Semana Santa

I have had a quiet time lately, as this week's a holiday, and most of my friends have left the town. I ended up not going anywhere, which has saved me a lot of money! So I've been playing my guitar, and wandering around the park, and last night Emilie (my flatmate) and I went to see some of the parades for Semana Santa (or Holy Week). This is how the spanish celebrate easter.

It creeped me out a bit actually. The parade started with a whole lot of people covered in white with red waistbands. Their hats were reminiscent of the Ku Klux Klan, and while I knew they would be it was still hard to associate that particular shape with easter and not racism! They had these metre long candles they held against their hips. The 'float' (carried, not driven) was 4m or so high and had roman figures on it. It was creepy because the only part you could see of the people carrying it was their feet, and as they were negotiating a corner, they were all continuously shuffling (they couldn't see, there was a 'guide' at each corner to 'steer' it) which caused the float to sway creepily. There was a band, then children, some looking excited, some looking bored, some looking mutinous, I don't know why they needed so many. The music the band was playing was creepy too. Haunting. Appropriate, I suppose. They were mostly trumpets and bugle-like things, and a drum corps. The parade would would move about 50m then stop for a rest as the float-bearers needed a break, and the band a cigarette. What seemed odd to me was that this was a religious celebration, yet everyone, even the white 'penitents' whose faces you couldn't see, acted like they were part of a stage show. Nowhere did I see any religious fervour.

Shortly after this there was another one along the same route with a different float (the virgin Mary and lots and lots of candles) and a different band (add some flutes, clarinets, and a valve trombone), and that was pretty much it. On the way home we saw the roman figures again. They hadn't moved very far.

Anyway, it was interesting. Each to their own I suppose.

So tonight I am meeting Emilie and some other people for dinner at a chinese restaurant! I am excited because I love chinese food and it's been ages!! And today I learnt some italian verbs. Just for something different, you know.
I was interested to see the easter goodies here but there's not even creme eggs! Just lots of little doughnuts, nothing special. I want to try making hot cross buns but I haven't found any yeast yet. The spanish aren't big on baking, it seems.

You can see a video of a parade last friday here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT1ufQc_b8Q
At the beginning, and about halfway through, is pretty much what I saw yesterday. Unfortunately this video doesn't show any penitents though. In a way they were the creepiest part.
I shall refrain from comment on the quality of the band :P

'sta luego!
Katie :)