Log 32 - March, 2005 - Jerez and Semana Santa (Easter) in Seville, Spain.

For the month of March 2005, we enjoy more of what the area offers plus we are all excited for a visit from Chris' parents who want to experience with us the beautiful city of Seville, Spain for Seman Santa (Easter).  It truly is one of the most iconic celebrations and the week leading up to Easter is a fascinating time to be here.   

Sunday, March 6th - Field day

Compass training

During the first couple of weeks of March, Sheila goes back to Canada to visit with her family and tend to some various matters and Chris gets to be Mr. Mom.  For school one day, the boys make a trip to a nearby forested area and learn to use a compass on a treasure hunt.  The treasure?   Mars Bars.

Thursday, March 10th - Knight Joel

At a museum gift shop on another outing, Joel tries on the helmet of a knight - it's only 170 Euros $C 270.   The shop attendant came rattling after us seconds after the picture.

Knight Joel

9:28 am Tuesday, March 15th - Jerez Airport waiting for Mom to come home!

Patiently waiting for mom's flight.

Today, Sheila arrives back from Canada, bags stuffed with school books, supplies, Canadian treats, good salad dressings, and the like. 

Two weeks was a long time for all. 

 It's good to have her back.

11:30 am, March 15 - Real Escuela Andaluz del Arte Ecuestre (Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art)

Andalusian Equestrian Centre

Near the airport in Jerez, the Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art trains horses and riders in dressage, and you can watch them going through their paces in a daily 'official espectaculo'.  To help Sheila get right back into the Spanish time zone,  we have planned a day that does not involve her sleeping.  For starters, we purchase tickets to the "Lipizzaner" horse show that we have been trying to see for months now!   We arrive to these beautifully manicured grounds with barely any time to spare for the noon show. 

The "Andalusian", known for centuries as the Spanish horse, is one of the oldest horse breeds.

Native to the area, the Andalusian has influenced the development of more breeds than any other horse except for the Arabian and the Barb (of  NW Africa).    The Lipizzaner is a descendant and a famed breed of riding and show horse, renowned for its equestrian ballet performances, that which we see today.

Lipizaaner horses

2:23 pm, March 15 - Sandeman Bodegas

Sandeman sherry bodega

Well, if that's not enough for a jet-lagged Sheila, we then drag her to one of Jerez's centuries-old Sherry bodegas.   This is the south of Spain, and Jerez is one of the towns  forming a triangle encompassing an area world famous for it's Sherry production.  In case you don't know, Sherry is a "fortified wine", one that contains additional alcohol and is usually consumed in small amounts as aperitifs before meals or dessert wines after a meal.   Sherry is made by adding alcohol to a young dry wine in an oak barrel intentionally filled only halfway.  The barrels never move and are stacked on top of each other.   Every year, about half of each of the bottom casks are drawn off and bottled. Then, the half-empty cask is refilled from the cask directly above, which is then filled from the cask above, and so on.  Newly fortified wine tops-up the top row.  This cascading or Solera method of blending takes six or seven years and is centuries-old.

Sherry tasting

In the tasting room, we learn about Sandeman's Amontillados, Finos, Olorosos, and Pedro Ximenez.  Gerrit and Joel are more interested in the potato chip snacks.  

Now... maybe it's time for you to read or reread Edgar Alan Poe's errie tale of revenge in "The Cask of Amontillado."

"The Cask of Amontillado."

Friday, March 18th - Chris' parents arrive and a trip to the Triana Market

Chris' parents, Vince and Ann Richards

Within 48 hours of Sheila arriving back at Tioga, Chris' parents from Victoria arrive for a 3 week visit to southern Spain, with Seville as a major focal point.  It's great to have them as our guests and, with Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations coming up, there is plenty to do.  

 

A visit to the Triana market

Chris' mom, especially, likes to walk, so why not a trip to the very colorful Triana Market.  Triana is a district near the historic center of Seville, but across the river.  Once the "poor" side of the river, it was where all the trades, shipwrights, and crew lived.  

 

Saturday, March 19th - Carmen

Today is a lot of fun.    We track down an effervescent street performer who goes by the name of Carmen.  On select days, she leads the "Carmen" faithful on a walking tour of old Seville all the while doing her version of French composer Georges Bizet’s famous opera, Carmen, a tragic romance between an officer and a fiery Gypsy woman. 

