Feria!

Yay! So I get to write about a really fun thing that I got to participate in this weekend, FERIA!. Feria is a week long festival/celebration of (spring) (? maybe, I'm not really sure why they do it, basically now its just to have a good time). Everyone wears the most amazing dresses of all combined colors that would look foolish any other place or time and decorates their hair with big bright colored flowers. There are rows and rows of casetas (or tents) that people own and decorate so lavishly you might think its someone's actual house (chandeliers, pictures on the wall, wall paper. You name it, they have it). It takes up a whole neighborhood area. I asked my friends how many tents they thought there were. There were numbers from 1,000-2,000. You have to know the secret password to get into the private tents, but luckily there are public tents around that you can get into for free and sit, eat, drink Rebujitas (a kind of wine spirit drink that is the only drink people drink during Feria) and dance!

My beautiful Senora let Annie and I wear two of her old dresses. I had tried on a gorgeous blue/pink/white dress that looked a little newer, but her sister came and borrowed it right before I put it on to go to Feria on Friday. Thats ok, I still got to wear a feria dress and had so much fun getting ready. David and Celia did my hair and made sure my outfit was in tip top shape. Then they instructed me on how to pose (hand high high high on your hips) and with a kiss on each cheek and a "ten cuidado" I was off to Feria with my friends Brittany and Attie!

hands high on my hips, a flower right on top of my head, and a part in the middle, I was ready for Feria!

Drinking our Rebujitos

Entrance to Feria!

During the day horses, not cars are riding on the streets with the men in flat hats and ladies riding sidesaddle

Creepily taking pictures of some feria dresses. Any other time the polka dots and combo of colors would be ugly. Not during feria week

Streets lined with casetas

Its so crazy. Seriously, everyone, young and old know the dances. So jealous!

I also went to Feria the next night with Annie. This time I did not wear a feria dress because I didn't feel like getting crazy dressed up, but wore a going out dress instead and walked around feria with Annie. I'm glad I got to experience both times, day and night, because it was so pretty at night! Sevillanos definitely win the champion cup for partying though. We came home before 2 last night and were questioned repeatedly if we didn't have a good time and "que pasa'?! (What happened?!?!). Although we had been out since 830, most of the Sevillanos leave in the afternoon and don't come back until the next morning (as David has done like 5 tiems this week). CHAMP.

look how lavishly they're decorated!

Our gorgeous Senora. 

This is my last blog I'll be writing for awhile. I have 4 finals this week and then Alaina comes on Friday then we're off to Rome and Venice! I'll be home in 13 days and can't wait to see everyone! Love you all and have a happy mother's day!

Lauren