Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Seville's annual fair in full swing
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Asia Pacific
World
Seville's annual fair in full swing
AFP - Sunday, April 25
Send
IM Story
Print
In the southern Spanish city of Seville, it's the week they've been waiting for all year. Feria, a colourful festival of parades, flamenco fashion and longstanding traditions, draws visitors from afar. Duration: 01:53
SEVILLE, Spain (AFP) - – Flamenco, tapas and white wine from morning to evening: the Feria de Abril in Seville attracts thousands of tourists, despite their frustration at being excluded from private parties thrown by locals.
After the Baroque fervour of the religious processions of Holy Week, the six-day April Fair which wraps up Sunday gives free rein to the legendary love of celebration in this southwestern region of whitewashed houses.
Daily routine comes to a standstill. Schools are closed for the week. People of all ages perform Sevillanas, an upbeat regional dance, sing and play the guitar.
Residents of the Andalusian capital desert downtown plazas to invade the El Real, a grounds of over 400,000 square metres where 1,047 "casetas" or small colourfully decorated bars have been set up.
"Our whole family took a vacation this week to experience the fair as intensely as possible," Olga, a 35-year-old mother, told AFP.
Inside the fairgrounds, the only way to get around is on foot or on horseback, a tradition that dates back to 1847 when the event was only a cattle fair.
Women and girls wear flamenco dresses, with a red carnation in their hair and large earrings. They usually get a new dress for the fair every year. Many dresses are made to measure.
Bright colours, polka-dots and lace: the aisles of the fair resemble a huge flamenco fashion show.
"A dress can cost from 100-500 euros," said Sarai, who wore a black number decorated with pink flowers.
According to a consumer association, the average expenditure for the fair is 800 euros (1,070 dollars) per head, a significant outlay in the region hardest-hit by Spain's recession, where unemployment is running at over 25 percent.
At one caseta, Maria Angeles, 62, presides as hostess. Her husband, a mover, decorated the interior.
At the bar waiters serve the finest dishes of ham or fried aubergine with glasses of sherry or "rebujito", an iced cocktail of white wine and lemonade.
Flamenco rhythms can be heard around the clock. At the sound of the first notes of "Sevillanas", Maria Angeles, her daughters, nieces and a handful of men stand up to perform the dance, which is divided into four sections representing approach, confrontation, escape and love.
The downside to the festival for tourists is that the vast majority of "casetas" are private, reserved for families or groups of friends who set them up.
So it is difficult for someone who does not know anybody in Seville to fully participate in the fair.
"It is very nice, simply I was very surprised not to be able to enter the stalls. It seems that it is completely private, so we walked the aisles," said Benedict, a French tourist.
Last year the fair attracted 1.1 million people over six days, including 380,000 tourists from other regions of Spain and outside of the country.
This year local officials fear the air travel chaos caused by the eruption of a volcano in Iceland last week may have repercussions on the number of foreign visitors.
When night falls and the 370,000 lamps light up the fairgrounds and the alcohol has been flowing freely for several hours, the festival has often just begun.
