Seeing as my head is about to explode due to the economic destruction of the world that is taking place before my eyes plus the most foul,dirty, lying election campaign in the history of the United States, and thAT covers one hell of a lot of elections, I think a bit of levity is in it's place.  As in "All work and no play makes Jack a wimp"and all that jazz.

And added to all that is the fact that I have been practically given orders to do something else by the lovely Isabelita from my old home town of Seattle how can Ipossibly deny destiny?

So.....................The annual fair is on here in town and unlike this sort of thing in the US, this is an age old tradition here in Spain and especially here in Andalucia where we live.  It probably has a closer relationship with the old Coast Silash Indian's Potlatch.  Where all the out lying groups and settlements got to got together to celebrate a good catch/harvest and where the young people could do what young people are want to do.  And thus avoid inbreeding.  And thus it is till this day.

But to make it appear somewhat legit they also have all sorts of diversions for the wee ones and also for the old farts like me.  To start with, although it offically started Thursday, Wednesday evening they had a fire works display that would have put the invasion of Iwo Jima to shame as far as produced noise goes.  And as soon as that was over it got LOUD.

So Naturally SWMBO forced me to go the following day.  And guess what?  As it has not rained here in months somehow it was decided by the perverse Gods in charge of that sort of thing that we should have a downpour that would shame a serious Mexican Gulf Hurricane.  So photo ops were rather sparse but I did what I could.

The ironic thing is that we were planning on going back today but....................Now we are having a hurricane from the South which means the sun is practically blocked out with sand from the Sahara.  And warm as hades.  And it is also threatening rain which will really be lovely as then the town,which has been all spruced up for the fair, (A tradition here.  All the houses must be whitened by fair time.) will now turn red.  Because the sand in the air is very fine, powder really, and when it rains this comes down and turns all the houses a horrible, streaked, red and it cannot be washed off!  A true mess!  So from the looks of things we will not be attending today so you will have to make do with the pics. I managed to take the other day.

As usual we managed to arrive a bit late and the days event which was the crowning of the juvenile King and Queen of the fair.  The first photo was taken just after we arrived and the King had just been crowned.  And as to be expected, total confusion reigned.  Unfortunately, due to our late arrival this is as close as I could get to the stage as I did not want to risk a broken leg or worse if I were accidently to block the view of some ferocious granny who's kid was about to be crowned third runner up or something equally as important.

And here you have the moment all were waiting for.  The crowning of the Queen.  She is the wee one on the left in the red dress.  And as you can see, they even managed to get the boys to line up.  It didn't last long. 

And that was it.  As soon as little Carmen had her flowers every one got up and the tent emptied in about 5 minutes.  And there we were.  All alone and the bar was not even open. 

So we made quick exit and managed, between raindrops, to arrive more or less dry at a place we knew we would be welcome.

THE OLD FOLKS TENT!  EL CORTIJO (The farmhouse)

WHERE SWMBO GAVE HER BEST OLD WRINKLY TEENAGE POSE

AND OF COURSE THERE WAS NO ONE THERE.  SO I COMMISERATED WITH MY SELF OVER THE HIGH PRICE OF THEIR BLOODY BEER WHILE SWMBO CHATTED THE YOUNG BARTENDER UP.

BUT ON OUR WAY WE DID RUN INTO AN OLD FRIEND PACO WHO WAS ENTERTAINING IN ANOTHER TENT RUN BY A GROUP OF THE LOCAL GYPSIES.  OF WHICH HE IS ALSO A MEMBER.  WE HAVE KNOWN HIM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.  IN FACT, MANY YEARS AGO HE USED TO COME TO OUR RESTAURANT IN TORROX WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND OF THE MOMENT SO HE WOULDN'T RUN INTO ANY ONE HERE FROM TOWN.  ESPECIALLY HIS WIFE.

HERE YOU HAVE THE TWO OF THEM DOING THE IMPORTQANT STUFF.  THE YOUNG LADY ON THE RIGHT IS THE DAUGHTER OF THE PROPRIETORS AND FUNCTIONS AS WAITRESS.

WHEN SHE IS NOT TRIPPING THE LIGHT FANTASTIC WITH SWMBO THAT IS.

MORE OF THE LIGHT FANTASTICING. 

PACO IN THE BACKGROUND WARMING UP.

AND HERE YOU HAVE HIM AT FULL VOICE.  AND A VERY GOOD VOICE IT IS ALSO.

HERE YOU HAVE THE ENTIRE AUDIENCE MINUS SWMBO AND I, CHECKING THE RAIN BETWEEN SETS.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS.  HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.