Holy week (Semana Santa) is a big ole deal here in Espana. The mother of all holy weeks happens in Sevilla, where I had the pleasure of taking Sonia and Sarah along with me, 2 friends from my nursing program here in Madrid. Neither had ever been to Sevilla or had experienced Semana Santa, so I knew that they were going to have a good weekend :) We stayed with Manolo, who has made a lot more improvements on his house since last November (last time I was there). I must say though that having hot water is the best thing that he ever did for that place. God bless hot water. We went by bus (6 hrs there - no problem, a gazillion coming back due to traffic - big adventure) and were there from Thursday evening (March 20) to Sunday afternoon (March 23). We saw processions (including Manolo's), did some sight-seeing (palace and gardens, city center, cathedral for 3 seconds of Easter mass), and Sonia and Sarah met some of Manolo's friends and family and we saw my friend Isabel as well. I introduced them to my 2 favorite foods: espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with garbanzo beans) and salmorejo (cold tomato soup), Manolo introduced them to the king of rums: Legendario (Cuban rum), they had heard about and wanted to try Agua de Sevilla (toxic cocktail that will knock you on your butt rather quickly - I'm not a fan really) and many other things typical of my fair city. Yes, it's *mine* :) (recall Irish guy's fervor from Braveheart when stating that Ireland was *his* island).
Manolo and new addition to the family "El Pele"
Manolo, Zoilo, Sarah and Sonia waiting for the salida (exit from the church) of a procession (El Valle) Thursday evening
Manolo washing dishes in his upstairs kitchen (that now has a microwave!)
Manolo's aunt, Carmen, adjusts his nazareno tunic
Manolo, the nazareno
Manolo and his aunt's neighbor's kid as nazarenos (these processions are done in penitence, hence the hoods for anonymity)
Lining up on the balcony to see the salida of El Cachorro, Manolo's procession
Nazarenos racing to the church to get ready for the salida
You can be a nazareno at any age
Penitentes don't wear a cap but instead carry one or two crosses as penitence - some go barefoot like this person - not easy on a 12 hour procession from the church to the main cathedral and back
The first paso (statue) that leaves the church is the christ (in different scenarios during the passion - the Cachorro is, obviously, crucified being that it goes out on Good Friday)
Most processions have a band that follows the christ paso and then later the virgin paso
The virgin comes out last - the candles in front are lit at night
Nazarenos from another paso on Friday - the Tres Caidas - each church has their own style of tunic - nazarenos usually carry candles during the procession - kids bored to tears waiting for processions to pass by will go and ask a nazareno either for candy (they carry candy with them to tide them over on the long walk) or for candle wax (the kids collect wax to make wax balls that can get pretty big throughout the week)
The virgin of the Tres Caidas - the smoke isn't from the candles - it's incense
Little kids join in the processions as well and give out candy along the way
Typical street in the old city at night
Took a break from pasos to go to the Carboneria - super-turisty but you can see sevillanas danced, hear flamenco sung and meet people from all walks of life - and get a good tinto de verano - or some agua de sevilla if you're feeling brave
Virgin of the Sagrada Mortaja (a silent procession, no band) but we saw her sung to (people are hired to sing songs to the pasos called "saetas") by a guy on a balcony as she was passing through
The Cachorro on its way home to its entrada (entrance into the church) - it was 2:30am and we were all tired - Manolo especially
Manolo, el pele, the car, his house and the signs for his business that will, he says, be opening within a month - a frozen foods business (congelados=frozen foods) el faro (the name of his business which means "the lighthouse") where he will sell frozen foods from a store at the front of his house
Manolo's shoe covered in wax from the night before carrying the candle for 12 hours - he'd scraped the majority off already
Park (el parque amate) where we took el pele to play
El pele was in love with Sonia and her purse
Sarah in the Jardines de Murillo
Sarah and Sonia in the Patio de Banderas with the Giralda in the background
Sonia chillin with a horse
The girls and Isabel diggin on some helado
Me n Isabel sayin ciao til next time (feria :))
Sarah in the Plaza de Espana
Sarah at the entrance of the Alcazar (palace)
