Feria Word of the Day: TURRON

My favorite food leaving feria.
It would give me enough energy to make it to my car!

TURRON: Nougat, made out of almonds, sugar, eggs, honey. Some are made out of chocolate, and others out of coconut and sugar.  Really bad for your teeth, but oh so good. Mmm.  Vendors are in a white food truck almost always outside of feria, away from the main casetas.  If the fair grounds are big, then you can find them around the rides.

Feria Word of the Day: JAMON

A whole leg of ham is raffled in Feria.  Don't want to carry the leg around?
No worries, you can also order a ration at the bar.

JAMON: Spanish ham, if you ask my kids, it is the best in the world!

Ham slicer, a very important job.  The correct way to slice a ham is important
 to bring out the flavor and  to get the most meat out of a leg.

Feria Word of the Day: NORIA

Noria, in Seville's Fair.

NORIA: Ferris Wheel.  It is always exciting when you are driving at night and find yourself at a high point in the geography, and at a distance in some town around Andalusia you see the colorful lights of a noria.  You know they are having fun, that they are dancing, drinking, playing.  These light in neon are a huge advertisement billboard to invite everyone to their party.  I don't have the stomach for it, but I love the night view of feria with it's noria lights.

Feria Word of the Day: CHUCHURRIA

My roses are looking a little "chuchurrías"

CHUCHURRIA:  Wilted, spoiled, worn out

Your real carnation is looking a little "chuchurrio" after several hours in Feria. 

When in feria, and using real flowers, on lapel or on your head, make sure they stays fresh all night.  When your carnation or rose look a little "chuchurrio"... look for the flower girls that sell fresh flowers in feria.  Some men gallantly buy the entire flower bunch, and give them to all the lady friends enjoying feria with him. Ole!

Feria Word of the Day: MANZANILLA

Manzanilla
(image fromLa Gitana)

MANZANILLA:

• A type of Sherry wine with floral bouquet that reminds people of the camomile flower 
• Camomile tea and this wine in Spanish have the same name " Manzanilla". 
• light pale yellow, with a little saltiness reminds us of the sea 
• best served cold between 7 - 10 °C 
• Here are some of the Manzanilla brands, Manzanilla Solear, San León, La Goya, La Gitana, Barón, La Guita... 

 There is a fun sevillana song dedicated to Manzanilla brand La Guita: to hear it click here, better yet, try dancing to it, it is so much fun.

Manzanilla Solear
(Image from Barbadillo)

Feria Word of the Day: DIA DE LA MUJER

DIA DE LA MUJER:  actually a phrase, it is quite an event during feria.  It means Woman's Day.

This day is for the women to enjoy feria, without husbands, without children.  Just her and her girlfriends, and they take it seriously.  Women get ready early in the morning and are in feria by lunchtime, it's a lunch date!  In some ferias, they get to ride the bus free if wearing a feria dress.  For a day women are care free, and it shows.  Many groups of women have dresses to match their girlfriends, and they also bring castanets and drums, to feria and by days end they bring the party outside of casetas.  The TV camera men, love them, they follow these ladies and film them having so much fun. Ole!

Feria Word of the Day: BOTELLONA

Botellona in Sanlucar.  Still descent and not so crowded
as the night progresses this area looks like a war zone

Botellona: this event happens all year long, but it is especially visible during feria.  When the young crowd buys their alcohol at the licor shop and brings it to feria.  They consume it outside of the casetas, and gather in one area.  It seem that the more crowded it is, the more fun they have.  But what a mess they leave behind!  Some ferias, actually assign the botellona in a hidden part of feria so people don't have to see the mess.  When not in feria, the police assigns an area in town where it can take place.

Botellona in Jerez, away from the main feria grounds.

Feria Word of the Day: BUñUELOS

Making Buñuelos for Xmas.

Buñuelos:

• Similar to fried doughnut holes covered with cinnamon and sugar. 
• Very popular during festivities, including feria and Christmas.

Buñuelos in Feria
Internet image

Feria Word of the Day: CAIREL

CAIREL:

• Fringe
• Ornamental border consisting of loose hanging threads 
• What an Andalusian rider wears on the bottom of his pants as closure
•  Ornament, it looks like a spiral or knot made out of ornamental cord.

