The mother of all fairs

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So, before coming to Spain, I imagined the Feria being a bunch of Spaniards dressed in Flamenco outfits riding horses and drinking rioja. Upon stepping into Feria, I realized that it was any-town-USA County Fair, but with young Spaniards clad in Flamenco wear speckling the crowd rather than white trash wearing wife-beaters.

The first night, Gubba, Mom, Auntie Gail and I rode the carnival rides, leaving us fearing for our lives. While riding the "Ratón Vacilón", Gubba nearly had a heart attack, Mom feared for the stability of Gubba, and Auntie Gail and I were in stitches laughing on the other end of the cart. I will forever cherish the over-priced picture taken of us as we rode the Ratón Vacilón. The bumper cars were the most violent vehicles I have ever experienced in my short 20 years. They turned me into that girl who merely circles the bumper car course, praying that no one will want to collide with me.

After I ditched the family, Maia and I got dressed up in Mercedes' Flamenco gear and hit the streets of the Feria. The little avenues of Feria are lined with casetas, luxurious little tents that residents of Sevilla typically belong to, either through an organization or through their family. Maia and I were invited into the caseta of two Spaniard kids who work at CIEE (our study abroad program) and were treated like royalty. Somehow, we were the lucky recipients of a never-ending line of Sherry and Rebujito (Manzanilla and Sprite. Delicious) and tortilla española just kept ending up in front of me. After getting tipsy enough to embarrass ourselves, Maia and I decided to try this ubiquitous Sevillana dance in front of the entire caseta. I think we put ourselves out there decently enough and I'm sure the frills of our dress/skirt twirling made us look a lot better than we actually were (are?).

The next day we switched outfits and spent the days/nights wandering the streets of Feria and Sevilla, commenting on every person's outfit as they passed, confident that no one could understand what we were saying in English. We danced, drank and jumped between each of the public casetas that were filled with out of town folk who weren't privileged enough to either have their own or get an invite.

The Sevillanos parade the streets in their gorgeous dresses, with their gorgeous, costumed children as accessories. The men ride well-trained horses with beautiful women sitting side-saddle behind them. The young boys wear outfits that resemble

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Photos

Two young girls outside of a caseta
The key was being surreptitious in taking these pictures. I don't think I could ever be a paparazzi.

A line of horses, men and little girls
The sun kind of ruined the next couple of pictures.

Oh Spaniards
Always chatting and smiling.

View from outside a caseta
Stupid Americans. We're always on the outside photographing in.

The best picture to ever happen to me
Hallie thinks we need to put speech bubbles above the mouths of the two characters in this picture.

My face is stupid here
But you can see the dress and the flower and the scarf and everything the best.

This is us creating "arte"
Mercedes makes us pose artistically for our pictures.

Costume change
I prefer the dress, but I liked the white flower.

This was no ordinary "make-out-at-the-top" ferris wheel
Hallie told me that this was the faster ferris wheel she has ever ridden.

Comments

[KB]

your blog cut off. what do those outfits resemble????

[Amy Barry]

Bruises from the bumper cars
Be, I'm happy to report that my bruised knees from the bumper cars are finally gone, the rides at Feria were nuts! I wish I had been in the casita watching you dance. Mercedes is awesome and her dresses beautiful. Sevilla is an amazingly beautiful, cultured city; I'm so happy that you are there. P.S. Gubba and I tried an orange off the trees ... awful!