Light and laughter at legendary Seville fair

SEVILLE--We were lucky to

catch the tail-end of the

legendary Seville Fair. We took

the new bullet train from Madrid

and we were there in less than

three hours.

For six days and six nights,

Seville turns into the capital of

laughter and light. No one is

allowed to be tired. Everyone is

allowed to forget their worldly cares in this paradise of light and

laughter. A glass of cool sherry, accompanied by rhythmic

Sevillian dances, is tonic enough to keep one going strong

round the clock for six glorious days. This spectacular meeting

of light and sound, color and sensation, is repeated every April

just after another legendary tradition--the Semana Santa.

The fair is an amazing sight, reflecting the very soul of this city:

beautiful, light, friendly and fun. The fair is something that runs

through the Spanish blood. It is not a fair in the English sense

of the word or a commercial event as a chance to give rein to

shared emotion.

During a fair of this sort, Spaniards join together to breathe in

an atmosphere, to feel a religious experience, to take part in an

aesthetic happening, and, quite simply, to enjoy a social

get-together.

First impression

My first impression of the fair are its lights. Soon the

friendliness of the crowds draw all visitors to the emotional

undercurrents of the celebration.

Approaching the fair grounds through an arch is an experience

in itself--a gigantic spectacle of lights promise what is waiting

inside.

Inside are variously decorated casetas (little houses)

constructions made out of piping, wood, canvas sheets,

cardboard, paper and any materials the Sevillians can use their

ingenuity on, decked out to act as bars for the duration of the

fair: The more than 900 casetas are background for all the fun of

the fair: dancing, signing, drinking, fraternizing and simply

having a good time.

The Horse Parade is one of the focal points of this festivity.

This old tradition with a lot of Cartujian horses (a local

Andalusian breed of horse, originally from Jerez) and harnessed

carriages draw the crowds in the streets to see the horses and

their decorated carriages and to see the representatives to the

local aristocracy astride their Hispanic and Arabic mounts.

The procession goes round and round the streets, with repeated

stops at friends' casetas so the riders and their followers can

wet their throats with their local wine--a well chilled sherry--and

give their animals a brief respite.

For horseless visitors like us we were able to dance a sevillana

with complete abandon and visit various casetas and enjoyed

several sips of dry sherry. We were not alone for long. We were

dragged into a group of Spaniards involved in drinking and

arguing, telling jokes and dancing. The tradition of the tertulia is

still strong here. The tertulia is a ''get-together'' of friends (old

and new) to discuss topics ranging form art and literature to the

latest gossip about film stars. Any contributions from

newcomers are always welcomed with the usual Spanish good

grace, and you will find that you yourself have become a

member of the tertulia in the time it takes to order a round of

drinks.

Wonderful dance

Talking soon turned into dancing. Over the last few years, the

local music, the sevillanas, have become increasingly popular,

their sensual rhythm extending its influence to the farthest

points of Europe and America. They are dances of seduction;

some say they symbolize woman's conquest by man; others say

they symbolize man's conquest by woman. By the time you

have seen them and are able to decide for yourself, it will

probably no longer matter. The sevillana is a wonderful dance.

The Sevillians take their festivities seriously and spend lavish

amounts of time and money on their costumes and those of their

children.

The women, especially, will flaunt skirts, or faralaes typical of

the Sevillian dancers and the Flamenco dancers. It is said that

the style of these skirts goes back to the mythical beginnings of

human history, when the Cretan goddesses dressed in layered

voiles, some 6,000 years ago. Since then they have

undergone--and continue to undergo--many changes in cut,

length and trim.

According to tradition tapas was invented in Seville.

Supposedly, a bartender created a tapas or ''lid,'' after slapping a

circle of bread over a glass of beer.

Best 'tapas' bars

Consequently, the city boasts the best tapas bars in Spain.

Eating tapas in Seville is a hugely social affair: Gangs of locals

hop from bar to bar, sharing dishes at the communal, stand-up

counters. Each place offers its own versions of this delicious

Mediterranean finger food, though the main ingredients are fish,

meat and vegetables.

According to Seville's council statistics, the Seville Fair is

visited by 10 million people during the six days it officially lasts.

This is quite a challenge for a city whose basic population is

one-tenth of this figure. We enjoyed being one of the 10 million

who came and enjoyed this fabulous fair with warm memories to

a very special time.