Central patio in el Alcazar
Typical mudejar style arches in the Alcazar
Peacocks in the palace gardens
A hedge maze in the middle of the palace gardens
Sonia peeking out of the garden wall
Sarah on the balcony of the garden wall
Beautiful greenery in the palace gardens - orange trees were blooming, wisteria and roses were everywhere - if you ever go to Sevilla, go in the spring - you will not be disappointed
Arabic baths underneath the palace
Cathedral
Easter mass (we snuck in for like 3 seconds)
One of the largest, most voluminous Gothic cathedrals in Europe - never fails to make me feel the size of a flea when I walk in every single time
Many people sell incense and burners during Semana Santa - the entire city smells of incense and cars wheels squeal on the roads due to all the wax dripped on the streets during all of the many processions
El pele eating the couch (instead of Sarah)
me n Manolo before leaving
Sarah, me, Sonia and Manolo
Zoilo, Manolo and me before heading to the bus station (NEVER EVER TRAVEL on Easter Sunday in Spain, ESPECIALLY if you are returning from somewhere else to Madrid - just trust me on this :P - it was an adventure)In other news:
Diet Fanta has been introduced in Spain!!!!! YIPPEEEE!!!! Lemon Fanta is my favoritest drink ever and I am over the moon for it to be guilt-free now :)
My neighborhood is so much nicer than my last one - The guys who own/train at the gym are really cool and my pilates teacher is getting my booty and abs in shape (Jen at HAC would be proud), the little food-store guy and his wife always smile and call me guapa even though I come in dripping sweat buying a cold drink after the gym, Cafe Tambor barista (Pedro) always talks to me and teases me for all my travels and Brazilian clothes store owner (Eliani) who sells beautiful scarves down the street always has interesting stories to share... And there are more as you keep going down the street... All of these people wave and smile as you pass by... Feels like a real community and not a series of blocks in a concrete jungle...
Zencast (podcast) rocks my socks off... listen to it every night before bed... Highly recommend it to those looking for things to help you chill
Discovered a neat terrace downtown where you can see most of Madrid with a nice cup of coffee (on a sunny warm day), walked around the ethnically diverse Lavapies on Sunday with the girls, saw Juno Saturday night with Isabel (woman that I formerly lived with), and am slowly getting financial aid stuff done for Vandy next year.
I am *finally* back down to 1 lb away from my goal weight (which i hit last august a day before coming to Madrid). I am home 7 weeks from today. Been crazy homesick a lot the past couple of days. I do get to see Laura next weekend and I went crazy and bought a ticket down for Feria in Sevilla the weekend after that... I figure that you only live once, right?
I am going to do email catch-up this week and next week so I promise that if you have emailed me in the past couple of months and I have been a total dodo and haven't emailed you back, then I will be emailing you soon - I am so sorry for really really sucking at that - it's one of my new year's resolution that I haven't done very well on so far :(
Oh, and Ryan - loved the pics that you posted and the shoutouts (especially for the oatmeal :P) - thanks for posting your fun holiday recap - looks like you and the girls had a wonderful time - but I had a gargantuan craving for cheese after reading that!! :) :) :)
AND to Lisa - you go girl - recognition well-deserved :) :) :)
LASTLY to Laurita Paquita - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I can't wait to hear all the details and see the beautiful ring that he picked out for you :) :) :)
Sending a huge-ass global hug and lots o' love to all my peeps out there far and wide :)
Martha
3 comments:
Love ya!
I want Seville. Or at least to return with you, this time with Chris in tow. Brian can come too, if he's not tired of Spain. Are you sure some of those picts you posted aren't from our trip... a couple look suspiciously familiar.
I am glad that the new neighborhood is so great. It sounds like you've found a good spot for you in Madrid, but that Sevilla will always be your (Spanish) home. Do you still speak Spanish with a major Andalusian accent, or have you gone Madrid native?
Hi, Martha! Just wanted to say that I love keeping up with your fabulousness through your blog. Sounds like Semana Santa was awesome and yes, Sevilla is *your* city. Also glad to hear that your new neighborhood is so pleasant. Sending you hugs :)
Estee
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