LIFE IN SPAIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 3108, 29 December 1921, Page 6

LIFE IN SPAIN.

through ;;xci i n. t-:v!: tiik rom.AK i;ru, fight. A colourful 1 1 1"r-rif-. "i):! ol Spain L givei in a letter inrUi’M Ik ->i:i a, friend ii Gibraltar I■a |o .-■ in-E nt In demriimif tho “i;Ur ; . .. ]im-!i a a leal are of 11 1> Jialional life, tin- wnin- Antes ! 1 1 , ■ f |>> visited the annual mu, m San Roque Spanish fan's, m Dm '(iter reads, a’-' cti tirely removeil tram dm popular eoncep tJou of a similar guilt ring of KngEl people. Dvovy mcm-ip, alin , which cm boast an exeheqnc - iicieni to defray ex (leli-es promote,| x,4 f : -'r mVIUe. “feria,” in die -mx. , : ,'imh;-:. !n tea. of the usual collection of ;-eie :,;n merry-go-rounds, which have 10 in looked ip jo! i a > par m,] p;:>'re! ,an Eh pat fieri eg, due elder atnvcnW, lor ifiSpaniard are iiie kid) ti:da:x. which an astonishingly pep:.lav with the whole populace of hoi’h Sexes 11 is the Ue tom id die Spanish pi opie p> boast of dm u- mhei of Lull fights' w liir-h they have amended. Tlio women foil; flock to dm-" gatherings, wearing gorgeous -ilk end lace mantillas. Iho Jailer resemble a, handkerchief, winch is suspended from a Id-m hacked eoml placed on top of dm head, and is alkmed to full lo the fern. A mantilla e- very costly, the price ranging from 400 io £OO pesetas, and sometimes a- many dollars, \Vhen a teria is in progress die (own <ee village which has promoted it .is gaily decorated with streamers of bunting and flam-, whilst numerous sv.eets stalls ami cafes abound. (me may at, in a primitive arbour <>t green I; 'ti )muds and Oriental paints, sipping through a sir m nine the most, palatable wines ol Spain, whtist all around (here are music and laughter and song, which lulls one into a restful frame of mind. . The writer passes on to a graphic description of the Spanish muticiaiis’ skill on the guitar and ol the enchanting atmosphere ot mystery and romance which he can create, so that the mundane and sordid things ot everyday life are soon forgotten, 'I he furious roaring of dm full-blooded bulls, which provide sport lor the multiIncles. announces (hat the lights are about to continence. The elite of society, says the writer, attend the hull fights in force, and he was 511;prised ;;i (he verv large percentage of women full; who v.en present at one of these lights which lie witnessed. “I cannot believe.” lie says, “that- the "’otimii folk go for the sake of the killing, and it scans probable lieu iluir desire is to preen themselves m the eyes of -moiety and to display them wondcrfel millinery creations. It i,- inconceivable dint the eye of fashion could pencil;, p- 10 simh an out of-the-way spot as this little hillside town, so strangely reminmeenl of Don hui the fact: remains that here are seen fadtime wliieh are mouths later reflected in London society hy poor imitai ions, at (In mdi the Jadic-s of the great metropolis would laugh io scorn any suggest mu ihat anything resembling (heir gov. us had ever keen worn before, especially in a hide town in the dpanah lulls, winch enjoyno official near Jl l*ion on the ma,, ot Spam, per-onall v. i. think 1 lie wheel of fashion 1 unis its fir,- 1 involution in Spain and reael.es London bid.” The pie: ,irix-;(|im garb of due revel levs, who parade through the streets of lim town after (ho Pul! lights, is also mentioned in flits '-ery dcscrintive lett.-r. Around a hastily-erected dance hall lim olive skinned roils and daughters of Spain foregather and make merry as the night falls, whilst; lim Hindi of burning naptha lamps and olive oil makes the .atmosphere reckinglv repel).-nt.