Updates

I should not be blogging right now, I should be reading the 100 pages I have left of Nada, by Carmen Laforet, which is actually a very good be, albeit insane. I have to read the rest of it by tomorrow, but I think a quick blog post is necessary because I haven't in a while.

To start with, I haven't yet posted my pictures of Semana Santa, Holy Week in Sevilla. I was only there for the last 2 days of it, that was all that was necessary for me. In the first place it is demasiado gente (way too many people!). I came home on Sabado Santo and I went to the Cathedral to see what I could see, which was the paso (float) El Sol, I believe, which depicts Jesus carrying the cross. I saw it entering the cathedral, but from very far away because there were so many barriers and people. The pasos move very slowly because they are big heavy wooden structures supported by men kind of shuffling their feet under them. In front and behind the processions follow with Nazarenos, hermandades (kind of like religious fraternities) that wear uniforms that look like they're in the KKK. There is also the band playing blarey, brassy Semana Santa music that can be heard from very far away. In the weeks leading up to Holy Week I would see and hear them practicing by the river at night.

The next paso I saw was of Maria, I think, and I was much closer to this one. That's mainly because I was just trying to get home, but all possible ways of getting there were blocked off for processions. It took an hour and a half to find my way home, I had a nice impromptu wander of the side streets of Sevilla on the way. Finally I decided to wait at one of the barriers and they let you through once the paso passes. It was pretty cool to see one up close, they are very beautiful and elaborate.