Bull Riding Festival Part I

The people in Costa Rica love to have festivals.  It seems that every little town at every crossroads has a festival at some point in the year.  And, at least in this area, they all involve bulls and bull riding and “bull chasing” (my term).

 

Last weekend some of us went to the Fiestas Civicas at Villareal.  (This is the same little town that also has the Farmers Market we go to almost every Friday morning.)  The last time we were there we saw that they were getting ready for their festival.  They build a bull riding ring for their festival and then, when the festival is over, they tear it down and rebuild it in the next town.  The bull ring is wired together and the bleachers are nailed.

 

We left Tamarindo about six o’clock in the evening.  Seven of us went—Lynne Reilly, Roger and Therese Dion, Paul and Diane Stoner, and Gail and I.  We took the bus for the three mile ride to Villareal—cost was 60 cents each.

 

When we arrived the grounds were abuzz with people everywhere.  I am not sure where they all came from since Tamarindo only has five hundred people and Villareal is smaller than that.   The first thing we saw was the beer tent. 

You could get just about any kind of drink there you wanted if you could get the “bartender” to understand.

 

 

And lots of food-------------------
Arroz con Pollo (Rice with chicken)...

 

...Fried chicken just like the Colonel’s...

 

...and pork on a stick...and a whole lot more...

 

...this is called Churros.  It is a sweet batter that is cooked in a large tub (like half a fifty gallon barrel) in a milky liquid that is guaranteed to be fat free, low in cholesterol, will not clog the arteries of the heart, and is almost like eating pure fruit!  (And the guy selling it is a real estate developer who has several high potential lots on the edge of Villareal he will also sell you.)

 

The colored bags this guy is carrying are Palomita de Maiz...colored popcorn.
You can also have candy apples and corn on the cob...

 

...and more pastries.

 

While we wined and dined (Therese was enjoying her beer and corn on the cob)...

 

 

(Gail was not into the Colonel Sanders thing, but I thought it was excellent)...

 

on the finely crafted furniture...

 

...we were serenaded with some of the loudest Spanish music I have ever heard.

 

There were rides for the kids.  This is the Wacky Worm roller coaster.  

We had a hard time keeping Diane Stoner off of it. 

 

There were Bumper Cars, whirling pigs, and lighted saucers flying through the air. 

 

And you could buy all kinds of souvenirs, hats, sunglasses, jewelry, and trinkets...

...or get your hair braided.

But the whole reason everyone was there was to watch the bulls--and drink beer.   So.............