A la feria!

Imagine a week long all day/all night block party, all the food and drink you can consume, and beautiful dresses, suits, and horse drawn carriages, and you've got yourself La Feria De Abril.

The entrance to Feria

This past week we have had off from school because of Feria (or the April Fair). It's basically a week long block party in a huge fairground on the other side of the river. Nothing really gets done and the schedule for the week goes a little something like this (and note that this schedule applies to people of all ages).

1. Monday night a midnight, they turn on all the lights at the portada, or the main entrance, and this signifies the beginning of feria. 

2.People go in, and they can drink in these tents called casetas, which there are thousands of. However, you have to know someone to get in because they are all privately owned. Or in our case, you can just try and make friends quickly. 

3. But you go and drink rebujito (sherry wine and 7-up), dance the sevillanas (a form a flamenco) and eat and be merry until around 6 or 7 in the morning.  

4. Then you grab some churros or bunelos (both deep fried foods kind of like donuts or funnel cakes) 

5. Go home, sleep until 2 or 3 in the afternoon, have lunch, then go back and repeat the whole thing over again. 

Like I said, the Spaniards are a very social group. This video short video from rick steves can kind of give you an idea of feria.

We were actually in Marrakech for the first part of Feria (next post will detail that trip!), so last night was our first night of feria. Before we went to the fairgrounds, we got all dressed up (two of my friends wore traditional outfits) and went to the nicest hotel in Seville for drinks. We went to the Hotel Alfonso XIII around 10 to have a drink and watch the flamenco show. The hotel is very old, very nice, but very expensive! But, it was neat to see the hotel, the flamenco show, and we got some great pics to show for it!

My friends, Adrian and Antonio and I
I even got to wear a fancy British hat, like I've always wanted!

inside the caseta

After the drinks with our teacher at the hotel, we made our way over to feria. It was almost too much for words. We couldn't believe our eyes. We made our way down the street and found the caseta of another of our professor (which we had been invited to) and went inside. We ordered a pitcher of rebujito and took in all the sights of feria. We watched the women in their beautiful dresses dance the sevillanas, and everyone was so happy and social. Then we walked around, made friends, and went into a few other casetas. Overall, it was a great first night of feria.

Tonight, we'll go back to feria, and tomorrow, we have a bull fight. We managed to get tickets to the very last bull fight during feria (which is supposed to be one of the best of the season). We'll get all dressed up for that too, then we'll sit on the river bank and watch the fireworks, signaling the end of feria. 

people in the streets of feria

This whole semester has had me thinking what an amazing, fortunate life I am living here and sometimes I just can't believe how lucky and I am be doing so. Hasta hora!