Feria de abril

I imagine Sevilla's "Feria de abril" might be like the Texas State Fair or any traditional event celebrating the southern U.S. If you're from there, such festivities are cultural gems. If you're not, they're an excuse for southern pride to puke all over the place. The southern U.S. and southern Spain are alike in that they have subcultures that are very much alive, deeply ingrained and wildly celebrated. Both "souths" have customs that are exclusive, esoteric and shall we say slightly obnoxious?

You could say Sevilla's April fair is obnoxious, exclusive and esoteric, but in the most awesome way possible. There are lots of fancy, expensive flamenco dresses, overdone makeup, guys getting drunk on horseback, fried food and booze. Lots of booze -- including the traditional drink, rebujito, made of white wine and Sprite. A network of more than 1,000 casetas, which are individual bar/reception areas set up exclusively for the event, fill the fairgrounds. To get into all but the handful of public ones, you have to know someone inside. The fair is loud and hot and a bit circus-like. The bathrooms are as close as it gets to urge-reversing, and you have to weave through piles of horse poop in the streets.

On the other hand, it's alive, vibrant, merry and good ol' fun. Relatively cheap drinks, colorful characters and ridiculously beautiful people abound (the beautiful people part was kind of sickening, actually.) The dance floors are full of immaculate women twirling and stomping the Sevillana, the region's typical folk dance.

I'd love to go back next year. I had a blast (and I love Sevilla anyway). But next time I'm going to dress as a Sevillana, and I'll come equipped with a dance move or two.

Un saludo,
Teresa

Entrance to the fair

General debauchery

Entrance to one of the casetas

One of the casetas

Way too adorable

Caseta

Just the police taking pictures of each other

My roommate and I with one of the horsemen

Some Sevillanos took us for a ride through the fair (and then the police told them to drop us off because guiris who aren't dressed in typical attire aren't allowed on horseback).