This past week we finished up with classes, and began the most stressful week of the Preshco calendar: FINALS. Now normally I wouldn’t be this stressed out with my abroad classes, however all these finals are accompanied by not one, not two, but three different fiestas and the inevitable task of packing up and saying goodbye. While I struggle to finish the rest of my work by the Lluvia de Estrellas and Feria this weekend (I’m about halfway through all my projects!), I though I would describe the fiesta this past weekend.
Saturday morning my housemate Matt and I woke up super early (think 6:30am), and got dressed in our gitano outfits. We then met up with the rest of the Preshquitos and hopped on a bus headed for Cañete de las Torres, the start of our romería (pilgrimage). We made it just in time to hop in the procession behind the big statue of San Isidro Labrador being pulled by a tractor. For the next three hours we walked through the town and through olive fields until we reached the hermitage, which marked the end of our romería. Around the hermitage were set up a several casetas (it looked like a little tent town) where the people gather to eat, drink, and dance Sevillanas. We started off with seemingly endless plates of tapas and had a chance to wander around a bit and take in all the different casetas. Dancing and rebujitos (Fino mixed with Sprite) were plentiful. At 3pm we were served to large paellas, and although at this point we were all stuffed, I couldn’t say no to such delicious looking food. By the end of the afternoon we were all tired and fell asleep quickly on the bus ride back to Córdoba.
San Isidro Labrador
The procession
The Preshco caseta
Gettin’ some air
La ermita de San Isidro de Labrador de Cañete de las Torres
Natasha and I dressed as gitanas
Las veteranas (full-year students)
Frolicking through the olive trees
This week has been a busy mixture of finishing up essays, practicing our Flamenco routine for the Lluvia de Estrellas (Preshco end of the semester party), and enjoying all of my favorite spots in Córdoba one last time. While I can’t wait to be done with all this craziness, I know that once I’m finished everything it will mean it’s time to say goodbye to Spain. At least with all these fiestas (Feria starts on Friday!), the semester will definitely be going out with a bang!
kristyinspain 