Feria Word of the Day: JACARANDA

Jacaranda in bloom at the Gonzalez Byass bodega, Jerez

JACARANDA: 
A flowering tree from the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of Central America, South America, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and the Bahamas (from wikipedia).

It blooms in late May and its flowers are a bright lilac. Beautiful Jacaranda, not really a word used in Feria, but it is in bloom during Feria, especially during the Feria del Caballo in Jerez, where most trees around the recinto are in bloom. A great time to take pictures in this beautiful city.

Jacaranda in Bloom right in front of the church,La Merced, in Santiago - Jerez. 

Feria Word of the Day: CABALLISTAS

During the day, feria is full of caballistas

CABALLISTA(S): a person that understands about horses, rides them and does it well.

Feria Word of The Day: PALMAS

Three "palmeros" in the background and son J. Villar, clapping
and cheering his mother, Susana Gomez during her dance.

Palmas: Palms of your hand, palm trees

• But in flamenco it means: to clap
• It is the base of the rhythm for the music in Andalucia. It is the “glue” that keeps all the musicians and dancers in sync. 
• There are two types of palmas, Claras and Sordas (clear and deaf) 
• Clear palmas are done with flat hands and sordas are done with cupped hands. But it is not that simple. You have to know when to play Claras and when the music requires Sordas. 
• Musicians usually don’t appreciate the public playing the palmas, because most of the time the public throws them off. So be careful if you have to clap, do it softly.
• a person that claps is called a "palmero"

 

Palmas accompany the singer Romerito de Jerez

Feria word of the Day: RECINTO

Feria Grounds, Jerez 

RECINTO (Ferial): 

• Feria grounds.  
• also called, La Real

Feria Word of the Day: RESACA

The last day in feria is the hardest

RESACA:

• An underwater current flowing strongly away from the shore. 
• A letdown, void caused after a period of excitement = FERIA.
• Hangover 

If it is a Hangover you are trying to cure, make sure the next morning you drink plenty of liquids (non alcoholic), like orange juice, and eat light foods that aid digestions and give your liver a chance to recover. A bowl of pasta with veggies, a yoghurt, light broth are good choice.  If you have a headache, take pain killers that don't affect the liver and rest.

Feria Word of the Day: FERIANTE

Feriantes and tourists pose for a picture.

FERIANTE:

• A person that goes to feria to buy or sell 
• A person that goes to feria everyday, all the time, and sometimes to all Ferias 

A good "Feriante", shouldn't miss: 

1. The opening ceremony and lighting 
2. Calle del Infierno or the kiddy rides (the other feria) 
3. Ride on a horse or carriage 
4. A bullfight 
5. The fireworks at the closing of Feria

Fireworks signaling the end of Feria.

Feria Word of the Day: CASCABEL

CASCABEL:

• Jingle bell, like in Christmas
• bells worn by the horses in the Feria del Caballo. Jerez and other fairs.

Feria Word of the Day: ALGODON

Sugary treat for the kids in feria
You can buy it in a stick, a bag or a little plastic container to carry around.

ALGODON (DE AZUCAR): Cotton, in Feria, we have cotton candy

What else is there to say.  If you were ever a child you probably had your share of algodón de azúcar.

Feria Word of the Day: PUCHERO

Puchero to comfort belly and hangover.
Internet image.

PUCHERO: light broth or soup

• it also mean: "hacer pucheros" the face a baby makes when it is about to cry, pursing his lips.
• A comforting meat broth with a hint of mint and salt, to give you strength at the wee hours of the night at, or coming from Feria. 
• I’t may help with the hangover.
• want the recipe? click here
• Many casetas offer puchero

Feria Word of the Day: REVENTA

The painting title should be: Reventá after feria.
Internet image

Reventá(da):  extremely tired, local lingo omits the last syllable.

• can also say: Estrozao from destrozado, destroyed.
• in pieces, 
• broken ,
• exhausted,  
• beat,
• How you feel after a week long feria

Feria Word of the Day: POLVO

internet image

POLVO: Dust, powder

• "Que polvero": it is very dusty 
• “Echar un polvo”, to have sex 
• “Hecho polvo”, exhausted, depressed, shattered 
• “Hacer polvo” to crush, to annihilate, something or someone 
• “Sacudir el polvo”, to dust 
• “Limpiar el polvo”, to dust
• "empolvarse la nariz" to powder one's nose