16 Tuesday Apr 2024
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So nah, won’t be going to Feria. I usually like going at least one afternoon to take photos of the horses and the colourful dresses but as one horse has already died from the heat I think it’s not something I want to be a part of. Also there are apparently record crowds this year – yet another local celebration over run and ruined by mass tourism. No thanks.
24 Monday Apr 2023
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I think this is as close as I’m going to get to Feria this year. This was the annual carriage parade that takes place on the first day of Feria and, more importantly, takes place five minutes from my house. So I popped over yesterday to takes some pics and an hour later I decided I was NOT going to Feria. It was already 35º and will remain so all week. It’s a minimum 45 minute walk there (and then back again) and, once there, absolutely no shade anywhere. So nah. Anyhow, I don’t even like Feria. But I’m glad I got to see the carriages.
02 Monday May 2022
Posted in coronavirus, covid, fiestas, sevilla, spain
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Stopped by opening day of the Feria de Abril yesterday to take some pics as rain was being forecast for the rest of the week and OMG. First of all it was about 30º without shade or breeze, and the number of people was, well frankly, alarming. Apparently Sunday set a new record for attendance, which is saying something about an event that is almost always packed out. I didn’t linger.
I took a few photos and then quickly lost interest. I don’t know if it was Covid burnout but I no longer saw the Feria goers simply as happy folk out for a good time. Instead all I could think of was how reckless – and yes selfish – they were all being. Totally crammed into airless casetas, no masks in sight, with barely any space to move, shouting and laughing into each other’s faces, hugging and kissing and dancing. Happy to be enjoying things being “normal” again after having missed their beloved Feria for two years. It was like being at a Covid Deniers convention.
To be honest, I lost interest in Feria years ago but still enjoyed spending one afternoon there taking photos of the colourful dresses and beautiful horses, then stopping somewhere for a quick manzanilla before heading home again. But yesterday it felt like there was a kind of desperation in all the merry making. And worse, I saw the horses suffering under the blazing sun, being forced to keep making the rounds either so their riders could show off or the carriage drivers could make money overcharging tourists. More than once I saw a horse balk and refuse to go any further, then be forced to keep going. It all made me quite sad and after a very short time I was ready to leave. So who knows, maybe that’s it for me and that was my last Feria.
16 Monday Apr 2018
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The noche de pescaíto (night of the fried fish) is a time-honoured tradition, taking place on Monday evening before the lighting up (the alumbrao) of the April fair grounds at midnight. Until now. When the powers that be decided last year that Feria should be extended to include two weekends – the more money to make, my dears – this meant that the alumbrao would now take place on Saturday night. Along with the pescaíto. Except at one special location in Sevilla that will not give up the traditional Monday evening custom.
The Antigua Abacería de San Lorenzo is host to all manner of weird and wonderful special events that celebrate various Sevillano traditions. And nobody does seasonal window dressing quite like husband & wife owners Ramón and María Carmen. It’s always a bit chaotic there and always a lot of fun.
I actually learned a couple of things tonight. First that THE sherry drink of the Sevilla feria (manzanilla) is a relatively recent thing – 30 years ago it used to be fino. ALSO… this whole noche de pescaíto thing is also only about 30 years old, and nobody seems to know how it started. Other than the evening before the alumbrao there were obviously people still setting up their casetas and having a casual meal before it all got lit up. Why it ended up being a fried fish meal remains a mystery (since you can actually have fried fish all week long at Feria). But whatever. The pescaíto and manzanilla at the Abacería tonight were great!
casa azahar 