Carmen in the streets of Seville

"My dearr peoplez... ," begins Carmen, white spittle collecting in the corners of her mouth, "A lady at de cigar factory where I work says something not nice about de Gypsy peoplez.  My family, dey are Gypsies, ... so I grab de first thing dat came to my hand, which naturally is my cigar-cutting knife.   And I begin to carve... just a little in her face.  And den she began to cry, de big baby..."

Semana Santa (Easter Week)

3:00pm, March 21st - Holy Monday - San Gonzalo Procession Begins

Though Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) officially began the start of Easter Week, we head out on Holy Monday to take in a Paso Procession.  We wait outside San Gonzalo church for the action to begin.  

San Ganzalo church

'Nazarenos' leave San Gonzalo church

No, this is not a Ku-Klux-Klan demonstration, but the start of one of many processions that make up Holy Week celebrations in Seville.  Every year since the 17th century, every day from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, large richly decorated images and life-size representations of the Easter story are solemnly carried from Seville's many churches through the streets to the cathedral and back, accompanied by long processions that take hours to pass.  Those in the procession, the nazarenos who wear the KKK-like hats and capes, are traditionally penitents keeping their identities known only to God, a practice with its roots in the Spanish Inquisition. Today, many nazarenos still go barefoot and carry crosses

Mere inches on the sides in this Paso of Christ exit.

It is truly amazing to see the start or completion of one of the processions.  The beginning is called a salida or 'exit' meaning the huge pasos (floats) must leave the home church.  The end is called the entrada or 'entrance' as the pasos return.  On any day, there are usually 7 or 8 of these processions, starting mid-afternoon or in the evening and some taking over 15 hours round-trip to complete.  The crowds that gather to watch these processions are immense at any time of day or night. Getting close enough to see a paso exit or enter with only inches of side clearance and its bearers on their knees in order to get enough overhead clearance through the doorways is breath-taking. 

Paso of Christ successful exit.

In most processions, there is a paso related to Christ first followed at some distance by one related to the Virgin Mary.  As Holy Week progresses, the themes keep pace with Jesus' impending crucifixion.  This paso is about Jesus before the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin.

Paso of the Virgin Mary exits the church

Amazing detail to this paso. 

The procession heads off towards the cathedral

It took over three hours for this San Gonzalo procession, with over 2000 nazarenos, to exit in its entirety.

 

 

 

Costeleros (bearers) underneath the take a much needed break

The processions are organized by over 50 different cofradias (brotherhoods) and usually have two pasos (floats) weighing as much as 8000 lbs. and carried by teams of up to 40 costaleros (bearers), working on a rotation.   The costaleros rest every 10-15 minutes or so and it is quite the sight to see a hoist - the well-timed lift of paso.  The pasos move with a hypnotic swaying motion to the rhythm of their accompanying bands.

1:30am, March 25th - Early Good Friday Morning - El Silencio

Very popular and old El Silencio procession

The climax of the week are the madrugada (early hours) of Good Friday, when some of the most respected or popular brotherhoods file through the city.  We caught the El Silencio brotherhood which was (get this) founded in 1356 and carries images from the 17th and 18th centuries.  The procession carries out in complete silence, crowd included, with carefully orchestrated movements of 1000s of candles. 

Amazingly, these immense crowds (70,000 in our area alone) control themselves.    While waiting for the procession, an unknown disturbance breaks out nearby; a crush, then people push ... people fall ... people rush - a stampede?   In an instant, a wave of panic engulfs us, engulfs everyone.  "No,  NO,   NOO!!" the experienced crowd roars back.  Adrenaline pumps, surges ... yet restraint is  required - absolutely required.  "Shh .. Shhhh .. Shhhhhh .. " the crowd calms itself, we calm ourselves.  Twenty minutes later, the adrenaline rush only just begins to fade, the heart beat begins to slow.   "Shhh..." the crowd still murmurs.

Back home again for another year.

A final picture for Semana Santa - A paso of the Virgin Mary safely back in her home for another year.

March 27th, Easter Sunday

Museum at the Plaza de Torros, the bull ring

Today is finally Easter Sunday, Christ is risen, and we are all tired and "pasoed" out after many long and odd hours during the past week.  We have a nice dinner planned on our boat, then its off to the bull fight.  Yes, Easter Sunday marks the beginning of this year's bullfighting season in Seville and there is a spectacular line-up (so we are told) of top-notch matadors.  

Don't miss Log 33 for a look at the bullfight.