More chance to relax. Everyone is out of the house today. Saturday and the Feria is still on. I slept till noon because I was out with Sherie and her friend Samuel (a Sevillano) till 4 am last night at the Feria. They stayed till who knows what hour.

I tried to tell Samuel that it was fascinating watching the locals dance Sevillanas. He did not really understand me. He said, in his almost perfect English, "I've seen it all for years. I see things you don't see." I'm sure he does, but I see things he doesn't see too. There can be no doubt, it is nothing that needs researching, nor is it some kind of fanciful stereotyping I as a foreigner am doing. They whirl around but stop dramatically with one arm high in the air. The people who are good have a subtle way of bringing space and time into it. Even though the music may be fast at times, they don't let it rush their movements of make them seem frenzied. They may be playing and joking somewhat with their dramatic poses but they are not parodying, as most of us would do if we were to dance this way. It is part of them and the way they are. One woman probably about my age, who is sitting with our group dances in such a coquettish, teasing way... though in our culture this could make her seem cheap or loose. Not the way she does it. We talk to her and I like her very much. (I know how to dance the same dance they are all doing, and have performed it many times in Vancouver. But I do not have the same "something" in me that they do, that comes out when they dance it. It is part of their attitude to life and cannot be imitated without obtaining that attitude. It can only come from inside.)

Marta and her boyfriend Dani have been around more than usual this weekend, with Marta's mother and her kids gone. Marta is 30, a former hairdresser who is out of work now (well, working in the hospitality industry for lack of jobs in hairstyling). She is a short, cute, fiery, girl, with the back of her head shaved; she is constantly changing her hairdo. She has a couple of tattoos. Her best friend has her whole head shaved. I don't know if all this means she is really very rebel-ish. Possibly a little bit. I suppose her mannerisms and way of talking remind me of the Italian girls I went to high school with. Very confident - not worried about anything, but friendly and nice. Pepa herself, though in part a proper lady who keeps her house spotless and gets stressed out about doing everything, is no stick in the mud when it comes to tradition. She told me one day, don't you worry - do what you want and enjoy life. Go out with whatever men you want - have them take you out for a nice time, and do what you please - just put your heart in your pocket if he is not available. All men do what they please - they all have fun. It's time women did the same. I just wish I had realised that younger.

I try to explain to Samuel that affairs seem more acceptable here in Spain. He doesn't really like that and says they are never acceptable, but perhaps just not seen as badly as in Canada. I tell him that in Canada I have only once, 14 years ago, been sought out by a married man, and that since being in Spain, there have been 3 so far. My friend says that she would never marry in Seville; that if she were a man here, she couldn't be faithful. All the women are just too gorgeous. The three of us agree that the Feria dresses are all about the "culo" - ass/rear end. They are figure hugging and have a way of making anyone's bum look gorgeous. Aside from that, they do themselves up like dolls, with huge dangling earring, flowers on the top and center of their heads in a totally un-abashed way and a thousand ruffles all over.