  In fact, Sevillanos are split in their opinion of the newest architectural icon in the city: contemporary artistic landmark or unsightly blight crammed in alongside traditional centuries-old buildings.   Me?  I loved it.   

The Metropol Parasol is known locally as Las Setas de la Encarnación: the “mushrooms of Encarnación” on account of the six parasols of the structure resembling giant mushrooms. Back in 2004 the city of Seville decided to redevelop a public square which had sat dormant since the mid 1970s.   Designed by German architect Jürgen Mayer, one of the main design ideas behind the structure was to create shade, a precious commodity in Seville.   The structure is the world’s largest made of wood to be held together by glue.  Yes, glue.

Metropol Parasol in Seville

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Take any turn on a dime

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For most of my nearly 42 years, I have called Halifax home.  I had lived long enough in Ottawa and Toronto to have collected postal mail, and spent time living out of a suitcase on extended work stays in St. John’s and Philadelphia.  But on each of those occassions I knew I was coming back to Halifax at some point in the not too distant future.  That’s not the case for this one.  My wife and I are packing up our home and with exciting opportunities and adventures ahead,  I will be saying goodbye to Halifax and hello to somewhere I never would have dreamed I’d be heading – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

And yes, I am fully aware of how cold it gets there in the winter.

Saskatoon

When an opportunity presented itself to continue my career at the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, my first stop was to read Saskatoon’s Wikipedia page to start some rapid research.  All I knew of Saskatchewan was its stereotypes – lots of wheat, Corner Gas jokes, “the easiest province to draw”, Roughriders!, and the cold.  Even as I embark on this adventure, I don’t really know that much about my new home.  I’ve spent a scant five days in Saskatoon.  It made a very favourable first impression, but there’s lots to learn and experience and that’s part of what has me excited about this move.

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Bullring or bullfight

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Prior to our trip to Spain, I really struggled with the question of whether or not to attend a bullfight.  We had a chance to see a major end of the season event in Madrid, and when I travel, I’m usually all in to experience a slice of unique culture.  On one hand, bullfighting still holds a special place in the hearts of many in Spain. This was a chance to see something truly Spanish, and at its most prestigious and highest level. Part sport, part art, part spectacle, there was something very appealing in an opportunity to experience this part of the world through an event so entrenched in its culture, even if it may not appeal to my Canadian senses. But on the other hand, I love animals (though, conflicted, still eat them) and don’t think I could bear watching six bulls be killed over a two hour period.  It was a once in a lifetime type opportunity, but I wasn’t sure I had the stomach for it.

A few weeks before leaving, I decided against seeing the bullfight (to the telling relief of everyone who knows me well), and opted instead to visit the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla to see one of the most decorated bullrings in the world.   Shortly after arriving in Seville by train from Madrid, my wife and I walked up to the gates of the Baroque styled amphitheatre and purchased tickets for one of the scheduled tours.

Plaza de Toros in Seville

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