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OTHERLANDS: Spain [Recap]

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Spain Stamp.png
 

Our travels kicked off in September 2019 with six weeks in the Iberian Peninsula. During our time living in Valencia, Spain, we had the chance to do some exploring but hadn’t yet made it to Andalucía or Galicia as a family, so that is where our Otherlands journey begins.

(Can’t wait for content? Jump down for musical collaboration videos, links to more blog posts, photo albums, and playlists on Spotify of flamenco and Galician music. Click on city names to view them on a map.)

Our first two days were spent in Granada where we made sure not to miss the spectacular Alhambra before leaving Spain. We then headed west to Seville, settling down for two weeks in an apartment and trying to find a new rhythm to life: homeschooling, practicing, exploring this beautiful city, and searching out flamenco.

Next stop: Galicia, the northwestern corner of Spain. One week was spent at a seaside apartment without wifi(!) in Cangas (across the bay from Vigo) before moving to a more remote country home near Ponte Caldelas. Our daily rhythm continued to find its way, and this time I was searching out Galician music.

By the end of our time in Spain, I had collected materials from 5 musical collaborations, taken hundreds of photos, had great conversations with local musicians, and put together a nice playlist of new music. So much had already happened that we needed a bit of time to process (and one more place we wanted to see), so we ditched our rental car and took a train south to Lisbon, Portugal. By day we worked and schooled, by evening we explored. Rather than talk more about the places we visited, I invite you to check out the photo albums below.

Photography

Click the image below to view photo albums on Facebook. Additional photography available on Instagram.

I left my family in Lisbon for a few days and flew to Tampere, Finland for the WOMEX conference where I heard fantastic music from around the world, jammed, and started planting seeds for upcoming parts of our trip. We reunited at the Dublin airport for a new chapter, beginning in Galway, Ireland.

I’m loving this new life with them…new cultures, the sights, the tastes, and of course, the sounds. Starting out by exploring a country we were already familiar with has made the transition a bit easier. Molly, Emmette, and I are growing as people and together as a family. Our extended family of friends continues to extend, thanks in no small part to music. When we leave places, we miss the people and the place. This is a good sign, and I hope it continues.

To follow along as Otherlands unfolds, Subscribe to YouTube, Like the Facebook, or Follow on Instagram. As always, thanks for tuning in and please share the music and trip with others who might enjoy the ride.

Big hugs from Ireland,

Casey

Collaborations

#1 • “Tientos Tangos” with Ricardo Bustamante [Torrente, Spain] • Read the blog post

#2 • “Elzic’s Farewell” with Javi Gómez [Sevilla, Spain] • Read the blog post

#3 • '“A Miña Burriña” with Xosé Liz & Hugo Franco [Ponte Caldelas, Spain] • Read the blog post

#4 • “Muiñeira de Negros / Noitebrega” with Begoña Riobo [Ponte Caldelas, Spain] • Read the blog post

#5a • “K” with Anxo Pintos [Ponte Caldelas, Spain] • Read the blog post

#5b • BONUS VIDEO: Anxo Pintos explains the Zanfona (Hurdy Gurdy)

 

LISTEN (spotify playlists)

Here’s a small selection of flamenco and Galician music that was compiled by way of recommendation or personal searching while preparing for my OTHERLANDS: Spain trip. It’s not intended to be anything close to a comprehensive representation of either style. I just thought it would be fun to give you an idea of what I was listening to and what I enjoy. I hope you hear something interesting and it sends you down new paths. Happy listening!

GALICIA

FLAMENCO

Stay tuned for all the same goodies from my travels in Ireland.

Cheers!

 

Casey Driessen