A Dreamy Evening of Flamenco

Tom Jones (0:00)

Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios. To listen ad-free, access our entire catalogue of episodes and support the show directly. Check out our premium feed by going to getsleepy.com/support.

Now, a quick word from our sponsors. College football is back!

SPEAKER_2 (0:23)

Sir Hilton called on me, the Superstition Concierge, to make your fan rituals a reality. Need a room to match your lucky number?

Arif Hodzic (0:29)

We got you.

SPEAKER_2 (0:30)

Want to make sure our team doesn't wash your lucky jersey? Oh, that smells lucky.

Hilton's unmatched hospitality can keep up with any superstition. Even a marching band wake up call at 555 and 55 seconds.

Arif Hodzic (0:42)

Hit it!

SPEAKER_2 (0:44)

When you need a team that will do whatever it takes on game day, it matters where you stay.

Arif Hodzic (0:48)

Hilton, for this day.

SPEAKER_2 (0:51)

Propel Fitness Water. With Gatorade electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins, Propel hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self. What propels you?

Propel with Gatorade electrolytes.

Tom Jones (1:08)

Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and I'm your host. Tonight's story was written by Angela Wood and narrated by Arif. We're taking a relaxing trip to southern Spain, to the beautiful city of Seville, known in English as Seville. Here we'll see a traditional flamenco show. Flamenco is rooted in the hitano, or Spanish gypsy culture of Andalucía. It's a colorful and memorable spectacle, with vibrant costumes, foot-tapping and clapping, soulful songs and lilting guitar music. So, before we hear it, find whatever position feels right for you, and just spend a moment appreciating the comfort and coziness of your bed. Feel the areas of contact between your body and the mattress below. Notice where the weight of your body sinks a little deeper, the subtle movements of the breath in and out of your diaphragm. And starting at the top of your head, scan your attention through the body, acknowledging any sense of tension or unease as you go.

While you scan down through the face and neck and into the shoulders, feel free to pause should you find any tension lingering there. And if so, simply breathe deeply two or three times, inviting an essence of calm to wash over that tension.

Whenever you're ready, continue to scan through your body, down the arms and into the hands, then back into your torso, your chest and upper back, your stomach and lower back. If any tension arises, breathe the essence of calm into those areas.

Then, follow your focus through the hips, upper legs, the knees and the lower legs. Then into your ankles, the tops of your feet and the soles of your feet. Finally, wiggle your toes, and let go of any last bits of tension.

Now that you've checked in with your whole body, you can let everything completely relax. Now, simply listen to the sound of Arif's voice, and be transported to the neighborhood of Triana in Sevilla, which is famous for its flamenco culture. This is where our story begins.

Arif Hodzic (6:23)

You're standing in the Triana district of Sevilla, at the edge of the Guadalquivir River. It's early evening, and the temperature is mild, with a slight hint of breeze. As the sun is beginning to set, the skies are painted with delicate brushstrokes of dusky blue and purple. The colors reflect onto the river directly in front of you. They blend with the warm, golden beams from old-fashioned street lamps along the water's edge. Across the river, the historic center of Sevilla spreads out in front of you. And as its landmarks are illuminated, it looks like a beautiful old painting, frozen in time. From where you stand, you can see the 13th-century Torre del Oro, the Tower of Gold. It's an intricately designed watchtower, built when Moors from North Africa ruled the city. The stone tower is surrounded by tall palm trees, their leaves swaying back and forth. As you gaze across the river, a small cruise boat playing music glides by.

It's filled with visitors enjoying a pleasant evening tour of the city's landmarks. The people are smiling and happy as their guide points out the sights. Your guidebook tells you that the Guadalquivir River begins its journey high in the mountain ranges of northern Andalusia. It runs all the way to the Atlantic Ocean at the Gulf of Cadiz. During the Age of Discovery, the river was used to transport goods like grains, wool, nuts, and linens from the interior of Spain to the Americas. As the boat slowly moves further along the river, you turn your attention to the left, where lively restaurants shaded by canopies line the water's edge. You can hear a faint clattering of plates and the sound of laughter as people gather to dine and relax after a busy day at work. Behind you, across the street, pretty residences are painted in muted pastel shades. Each house is no more than two stories high, and they all feature balconies crafted from wrought iron.