Summertime in Sevilla is almost defined by these little phrases. Everyday people are commenting about the hot weather and the temperature. When I arrived here in Sevilla it was about 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit every day. Once it hit July, it has been about 95-105 degrees every day. This is a dry heat, the type of heat where you step outside and it feels like you are getting scorched by the sun or you walk in the street and it feels like hot air from an oven was just blown in your direction. It always surprises me that despite being native to Sevilla, and having experienced this weather in the past, the locals always comment on the temperature and mention “hace calor” or “que caló”. I would say that hace calor is almost as common as saying Hola (Hello). Okay, well maybe not that common but it definitely is slipped into just about every conversation.
Normally, I am not one to care about the weather or talk about it much because the weather is something we can’t change and we should embrace every season of the year. But the weather is worth discussing here in Sevilla because I have realized this hot, hot weather shapes the culture and the lifestyle of the people in Sevilla.
the sun shining bright behind the top of the Torre de oro (historic military tower along the river in Sevilla)
Due to the hot weather, the schedule of the whole city adjusts. Restaurants, shops, grocery stores, and pretty much any business is open in the morning from 8-2, shuts down for a couple hours, and then doesn’t open again till 6 and for most restaurants, 8pm. Adjustments are made such as my host mom usually does all her shopping in the morning. Once it starts getting past 2pm this seems to be the hottest time of the day and mostly everyone stays inside and enjoys what is known as “siesta” time. Half the time I still like to go outside at some point during siesta just to take a stroll or something. My host mom always asking where I am going and tells me to be careful of the sun…..Spaniards basically think you are crazy if you go out during this time of day. Some days are more deserted or more populated than others but most days if you were to go out into the streets during this time you would really wonder what happened, where are all the people? It’s almost like those intruder drills we would do in elementary school where all the students had to practice staying in the classroom and hide from the dangerous intruder on the school campus…..well everyone in Seville is usually in their house and hiding from the sun. On the weekends a lot of locals go to the beach and spend time along the beautiful coast of Spain to cool off.
I think that the siesta time is a big reason why Spain is so lively and active very late at night. A little rest in the afternoon and time to get things done means an extra boost of energy and time to socialize later when the temps drop a little. (It still stays about 85-90 until 12am but the sun just isn’t out). Since activities don’t really resume until 8pm then dinner can be around 10 and the streets stay busy till 12 or 1am. And on the weekends…..activity is happening until the wee hours and dance clubs and discos don’t close until 7am.
The hot sun is also a large reason why the streets are so narrow and the buildings are so close together. By designing the city this way, natural shade is created on the streets and it is a little cooler in the walkways between the buildings. It is not like this everywhere in Sevilla, the newer parts of the city have big streets with lanes for traffic in both directions. But in the older part of Sevilla (which is considered “el centro” or the center because it has all the restaurants and historic sites) streets are small and this natural shade is something to be thankful for when wandering through this part of Sevilla.
Walking through a narrow, shaded Sevilla Street
Shaded street and restaurant area around the corner from my house (the street to my house is very small, on the left, past the yellow building)
During my first week in Sevilla I remember thinking where is the grass? On my college campus and in my home town, there is usually always grass around the trees or alongside the sidewalks. But here is Sevilla it is usually just dirt, the kind that is tan and used for trails or walking pathways. The same dirt is used in the parks for all the walkways and around the jungle gyms for the kids. Grass can be found in the parks and one thing is for sure, Spaniards love their parks. Every city I have visited I have also visited their parks. The parks here are beautifully designed and landscaped with flowers and fountains and nice benches. I think that the parks almost resemble large botanical gardens. So anyway, there is grass in the parks but it is very hard to come by throughout the city. The landscape is a more like a desert because its difficult to maintain grass when the sun is shining for about 16 hrs a day. Growing grass is definitely not the best use of water since it would require a lot of water to keep grass alive. But I don’t really notice this lack of grass anymore and Sevilla has definitely made up for it with the beautiful landscaping of trees and plants throughout the city.
Park in Sevilla
detailed view of a park in Madrid—dirt/gravel walkway, fountain base, nicely trimmed hedges and a unique bird
With the strong sun it is not uncommon to see clothes hanging on a line outside to dry. The sun definitely helps with the laundry process. Clothes dry so quickly and you save electricity by not using a dryer machine for your clothes. I think Europe is commonly known for the image of clothes hanging on a line drying outside. At least for us in the United States this is an interesting site because most people never do this in the US. I realized that the reason why it is so common in Europe and at least in Spain is because clothes dry in probably about 20mins when they are put out in the sun. Who needs an electric dryer when you have mother nature? Most houses and apartment building have some type of patio or rooftop terrace. Especially with rooftop terraces where it is too hot to sit in the direct sunlight, this space is utilized for hanging laundry.
View from the top of the Cathedral bell tower in Sevilla—–notice the rooftops (in the direct sunlight) and you can even see a couple with rooftop terraces
On just about every menu in Sevilla you can find Gazpacho which is cold tomato soup. This might sound a bit unappealing since it is cold. But gazpacho is so delicious because it is made from fresh tomatoes. This light soup is perfect when you come home for lunch after class or after work. My host mom loves gazpacho and we usually have it 3-4 times a week. Many times after she makes it, she puts the big bowl in the fridge and puts ice cubes in it to make the soup extra cold. I think I am going to do another blog post about food but gazpacho is worth discussing twice because it is a common cuisine that nicely complements the hot weather. Also in the food category….”heladerias” or ice cream shops. There are so many of these in Sevilla, probably one ice cream place on every street. The ice cream here more closely resembles gelato but its not exactly like italian gelato but none the less, it is delicious. All the shops have the flavors displayed in long glass cases so you can see the flavors. When you are walking down the streets on a hot day…… the ice cream is just calling your name. The ice cream is churned out in big puffs like clouds and then drizzled or decorated with toppings. I always like the chocolates but the fruit flavors are so refreshing on a hot day. I am sure you can conclude why there are so many heladerias here…..who doesn’t like ice cream……and when its so hot…..no one is going to pass up a cold, sweet treat.
Gazpacho topped with some cheese and beet based Salmorejo (similar to gazpacho but thicker)
Gazpacho with chopped beets and sesame seeds
Ice Cream- flavors-rich chocolate and fig (the lighter color)
“Hace calor” can be difficult at times but it has its positives too. And there is no denying that the temperatures shape the culture and the lifestyle that Sevilla is known for. So for better or for worse, Sevilla wouldn’t be the same without this hace calor and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
A beautiful sunny day in Sevilla and a view of the bridge that crosses over the river
Location: Sevilla, Spain
One of the many unique, wooden doors in Seville. If you look closely, you might be able to see where the smaller door is within the large door.
