Tag: horses

Sevilla Feria 2014

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feria sevilla 2014 (1)Looks like this is as close as I’m going to get to Feria this year. Slow-healing feet and ankles from my spectacular fall during Semana Santa has kept me less than mobile, including not being able to do all of my Sevilla Tapas Tours. But I did take out a tour last night and on the way home spotted the usual parked horses in the centre of town. It’s kind of a tradition that people trot over from the fair grounds and have tapas and drinks at Las Columnas in Barrio Santa Cruz – I used to live across the street and saw this every year. I also saw a group parked outside a bar in Cuesta del Rosario. Really it’s a long way to go just to show off, when you think about it…

feria sevilla 2014 (2)cold beer on a hot night… with horses

feria sevilla 2014 (3)parking Sevillano style

feria sevilla 2014 (4)

iPhone photos from my Instagram account

Feria Friends in Jerez

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 feria friends jerez[click on image to enlarge]

One of the best things about going to a feria is meeting up with friends. This week I visited my favourite feria in Spain, the Feria del Caballo in Jerez @feriadejerez_, with visiting London foodie friend Nicola Swift @ShedLikesFood and fellow Sevilla blogger Fiona Flores @Seville_Writer.

Usually I spend most of my time at this feria taking photos of the splendid horses but somehow this year it was all about meeting up with old friends, and also meeting new ones, at the massive Bodegas Gonzales Byass caseta (which not surprisingly won first prize). It was great to hang out with old friends Annie Bennett @anniebennett and José Pizarro @jose_pizarro again, meet Ellie @PearCafe & Dan @EssexEating from Bristol and Tom & Owen @Bar44Tapas from Wales, and also see my good Twitter buddy Antonio Flores @Hacedordevinos. The Tío Pepe en Rama was flowing, lovely food was passed round, fabulous flamenco artists entertained us, and then all too soon is was time to catch the last train back to Sevilla. For next year we have vowed to do this again but book accommodation so we can party into the night. Eep!

Córdoba Feria 2012

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[youtube=”http://youtu.be/PATKgtofgxs”]

[watch full screen if possible]

Some pics from my first visit to the Feria de Córdoba. Another fair, like the one in Jerez, that is totally different to the Feria de Sevilla and which, in my opinion, is much better. The casetas are larger (with air con) and are open to the public. Depending on what you fancy you can opt for traditional flamenco music (sevillanas), flamenco rock, salsa, disco… the casetas ranged from fairly rough & ready tents to solid structures decorated like country homes with servers dressed in maid’s outfits. You can get some great looking food, watch the crowds or join in, or stroll the streets and enjoy the parade of horses and carriages in the afternoon.

It really felt like being at a country fair – I even went on the ferris wheel! Too bad we were just there for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I found myself wishing that I could stay to see the fairground lit up at night but duty called and we had tickets booked on the 19.30 train (which we almost missed, arriving at the station with about two minutes to spare).

Note: at 2.44 is the horse of the day – a gorgeous beast, my photo doesn’t do him justice.

Travel tip: the Sevilla – Córdoba Avant (19.10€ one way)  is much better value than the Ave (33.20€) and takes the same amount of time (45 minutes). And if you return on the same day you get a 20% discount.