In the next few blogs I am going to share with you the first three fiestas we witnessed and took part in,in Serón.
The first happened when we still were living in Bridget's house we had been in Seron about a month. We sat on the roof terrace and we could see a procession of gypsy style wagons (well trailers made to look like wagons ) everyone dressed in traditional Spanish costume, music blaring, it looked so spectacular from up so high, that we decided to go and investigate.
This is the fiesta 'Romeria de la Virgen de la Cabeza' we now know a bit more about it but back then we knew nothing !
They carry the tradition religious status up to the little church at the top of a very steep hill, the church of 'de la Virgen de la Cabeza', it is about getting back to the gypsy roots, with the whole town including the horses, joining in. Then the 'virgen's', there are two one carried by women, one by men (they both look pretty heavy to me and I am not going to be volunteering!) are carried round what are now houses, but I understand that at least one used to be a stable. Four different houses, up the road, the Las Menas road to the bend and back to another little church. That first year it all seemed very odd, very personal, but very beautiful, that was the only year since being here we haven't been involved ! We are always welcomed with open arms and could very easily,be very drunk,very quickly as every wagon has its own summer wine, well lethal punch and they all want you to try theirs. I have worked out to hold other people's glasses and refresh them with what I can't drink. Lucky my friends are more than happy with this arrangement !
On the Sunday of 'de la Virgen de la Cabeza' is the day the whole town goes into the Rambler, riverbed, for a picnic, every family group has the spot that they have always had and friends are asked to join. It starts at 10am, with setting up tables, tents, generator for the music, camp fire. This is a real picnic, taken seriously, no plastic sheets on the floor here !
The drinking and eating starts almost straight away, the amount of food and drink that is consumed is unbelievable, our group is normally five families, we all put 50€ in the pot and that supplies us all day ! Tapas to start, Jamón, cheese, olives, nuts, salted fish, pisto (homemade tomato and pepper preserve, a bit like ratatouille) which is to die for !
About 2pm paella, will the food, we all drink beer and wine. When we finish eating we move on to the copas (shorts), I never do this bit, for me not a great idea, I stick to the wine, drank very slowly, so I can still stand up !!
Then more food, meat cooked on the fire, pork, sausages, black pudding, chorizo, lamb. They are now drinking beer and wine again. Coffee is also served after every meal, between the beer and the copas !
This is a well organised event and a true honer that we are invited every year and a fiesta we would not miss. Although as it is April can be a bit cold and one year it was raining, so we ending up in the family cortijo, small country house, which is kept just for family party's, as in belongs to them all and needs work to make it liveable full time, it was decided that party house was the best plan !! I love that, a house just for party's, genius idea !!!
Next time what happens when Seron gets active .....
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