Almeria Fair—Sensational!

Wow, it’s good to be back home again. Of all the Almeria fairs I’ve participated in, this was the best, busiest and most fun of all, that’s more than 4 decades.

The fiestas at mid day (media dia) are fun. Bands or dancing girls can show up on any street corner and start a party. The wine flows with great conviviality. Never any fights or disturbances—just people having fun. You couldn’t visit all the sites, the mid day affairs, toros and then the flamenco at night. Quite honestly I don’t know of anyone who tired to either.

The corridas were written up in the papers as being “Historical” so you cannot ask for more than that. And during the night time there was the best, most famous singers, dancers and guitarists in the entire world to view or rub shoulders with in the crowded old plaza.

A very eclectic affair. Just like the Mojacar Taurine Club is also a social club that does lots of cultural outings—Almeria proved to be exciting through the day and night—multi-faceted.

Naturally, one starts the day well past mid morning sucking back buckets of coffee while reading the critic’s reports in the papers concerning the shows or bulls. It seems that no matter where you were there was something else going on where you should have been. Lots of good art exhibitions too.

My personal highlights were limited. An absolute must visit to Almeria is the Casa Puga, going now for more than 150 years serving wonderful wine and tapas from the same spot in town (below the old plaza and town hall). If you really need a Puga “fix” you must be there by noon to get a table.

But remember, many of the elderly need to sit also; so, as the custom is, invite someone you don’t know to sit at your table. In less than two nano seconds you’ll find out Spanish style they know someone you know quite well.

Our friend and member of the Mojacar Club Taurine, local Almerian matador Francisco Torres Gerez made good on his promise that he would cut two ears or die trying. He did just such a feat with the most dangerous six bulls I had seen in years.

Paco was sensational. Especially more so when you consider that each different bull that day injured whomever it faced. The world renown Morante de la Puebla was sent to the hospital after just six passes and companion Talavante gored.

The entire corrida (6 bulls) were ugly and mean. On the average a bullfighter is gored each 7th time he faces the toros but this day all three were wounded, bruised and knocked off their feet. The animals were just plain dangerous but it made for exhilarating viewing. Especially when Paco got down to his knees, wherein his mobility was limited from any errant charge of the bull and willed the bull to charge through his cape. Heroic indeed under the lashing horns of his counterpart. 

I wish you could have been there, but, then again, I did tell you.