Ronda Ferias

Last week we had our annual Carnival here in Ronda, which is normally a great little procession and a lot of fun. Nothing like the Brazillion Carnivals, or even like Sydney's Gay Pride, Spanish carnivals are mostly about people letting go politically and lampooning local politicians.

If you don't know, the president of Spain is José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, also known as Zapatito which pretty much means small shoe, the inference being he punches way below his weight. I'm not really into politics unlike my Spanish friends, but I really thought this picture was amusing from Carnival. Busco a Zapatero means I'm looking for Zapatero...

Last week in Ronda we had our annual fair, known here a the Pedro Romero Feria. It's a great time of year to be in Ronda, we have a fantastic parade from the bullring to the fairground, the Dames Goyesca are chosen and officiate at all the major functions, and of course the bullring resounds to the noises of Ronda's only annual bullfight, culminating in the horse and carriage show on the last day of the feria.

It's a tiring week, with lots of activities and late night partying, but Rondeños look forward to the event all year, so don't seem to mind. Being an early to bed kind of guy I really struggled, even when I left the festivities to go home, I could still hear the music booming in my bedroom, with earplugs, my pillow squashed against my ears, and the shutters on the window closed.

I'm not a huge fan of bullfighting so didn't get any photos of the cherished event, but I did go to the horse and carriage show, a spectacular competition held in the bullring with the nicest and best maintained carriages I've ever seen. They came from all over Andalucía, winners of all the other comptitions at Sevilla, Jerez, Córdoba, and of course Ronda.

La Bola, the name says it all, this is Ronda's main shopping precinct, and it's filled with people. People shopping, people talking, and people stopping for a coffee.

I often sit and watch the people go by, it whiles away the time, and is a welcome distraction from therapy or work. A "cafe con leche" costs only a few cents, and can be made to last half an hour, perfect for enjoying the moment.

Right now I'm watching a group of kids walking toward me, they're enjoying their last few days of the summer holidays, it'll be back to school after feria in a week.

Shop windows all over Ronda have been redecorated for the feria, held in honour of Pedro Romero, Ronda's greatest bullfighter. At the weekend fans of the Rondeño style of bullfighting will be treated to the Corrida Goyesca, the annual carnival which is the only bullfight staged in Ronda's Plaza de Toros.

The bottom end of La Bola has been decorated, the street itself has an artificial ceiling made of paper balls in red and white, and throughout the central city bar owners are preparing for the outdoor bars that are a hallmark of feria week.

The summer sales will be finishing soon as well, I think the end of this week, so quite a few people are frantically buying up before tne winter season clothes arrive. Tourists are especially keen on getting bargains that cost twice as much back home.

In the week ahead, Rondeños will be treated to a spectacular parade through the city, bandits, goyesca ladies, horses and carriages, fireworks, concerts, the bullfights, and of course the outdoor bars. It should be a great week.