The Feria is under way

Today we took a rest from culture and focused on folklore - if that is how one could describe Seville’s annual popular holiday. After a bit of housekeeping, we strolled over to the Feria ground, urged by something on the internet that said the parade of carriages happened at noon. We arrived at a quarter to, but the only activity involved people preparing and stocking up the casetas.

After a while we located a public caseta, and installed ourselves on the front balcony with a couple af drinks to await events. Eventually, things started to happen - people in costume, horses, mules and carriages:

More and more people walking hither and thither, many of the women and girls in traditional flamenco costume and the men increasingly formal in jacket and tie. Despite Maria’s warning, I managed to forget mine, so was the classic scruffy Brit at the feast.

But the carriages kept coming, and riders too, many men with a girlfriend (novia) perched sideways behind the saddle.

After a while, we got hungry, so made our way back to the Bodegon San Vincente, where we had an excellent lunch on Friday. It was packed, not surprisingly, but they managed to squeeze us in, and once again we enjoyed a selection of tapas washed down with a respectable tinto.

After lunch, carriages were bowling down Maria’s street in increasing numbers, and we photographed a few from the apartment too.

Then Carlos, Maria’s youngest son, got in touch through WhatsApp, and proposed another visit to the Feria. On he way we met Carlos’s beautiful and charming  girlfriend for a quick photo call!

Diana cried off with sore feet and exhaustion from this morning, but I went and had the pleasure of meeting Maria’s brother Eugenio and his family in the caseta where he is a socio. By the time I made my excuses and left - thinking that they had had enough of speaking English, though they all speak it extremely well - the Feria was really heaving with both pedestrians, equestrians, and carriages. Quite a sight! But also a bit overwhelming, and it was a relief to get back to the apartment.