"The fair is mainly about being with my friends, and drinking plenty of whisky," said Rafa, as he rode a white horse, holding a glass in one hand.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Bare bottoms, zebras: the art of Sarkozy senior AFP - Sunday, April 25
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - Sunday, April 25
Tribeca film explores al Qaeda's history and culture Reuters - Sunday, April 25
Bangladesh lifts ban on Indian films AFP - Sunday, April 25
Despite scary reviews, "Addams Family" lures label Reuters - Sunday, April 25
News Search
Top Stories
Revolutionary Hubble space telescope turns 20
Pressure mounts for swift Greek bailout
Luxury Mumbai attacks hotel reopens
Emails show Goldman Sachs bet on housing market decline
Furor over French Muslim woman fined for driving veiled
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Ex-Bin Laden bodyguard writes against Qaeda
Furor over French Muslim woman fined for driving veiled
Luxury Mumbai attacks hotel reopens
Emails show Goldman Sachs bet on housing market decline
Greece pleads for debt aid, Germany sets conditions
More Most Viewed »
Apple engineer loses iPhone prototype
Two-million-year-old hominid sheds light on evolution
Taiwan's male 'Susan Boyle' a web sensation
Furor over French Muslim woman fined for driving veiled
Airlines want compensation as Europe's skies reopen
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 25 April 2010 Sudan poll count shortcut raises fraud fears
Ex-Nazi corporal Schaefer dies in Chile prison
MediaBugs, new website for reporting media errors
Spain protests against Franco-era immunity
|
Iran Guards dismiss sanctions drive as "ridiculous"
Two German hostages freed in Nigeria: German FM
US-TECH Summary
Britain's richest see their fortunes soar
|
Iran hits at "impudent" UAE comment in Gulf dispute
Emails show Goldman Sachs bet on housing market decline
Multiplatform app stores reach beyond smart phones
British PM ups tempo with 'Elvis' in election fight
Anti-U.S. cleric offers Iraq government help after attacks
NATO's cyber-brains gaze at the future of war
U.S. drone attack kills seven in Pakistan
|
Russia says Polish plane crash probe to build ties
|
Utah Inmate Prefers Execution By Firing Squad
Top Brass From CIA, FBI Reflect On Challenges
U.S. Signs Science, Technology Agreement With Serbia
Sudan poll count shortcut raises fraud fears
|
U.S. To Iran: Release American Hikers
Arizona Law Gets Rap As Obama Defines U.S. As Nation Of Immigrants, Laws
Armenians mark WWI killings, ties with neighbors fray
|
Mom Seeks Closure Of Topless Bar That Hired Her Underage Daughter
Bombs, missiles, bullets leave 29 dead in Pakistan
Obama Reiterates Wall Street Reform, Promises Stronger Economy
Dumped body sparks riot in central Nigeria, 5 dead
|
Japan PM rules out 2006 deal on US base on eve of rally
'Ten police injured' in Pakistan suicide strike
Officials: 25 militants killed in NW Pakistan
Arizona illegals law sparks fury, Obama criticism
Officials: US strike kills 3 militants in Pakistan
Utah inmate chooses execution by firing squad
Hong Kong overpower South Korea in Five Nations
Suicide attack killed American soldier, US says
Rodionova and Stosur give Australia commanding lead
Thai protesters pull out of talks with government
Violent protests shake Indian Kashmir
China aware of need to let yuan rise: IMF
Bangladesh lifts ban on Indian films
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Despite scary reviews, "Addams Family" lures label
YouTube fame yields record deal for R&B rookie
Deftones return after bassist sidelined by injury
Indie rockers the National confront hype, stardom
Multiplatform app stores reach beyond smart phones
|
YouTube at age five a growing player in online films
LCD Soundsystem raises glass to "Drunk Girls"
Gospel singer Clark-Sheard on road with new album
U.K. Restores, Replants Ancient Orchards
Amnesty International Condemns Torture Of 17 Indians In UAE
Utah Inmate Prefers Execution By Firing Squad
Mom Seeks Closure Of Topless Bar That Hired Her Underage Daughter
Despite scary reviews, Addams Family lures label
|
Deftones return after bassist sidelined by injury
|
YouTube fame yields record deal for R&B rookie
|
