La Feria de Abril is a fair that takes place every year in April in Sevilla. It is held in Triana, one of the neighborhoods in Sevilla. They build a big gate in front of it, then a bunch of little streets, where they build casetas, or tiny houses. They look like tents but they are sturdier. Each has a bar and kitchen in the back. They range in size, some are huge and elaborate while others are smaller. They are owned by families or groups of friends, and for most of them you need an invite to get in. All of the men dress up in suits or some like bull fighters, while all of the girls dress us in flamenco dresses. There's a carnival there as well. When we first got here and were planning trips, one of our orientation leaders made it sound like it was pointless for us to go because you need an invite to a caseta. So Kirsten and I planned our trip during Feria, and came back Saturday, so we'd have two days to see it. Well I wish I had been here longer. We went Saturday and it was the coolest thing I've ever been to.
I came home from my trip Saturday morning and napped. Senora had told me she wasn't going to dress up this year, but she came into my room and showed me her flamenco dress. She had changed her mind. I was glad because I wanted to see her dressed up in the flamenco dress. The dresses are so pretty. So I went to senora's friends apartment with them while her friend got ready. It was so funny watching them get ready. I had to help senora zipper her friends dress. The dresses are really fitted, and then have a huge puffy skirt at the bottom. And it doesn't matter how big you are or what you look like - everyone's dress is super tight and they don't care. We had a little trouble zippering the second dress she tried on, and they were commenting on how fat she is. (She's not that fat, but has a belly). Anyways, I wanted to see senora dressed up but I was going to meet up with Kirsten and Michelle. Senora was sad that I wasn't going to see her, so I brought them to my apartment and we waited for senora. It took them a while, apparently because her friend's zipper burst on the way over, so she had to change. Kirsten Michelle and I bought flamenco flowers for our hair, and we all got ready back here. Right as we were going to leave it started raining. We took a cab over, and I was shocked. The set up was amazing! There were pretty lights everywhere, and the casetas were gorgeous. It was honestly the coolest thing I've ever seen. There's nothing even comparable in America. And everyday there's a parade of horses with couples on them. It's cute - the guy is in the front and the girl is behind him sitting sideways in her flamenco dress. And the little kids are adorable all dressed up! So we went and met up with a girl named Lucia. She came on our trip to Morocco and she invited us to her caseta. We hung out there for a few hours, eating and drinking. Had some calamari, chicken, fried goat cheese with marmalade - sooo good, definitely my favorite. Then Kimby and Sarah met up with us, and I went with them to Kimby's intercambio's caseta. This caseta was a little bigger, and there were no tables like the other one - it was just a dance floor. The girl who owned the caseta was exteremely nice, and her friend taught me how to dance flamenco. It was so much fun. Definitely the best cultural experience I've had since I've been here. It made me never want to leave Spain and decided that I had to come back.
Me and senora
Me senora and her friend
the entrance to la feria
some casetas
Lucia and her friends all dressed up
the caseta.. most are decorated with the flowers on the ceiling
learning how to flamenco dance!
On the contrary...
Bull fight: Warning: this is grotesque.
So Sunday morning Kirsten and I went to see a bullfight. I knew it would be sad and gross, seeing a bull get killed. Little did I know. We got there and saw some protesters outside, and kind of commented on how they were annoying. We went in to the packed stadium. We were a few minutes late, and it was hard to get to our seats because there are no aisles, nor seats. They have assigned seating but they have benches, so we had to climb over people to get there. Normally bull fights are bull fighters (torreros) vs the bull. Well I think it was a special thing they do for Feria, but the one we went to the torreros were riding horses the whole time. In the beginning there were six guys (well one was a girl) riding horses around on the floor. It was crazy how they could control them and make them dance. It was really cool. So the first torrero came out and did his thing. I did not know exactly how this would go down. It was pretty horrible. Little by little they wound the bull, and every time they stab him, the crowd goes wild. The guy changes horses four or five times, and taunts the bull with the horse. It's crazy. They have the horse dancing, imitating the bull, and then running sideways to get away from the bull. The bull gets little swords stuck in it, and left hanging there bleeding the whole time. While the guy changes horses they have other torreros come out with pink sheets to piss off the bull and tire him out. Music is playing the whole time, except for the final stab. These people are sick. They shut off the music and people are shushing other people, so that they can hear the sword stab through the bull. Sick. Then, the bulls still living, so other torreros come near it with the pink sheets, making it dizzy, until it falls. Then the torrero who killed it stands in front of it and taunts it, til it falls over and dies. Then the crowd cheers and the torreros runs around all proud, holding the bulls horns. People throw flowers, some throw hats or shirts, and the torrero kisses them, and throws them back. Then they attach the bull to a bunch of horses with bells, and drag it out. Okay so this all sounds bad. I was a little disgusted. But this was nothing compared to what we were about to witness. So the next torrero comes out on a pretty white horse. The second bull was a lot angrier and full of energy than the first one. (Also something I did not know - I thought they only killed one bull). So he's doing his thing, making the horse dance and taunt the bull. Everything was fine, then all of a sudden the bull catches them (they're very close the whole time but always manage to get away because they bull's fat and slower). So the bull knocks over the horse and the torreros. The guy jumps up and runs out of the ring, while the bull is ramming the underside of the horse. A bunch of other torreros run out with the pink sheets to try and get the bull away. Once they get the bull away from the horse, the horse gets us and starts running around the ring in panic. I looked to see if it was bleeding, and it was hardly bleeding. However, it's - what looked like- large intestine was dangling underneath it. As it was running around. The horse did a lap or two, then they were able to get it out of there. I almost passed out. I had to put my head down and I felt like I was gonna puke. Kirsten was crying. It was the most messed up thing I've ever seen. I can't get it out of my head. Even worse, I have pictures. I didn't realize at first it's guts were hanging out, so I was taking pictures. So disturbing. We wanted to leave right then - but it's impossible. We were packed in there. The guy who messed up and got the horse wounded was clearly shaken up, but he had to go out there and finish. At first I hated him, but I kind of felt bad. He cried after he killed the bull. Everyone was giving him a standing ovation which surprised me. He messed up! Ugh. I didn't enjoy it. The next guy was really good - but I couldn't look half the time. Then there was a girl torrer, who got a little too agressive because she's a girl and has to "prove herself". We just wanted to leave. Normally in bull fights there are four parts. Unfortunately this one had six. We left after the fifth. People were annoyed as we climbed over them, but I couldn't stay any longer. Glad I saw it, but these people are sick. I'm soo ready to come home!
So this was obviously disgusting, and I'm very disturbed, but the pictures I got, specifically one, are insane. I just don't know what is going on, what exactly is falling out of the horse, but it is not okay. Don't look if you puke easily, but I had to share these pictures so someone can understand what I saw and how messed up it really was, and that I'm not exaggerating....
Horse down, torrero running away
Horse getting rammed
Getting the bull away
Horse freaking out. Seriously click on this picture.. WHAT IS THAT?!
So sad..
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