Feria in Full Swing!

Saturday, Apr. 15, 2017--Arles, France

Last night was exciting.  At 21:00, fireworks went off for 10 minutes.  After that, major concerts began at two of the plazas and crowds were wandering the streets and and crowding into the streets at major bars.  Marching-type bands were performing at various locations, including one inside a 3rd floor apartment.  I first heard Orchestre LSP Music at Place Voltaire.  They were okay, something seemed a bit low-class about them--sleezy costumes and hairstyles on the female dancers, for instance.  So I moved to Place de la Republique where Almeras Orchestre (scroll to the bottom of that web page for video or here they are on YouTube) was performing.  Neither of these were orchestras; they were pop bands.  The latter had female and male lead singers and secondary singers and five dancers (looking much nicer than those of the other band).  There were twice as many musicians as the other band had, too.  The crowd seemed to know all of their songs and danced and sang along with them.

The action outside my room continued until 4:00 in the morning.  I stayed up watching a Turkish film (Sadece Sen) on Netflix and reading my current novel.  Finally, I gave up at 3:00 and put in the ear plugs.  I was surprised how well they shut out the noise.  I was able to go to sleep and stay asleep until 10:00 this morning when the noises of the festival began again.

Today, the festivities have been dialed up to a frenzy.  I'm so glad now that I am staying where I am.  So much action is taking place just below my windows.  I have stayed inside much of the day watching it all.  There are street bands roaming the city.  One came by and played several songs, then another.  While the latter was still here, another came creating a battle-of-the-bands.  And it continues with band after band arriving.  They are playing festive music.  One played "When the Saints Come Marching In."  Most are playing songs that are generally associated with Spanish bullfighting along with songs that sound like carnival (as in Rio) music.  The bullfighting songs are due to the bullfights taking place as a part of the festival; Arles is the French center for Spanish-style bullfighting.  All the bands are small--12-25 members or so.  Often, their leaders are in outlandish costumes.  One had a red top hat and a red jacket with black tails.  Each band has simple uniforms such as matching shirts and hats.  One of the bands last night had every member in black and white of their choice--one dressed as a spotted cow!  Here are videos of street bands from previous Arles Ferias.

In addition to the loud crowds and the bands, the smells of the foods cooking in huge wok-type pans on the street is wafting up through my windows.  There is paella at several places with fresh red and yellow peppers, onions, chicken, shrimp,etc.  But I have seen other mixtures in pots as I have toured around the square--one with prunes, chicken, and exotic smelling spices--maybe a North African dish since there are so many people living here from the former French colonies there--and mixtures with meat.

Around 14:30, I decided to explore to see what was happening elsewhere.  First, I bought a pastry at Boulangerie Soulier which my guidebook says is the best pastry shop in Arles.  Then, at Place de la Republique, each of the street bands was taking turns going to the stage to perform.  I couldn't get the names of all of them, but among them were Los Caballeros, Pena Taurine, Pena les Reboussiers, and Banda les Phacocheres.

When that ended, it was almost time for the bullfights, so I made my way over to watch the crowds enter.  There were many more people than yesterday--probably enough for a full house today.  I listened to some more street music and returned to Place de la Republique where a woman was singing opera areas accompanied by a CD of the music.   Eventually I returned to my square, Place du Forum, which is definitely party central for the Feria--the loudest and most crowded area to be found in the city.

For happy hour, I listened to the music and the crowds outside my window while having duck pate on bread with the remains of a bottle of wine (a very small glass full).  Then for dinner I had pasta and opened a new bottle of Bordeaux wine.  I've decided not to go back out tonight.  The Mistrals are blowing. It's the time of the year they occur here.  The air is cool and the wind is blowing rather strong.  I've closed the shutters and will stay inside the rest of the evening, I think.