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Many still do if their houses were not affected or they had the money to do them up after the flood. Some caves are very basic, no electricity or water and these days are inhabited by drunks and euro hippies, the locals call them black feet as they dont wash. Other caves have all the amenities and, as they put up a 'front' on the caves from the outside they look like normal houses. Other caves are turned into bars and flamenco tabloas. Various members of the Habichuela family still have many caves there. The caves can go deep into the hill and have many rooms as you can see if you go to any of the Flamenco tablaos there.
One christmas day Harold and I took some friends up to the top of the Sacromonte to watch the sunset and were invited into a very basic cave with straw on the floor and animals lying around. Juan and his wife were just 16 and had come from Valencia to look for work/housing. They had just had a baby who was there lying on the straw. It was scene straight out of a nativity play.
Juan and his family have since been rehoused in Almanjayar and they were very happy about that, as were the gitanos who were rehoused back in the 70s, at the time preferring modern apartments to cave living. Of course now that caves on the Sacromonte can command 300,000 euros or more with their fabulous views of the city and Alhambra below I know people in Almanjayar who regret their families did not stay there.
One of these days will go up there and take photos to post on the foro for every one to see.
recently i saw a documentary about gypsies in hungary and romania, and i would guess (just guess) that those "poligonos" i saw in that docu are a good deal worse than anything in spain or elsewhere. those were really unhuman conditions.
recently i saw a documentary about gypsies in hungary and romania, and i would guess (just guess) that those "poligonos" i saw in that docu are a good deal worse than anything in spain or elsewhere. those were really unhuman conditions.
Absolutely right there, the Cale Gypsies in Spain, as hard as many of their lives are and although there is still a lot of prejudice, have far better living conditions than the Roma Gypsies in Hungary or Romania. Only a few years back a Romanian Government Minister said the Gypsies there were sub human which quite rightly attracted outrage. Whilst there is still prejudice in Spain and still poverty amongst the Gitanos there are also Gitanos in all walks of life who are integrated and have been settled for centuries. There is a vast difference between the Roma and the Cale and no love lost between them either.
arash i remember all those places , just terrific! some duende all around that city, i remember taking an loaned Alhambra 7fc modelo and sitting up the top of the old albacin and well..........just breathing ,strumming a few chords, look over granada and think........lifes good
then go out to a pena and drink too much , next day not so good !! hehe
Ambulances or Fire Brigade won't go to certain areas without a Police escort
we talking of nth Ireland now ?
actually Ron seriously the crime is on the up here, just 3 nights a go a group 10 youths, , pretended they were police trying to smash the door in , ended up throwing a brick through the window, and ran off (house across the way, watched it all.
and going out one night with my lady, beer in hand , and a bunch (4 lads) said give m all your money, i said no way jose!, then they said we are not joking, then i spoke to them in another language and said must go...........draggin a petrified lady with me, but i gave them my beer
but regardless i love the north of England here, the locals are fantastic
In an art form, I see absolutely no place for violence. If he got a knife in his ribs then not because of flamenco
You are right. I wasnt trying to suggest that flamenco artists are violent but I was suggesting that being loudmouthed, disrespectful and arrogant in a Gypsy poligono or shanty is a bad idea that can get you into trouble and certainly wont help you make friends. Im sorry you found the story discusting. I meant it to be a reality check. Going into dodgy places where the police dont go and acting inapropriately is dangerous. Personally I wouldnt dream of going into unemployed, run down neighbourhood in Chicago, saying that I was a better rap artist than snoop dogg and then shout racist abuse at the locals. It would be fair to say there is a danger of getting shot. Thats not a prejudice comment, or a stereotypical way of thinking....its a reality. The same is true in the poligonos. I've been lots of times with friends who have been really kind and shown me the areas and offered me food, drink and the chance to participate in juergas with their families and I have never had any problems. Saying that I have always been very respectful of where I am and been honoured to see ways of life that a lot of people never get to see.
My comments were supposed to be helpful. If you are lucky enough to get the chance to see real flamenco in those environments...drop the attitude, be humble and dont insult the artists. Its common sense. The consequences of upsetting people in those situations is much more serious, thats all i was trying to say.
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Fortunately, where I live, the flamenco scene is much broader than in Granada and you dont have to expose yourself to this kind of behaviour
Personally I wouldnt dream of going into unemployed, run down neighbourhood in Chicago, saying that I was a better rap artist than snoop dogg and then shout racist abuse at the locals.
Jeez Pim!
That's almost as risky as going into a Rangers pub with a Celtic scarf on!
your right pimi thats holds true anywhere id say, also interesting to read some stories.
pimi - i just realized you transcribe the zapateado im looking at great stuff!
pi yeah Ron i went through Nth Ireland with a friend they told me all the history and all about how they had special police vechicals , and that the locals were segregated and lots of sh ite was going on , i still vaguely remember it on the news.
Ok thanks that's interesting do you know where this is filmed? The two movies i seen by Tony Gatlif they play mainly Rumbas are these from the Polignos?
Hello everyone, I'm Zuz, Evan's agent. I am uploading videos to youtube right now. Evan made a ton.
Zuz
Oh dear, it's the old Prof. Diaz trick. Evan, you are banned for adopting three different identities to deceive the forum, in contravention of the reasonable agreement you signed up to.
A pathetic example to all foreign guitarists who have lived in Spain, like me.
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so there will be no video's I guess 
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