Are Fairs Fair?

I don’t know… but nan mobility surely sounds adjacent enough.

I retrieve my first visits to Spain arsenic a tourist. During Feria, I’d aftermath up astir each night, wide-eyed and wondering: Is this ever going to end? Are they present connected a three-month visa?

It felt for illustration a taxable parkland had group up campy successful my surviving room, isolated from it was nan Plaza del Pueblo, entertaining nan kids and tormenting nan remainder of us.

These thoughts ran chaotic during those disco-pumping, sleepless nights, my windows trembling to nan hit of reggaeton, merengue, aliases immoderate genre was blasting.
One night, curious, I went to spot for myself. I threw connected my champion dotted shirt, looking for illustration a mislaid tourer who took a incorrect move into chaos.
First point I noticed? Beautiful people, dressed for nan occasion, radiating joy. Laughter, food, drinks, and kids flying retired of quality blender rides—red-faced, dizzy, loving it.
Then I sewage adjacent to 1 of nan rides, glowing for illustration a agelong of Las Vegas aliases a Christmas character fresh for liftoff—BAM! The sound deed maine for illustration a cannonball. I committedness it threw maine backmost 300 meters.
It felt for illustration a sonic bomb. My tegument pulled truthful tight from nan blast, I skipped integrative surgery, 10 years younger, mildly traumatized, richer for it.
So, are fairs really fair?
Well, if you unrecorded 100, 200, aliases moreover 500 meters from nan Recinto Ferial, congratulations, you’re portion of nan soundtrack, whether you for illustration it aliases not.
Fair? Only if you bask sleeping pinch a unrecorded performance successful your bedroom.

And why are they ever successful nan hottest months? Couldn’t they prime a cooler time?
With ambiance change, soon they’ll each beryllium squeezed into December.
Yeah, Mariah Carey, you’ll get 3 seconds to singing “All I Want for Christmas”—we’ve sewage different worldly to celebrate.

But let’s flip nan coin.
If you’re a local, pinch kids, your partner, in-laws, and that random friend your kid dragged along, you’re not conscionable going to nan fair. You’re heading into financial danger.
Because joyousness isn’t cheap.
Rides are astir €4 each. Three kids, 8 rides? Add snacks, food, drinks and abruptly you’re dialing nan bank.
“Hi, yes, it’s nan adjacent again…”

So, are fairs fair?
They’re loud, pricey, unforgettable. Your wallet decides.
For residents who dislike nan noise, sleepless nights, rattled windows, panicked pets—maybe fairs aren’t wholly fair.
But hey, erstwhile successful Rome, do arsenic nan Romans do. Locals cognize really to prepare. They scheme up and adapt.
It’s america newcomers who person to study to rotation pinch it.
Because honestly, these events are wonderful: safe, colorful, afloat of life. Families travel together, kids person fun, rides are checked, information is present. It’s summertime astatine afloat volume.
And while we’re here, it’s our culture, our summer, our neighborhood—together.
So yes, moreover if I wrote this wide awake, blasted by reggaeton astatine midnight, my verdict is simple:
Fairs are fair.
Loud.
But mostly, fair—and lovely.

aif2018@hotmail.com