Semana Santa

Hola!

So this is a long overdue blog post chronicling my post-Morocco festivities during Semana Santa (I’m clearly very behind on writing about my life).

Semana Santa is the Holy Week (Easter). Let me tell you, one has to mentally prepare to face the week of Easter here because the whole entire world tries to cram into a city (or section of a city) that takes less than an hour to walk across. The news shows said that hundred of thousands of people had inundated our little city. It made it nearly impossible to get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time.

Here’s what happens in Sevilla during Semana Santa (arguably the best one around). It’s like a parade, except a really, really somber parade, like if you had nazarenos instead of clowns and a paso of Jesus carrying his cross instead of, say, Miss America frolicking with Disney characters. Also, instead of cheering and excitement there’s solemn silence. (Nazarenos are the people who wear long robes and pointed hats and carry candles. Many people comment that they resemble KKK uniforms even though they come in many colors  - however, they're not at all related.)

Really, it’s a beautiful thing to witness. If you go during the madrugada (which occurs in the wee hours of the morning) the entire crowd gets silent as the pasos drift slowly by. They wobble surprisingly little considering they’re carried on the shoulders of 30-40 men, only enough that the clusters of candles waver slightly, which, I personally think, adds to the majesty of the whole ordeal.

During the day is different, there are more children and the mood is lighter. There's more chatter and loudness and the kind of excitement that comes with novelty, as opposed to knowing anticipation. If they're not wearing their Sunday best, some of the children are dress as nazarenos (yes, they make them in baby sizes!) and it's absolutely adorable.

I had off from school for the week so I was able to be awake at bizarre hours and wander the streets to try to catch a glimpse of the magic. Unfortunately, it took a while for us to get our act together, get a schedule, and figure out that the pasos almost never get there on time.

We managed to see several of the pasos and there’s some truth to what the locals say, that if you’ve seen one day, you’ve really seen all you need. Still, there’s something really incredible about the life-like features of Mary and Jesus; the way they carve Mary’s face so that it seems in nearly unbearable amounts of emotional pain, so that the glycerin tears seem as though they could almost certainly be real. There’s the strain of Jesus’ back beneath the burden of the cross, as though at any moment, the figure could give-way under the weight.

It’s a special week, where a years worth of work from a number of people is put on display so that spectators may watch is awe and I’m glad to have seen it again (I saw it for the first time in high school).

As usual, I hope you’re all having adventures of your own and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Love,

Natalie

Chinos

Hola!

So I’m writing a blog about Semana Santa but it’s a pretty somber occasion and it’s too sunny today to write about. Instead, I’m going to talk about CHINOS!

No, silly (people who understand Spanish), not Chinese people, I’m talking about the random stores owned by Chinese people that all the Spaniards, who are a little less concerned about political correctness than many Americans, call chinos in honor of their owners. It would be kind of like if we were honest with ourselves and called Dunkin’ Donuts something like "Indians" (I mean, not that someone as politically correct as myself would ever—oh, who are we kidding?). But seriously, they’re always run by Chinese people. Always. The Chinese have a monopoly on this kind of store. Even the gypsies haven’t tried to get in on it and they love to try to make me give them money for useless things.

What exactly IS a chino store? Well, I’m glad I assumed you’d be asking, my friend. Chino stores are like if Target, a grocery store, and the 5 Below had some sort of super-amazing mutant offspring and spread them throughout the city. They sell virtually anything you could possibly want (except face wash, which people in Spain apparently never use) and each store carries different stuff. Some stories sell mostly food, some mostly clothing, some sell appliances, and some are clearly selling whatever they bought in bulk on a whim. Need a fan? Chino store. Need obscure Milka chocolate varieties? Chino. Need a cow print tablecloth? Chino store. Need a kidney? Well, I haven’t seen them casually chilling out in freezers at Chino stores, but it’s totally possible.

I wish you all could know first hand how fantastic these stores are. It’s even better because two chinos never carry the same things, so you’re bound to get into all sorts of adventures wandering the aisles. So, if you go to enough chinos, you’ll find what you’re looking for and it will be way cheaper than anything you could buy in a normal store.

I bought my umbrella in a chino and it’s the best umbrella I’ve ever owned. Seriously. Ask my parents about how inferior their umbrellas seemed when they were trotting along next to my super umbrella and me. Exceedingly inferior. Point for chino store.

Anyway, it's my hope to update again soon. I hope you're all having splendid adventures of your own.

Love,

Natalie