May 7 - Late Night at the Fair

Because I was going to be the only student in class today, they moved my class to a more convenient hour for the teachers (since I don't really have any other commitments).  So, I had a multi-hour private class at 11:30 am.  It was completely a class of conversation - no grammar except in context today.  It was good.  Tomorrow is a holiday, so no class and then Thursday and Friday there are enough students that things will be back to normal.

After class, I went home and did my homework and watched a movie in Spanish.  Then Albert and I went to the store and I cooked dinner.

Then at a little after 8, I headed out to meet my teacher and a few students at the fair.

We spent some time together with the teacher's boyfriend and brother and a few others at the Esperanza de Triana caseta for a while before meeting up with two other professors and a couple of people (some of whom I had met before at intercambio) at one of the other professor's caseta.    They were all very impressed (as was I) with the German student who could easily pass as a Sevillana.  Not only were her new dress and accessories (bought especially for the fair) beautiful, she has studied flamenco dance and was able to really participate!  It doesn't hurt that she is a beautiful woman who is incredibly fun and kind.  She and David (another student to whom she had given some private lessons last week in how to dance the first paso of Sevillana) were able to dance with the locals while some of us were happy to watch from the side and cheer them on.

The live band and dancing may have been the primary activity in the caseta, but drinking was another "important" activity - again, I mostly stayed on the sidelines for this one.  Here are the three professors with another round of Rebujitos.

One friend from intercambio put in a special request to the band who played "Wallah Wallah" (I am still trying to find an artist.)  Everyone sang along - so I guess it is at least popular enough for that.  By that point, we were all dancing - not nearly as beautiful as the choreographed Sevillanas from hours earlier, but fun.  By 2 am, I was ready to leave the crowded tent and walk the mile home.  I am sure the party went on long after I was gone.  The walk home, except for being dark, could have been 2:30 in the afternoon instead of 2:30 in the morning - crowded streets and sidewalks near the fair and then a steady stream of pedestrians all the way to our small block.

This same scene is being simultaneously played out in hundreds of casetas across the fairgrounds.  Tomorrow, Albert and I will try to see the "day" fair.  After Saturday and Tuesday nights, I feel like I can check the night fair off my list - well maybe next Saturday for fireworks.... or maybe.....