Carnival 2008 in a small "White Village" in Andalucia

We were surprised by the extent of the celebrations when we first arrived, for such a small village. I love how the whole village participates in the festivals. This is our second winter here and we are grateful to be part of this community. This quote says it all:

"Spain in general and Andalusia in particular teaches us
that you can have no real communal life unless
you have focal and celebratory events throughout the year,
in which the large majority of people in that community participate.
That is because the only true basis of community
is not supposedly enlightened self-interest but actual shared experience.
This is much assisted by the preservation of pre-industrial feasts and saints' days and by a due attention to the rhythms of the seasons. "