I left almost immediately after the show ended last night.

And people said,  ¿Te vas Laura, Ya? 

"You're leaving, now?"

Sí, me voy.

Even though the show just ended. I wasn't even waiting to see if something exciting happened next.  I wasn't even staying to socialize some more. I was going home as early as 12:30 am...

Sí.

It was a peña show last night. At Peña La Bulería.

Last Friday I was at Peña Terremoto seeing David and Alfredo Lagos. And the two Fridays before that at Tio José de Paula.

Tonight I'll be at Peña los Cernícalos to see Carmen dance... after the Paco Cepero show at Los Claustros de Santo Domingo that is, where, by the way, Perico will joining him... and after having seen part of a show at Damajuana this afternoon, one that I just happened upon al mediodía...

Lots of peñas.

Lots of shows.

Lots going on in Jerez.

People tell me it's because of la crisis. To get people out. To get the economy going. The shows don't cost. But people buy food and drink while they're there...

So, last night at the peña

I almost didn't go.

I was sleepy. But mainly I didn't want to go alone. Even though I knew I'd see a million people I knew. Even though I'd already spoken to some of them earlier that day and we'd said we would see each other there. And even though it was right across the street from my apartment. Sometimes I still feel scared. Scared to go to a show like that by myself at 10:30 at night, or at any time really...

But I went anyway. And almost immediately saw friends and acquaintances. And I even got a seat. It was by Federico and Ana and Isa.

I'm glad I went

I didn't care much for the singer during the first half.

But I was still enjoying myself.

I love watching Niño Jero play. Because he smiles so much. And he's so playful. And the people here love him so much, so they give off lots of good energy.

We drank oloroso during the break

Then the singer grew on me during the second part. But not because of the oloroso. At least I don't think that's why.

There was a group of men behind us who kept talking about this and that during the show. And every now and then they would let out some jaleos.

There was this French woman standing next to us. She started dancing during the second part. Things like that don't really happen at peña shows. It all started with the siguiriyas. She was really into it. I assume she'd had a lot of oloroso. She kept dancing around until the end.

And, like I said, I left after the show was over

It may seem that this is normal, to leave after something is over. But not here. Not in Spain. The end can be just the beginning...

Federico, the señor I met at La Gitanería, told me that a couple of weeks ago after the show with Luis 'el Zambo' and Fernando Moreno that people stayed at the peña until 5am. Lots of flamenco.

He was sorry he'd missed it.

I am okay having missed it. I suppose I miss lots of things. But I'm okay with that. Anyway, the show itself left me satisfied...

That's a snippet from it. I wish you could have seen the audience. We were packed in, like sardines. Really. One person shifts, you shift with them.

Normally in the peñas when it is just cante and guitarra the artists call to people in the audience, not just anyone in the audience, certain people, to do palmas for bulerías at the end of each half. I love this part.

Being in Jerez is fun.

I'm going to miss it here. But, as you know,Ricardo is coming, so it makes leaving much easier.

Ok, time for comments

Would you stay until 5am?  8am?  11am?  Would you go to a show alone?  Have you been squished in at a show somewhere?  I want to hear from you.  Leave a comment below.