Indie rockers the National confront hype, stardom
|
Qaeda confirms deaths of leaders in Iraq-statement
Thousands rally for Spanish judge Garzon
Armenians mark WWI killings, ties with neighbours fray
Japan firms to standardize mobile software: report
British PM ups tempo with 'Elvis' in election fight
Anti-U.S. cleric offers Iraq government help after bombings
Ethiopia explosion kills at least five
|
Canada privacy chief criticizes new Facebook changes
Revolutionary Hubble space telescope turns 20
South Korea raises warship, finds clues on sinking
|
At Least 7 Dead, Up To 2 Dozen Dead As Tornadoes Track Through Mississippi
Pressure mounts for swift Greek bailout
Butcher of Beijing's son to get promotion: sources
|
U.S. Assistant Secretary Blake Sets Visits To Nepal, Bhutan, China
Luxury Mumbai attacks hotel reopens
Phone tapping row likely to rock India parliament
|
Hungary centre-right set for historic election win
|
Bangkok braces for unrest after peace plan rejected
|
Sandstorm, snow close air link to China quake zone
|
Qaeda confirms deaths of leaders in Iraq: statement
|
"Butcher of Beijing's" son to get promotion
Abbas to meet Obama in May: Palestinian official
Thai protesters vow to hold key Bangkok sites
Body near NJ river may be baby thrown from bridge
Three dead as sandstorms blanket northwest China
Arizona law raises fears of racial profiling
Long-hated one-child rule may be eased in China
10 killed as tornado strikes Miss.; others injured
Thai PM vows to retake Bangkok protest site
Officials: Army kills 9 insurgents in NW Pakistan
Tornadoes kill 10, destroys homes in southern US
New Zealand Anzac Day memorial marred by crash
Israel lifts ban on imports of Apple iPad
|
China's influence grows in global auto market
S.Korea NPS to buy Berlin Sony Center for $767 mln
Japan firms to standardize mobile software: report
|
Torpedo 'one of most likely' causes for sunk S.Korea ship
Suicide attack kills 3 in southeastern Afghanistan
Japanese island set for mass rally against US bases
Bare bottoms, zebras: the art of Sarkozy senior
Fortunes of UK's super-rich rise by a third: list
Topalov takes lead against world chess champ Anand
Tribeca film explores al Qaeda's history and culture
Surfing gets South Africa's homeless kids off Durban's streets
Seville's annual fair in full swing
Tribeca film explores al Qaeda's history and culture
|
Iran, IAEA meet on nuclear deal
Iran meets IAEA head, no fuel deal advance
|
Iran meets IAEA head, no fuel deal advance
Israel lifts ban on imports of Apple iPad
UK's LibDems say won't back a 3rd place Labour
|
Emerging countries to demand bigger say at World Bank
Afghan suicide attack kills four: officials
Iran Guards test missiles, warn enemies
|
U.S. envoy wraps up Mideast visit, back next week
Malaysian government scrapes by in by-election win
|
North-south Sudan clashes kill 58, injure 85
1,000 Barrels Of Oil Per Day Reported Leaking From Sunken Rig Site
Iran Guards test missiles, warn enemies
North-south Sudan clashes kill 58, injure 85
|
Al-Qaeda in Iraq confirms deaths of top two commanders
Yemen says opposition allied with armed foes of state
|
Afghan demonstration turns violent: official
Three dead in Afghan suicide blast: official
Southeast Braces For Bad Weather After Twisters Kill 10 In Mississippi
Hamas hopes cartoon will press Israel on prisoners
|
Liberia weighing trials for war crimes: minister
|
Thousands of people lose homes in Manila slum fire
Emirates flight drops suddenly over India; 20 hurt
80 Afghan schoolgirls sick in week; poison feared
Iran Holds Massive Naval War Games In Persian Gulf
India's Catholic bishops consider new abuse rules
Civil marriage not civil war, say secular Lebanese
|
Pakistan wants India to hand over Mumbai suspects
Obama: Miners died in pursuit of American dream
Thai "red shirts" vow to intensify campaign
Thai protesters vow to hold key Bangkok sites
US Coast Guard: oil leaking from sunken rig
SKorean minister: Torpedo likely sank warship
Taiwan president and opposition debate China deal
Al Baraka, Emirates Global Islamic merge Pakistan ops
US Senate panels releases Goldman Sachs emails
In Jerusalem, footballs go where people cannot
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights