Madrid Teacher

We went to our first fiesta this summer last last. We are fiesta groupies. Every town village and city has fiestas throughout the year but the summer ones are the best, they are free mini open concerts. It is not that we are cheapskates but R seems to have family in at least 1 out of every ten villages ( a slight exaggeration but not by much), so we feel it is our duty to go. Last night we saw Soraya (cheated out of winning OT two years ago). She has a brilliant voice and is much more prettier in real life than on the tele. An added benefit for me was that most of her act was in English, she used to be an air hostess and I was saying to R that when we are old duffers she will still be around and we can foxtrot to her in the Plaza in the Alcala fiestas like the pensioners do now to pasadobles. The photos came out dodgy again.

These fiestas are a great way to see bands and singers upclose, and if not alergy striken by the tons of pollen in the air, you can try local food and enjoy the particular customs which apply to the town or village.

My favourite fiestas are what I call the daddy of them all, Fallas. I believe that once you have seen this none can match. I lived through three of them in valencia and have yet to feel the same about any other, my joint favourite in the Romeria in Menjibar in Jaen, this is R´s village. There is a fun fair, loads of booze and food and Andalucian people. It isn´t as extravagant and camp as Fallas, but it encapsulates, fun, spirituality and friendship all in a period of a few days.

Labels: life in spain