I went to Morocco!!!

And boy was it fantastic! Ok, not really. I didn’t really go to Morocco. Kirsten and I opted instead for a Moroccan restaurant here in Almería that I had seen. And was it an adventure! If we couldn’t go to Morocco, we at least wanted to try the food. So there was like no one inside because the processions were going on so I asked this dude if it was open. He gave me this non-responsive look and so I asked where we could sit. He pointed to a table and as we turned around, I noticed that there were indeed other people in the restaurant – all Moroccan men staring at us. Haha!

So we ordered our food…couscous & tajin de carne. I was a little wary after our initial response, but it turned out really good! Here is a picture I snuck of the food, and the menu in Arabic. I had to be sneaky since we were already stared down. The waiter then brought us a huge bottle of water without consulting us. Hey, maybe we wanted sodas! Hehe. So when we went to pay we were counting on paying for the bread and water (which is always extra in Spain), but we actually didn’t have to pay for either and even got a further discount on our food! That’s what happens when you wink and smile at the waiter! Haha! Not, we didn’t really do that….we just got lucky!

More on Semana Santa...

So I’ve become a fanatic of Semana Santa – like a little child so excited to see and experience everything! Just ask Kirsten…I’m sure she got sick of going to so many processions. I wanted to see them all! When I get excited about something I REALLY get excited about it! We were able to see quite a few, so here’s some more pictures from the different days of Holy week.

Each procession has the basics, each in a bit different way. Each procession belongs to a certain brotherhood, who prepare the whole year for the procession. The procession starts out with someone carry a giant cross, then people carrying candles and/or crosses, then people waving around incense, then the giant image from Christ’s life, then the band playing music, then more people carrying candles, then the mantillas (women dressed in black carrying rosaries with a lace scarf worn over the head and shoulders), then the Virgin Mary to end the procession. Each brotherhood has their own colors and such. Also, some of the people go barefoot...

These are the typical ways that the Virgin and Christ are portrayed. There were big posters on the side of a church where I took these pictures.

Here a couple images that I took inside of a church taking a break from the processions.

Sábado de Pasión (Saturday of Passion)
We didn’t go to any processions because we went to Granada instead…see below…

Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)
See post below titled “Semana Santa” for pictures from this day…..but, here are a few more pictures.

Lunes Santo (Holy Monday)
I caught snippets of 3 different processions this day, but didn’t get to see much cause I had to catch the bus back home. What an ordeal too! I was running all over the joint to figure out where to catch it. They changed the bus stops, you see, because of the processions and it was a bit confusing…but I finally made it. I didn't get very many good pictures because it was dark and I was a bit far away.

Martes Santo (Holy Tuesday)
We didn’t see any processions this day. What a shame!

Miércoles Santo (Holy Wednesday)
Both of the processions we saw this day began at the Cathedral.

Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday)
Unfortunately, not many of the processions occurred this day because of the rain. Two were canceled and the third only made it part of the route. We went to watch one at a church close to where I live and waited for almost an hour, but they decided not to go through with it. I was in a prime spot to take pictures too, dang it! That’s one thing when I really like being tall!! They brought out the images just barely out the door of the church for the people to see and that’s it. There were people crying…for good reason too! A year of hard work all for nothing….

Viernes Santo (Holy Friday)
This was a much more solemn day for the processions because this was obviously the day that Christ died. All of the brotherhoods wore black clothing, there was less music and less cheering from the crowd watching. We went to the carrera official (the main street) to watch the processions where they had rows and rows of bleachers set up. It was nice to sit for a change instead of standing, as well as eat a delicious kebab as we waited! We stayed out till about midnight watching the processions. They were interesting to say the least. There was a black cross draped with white cloth. The main image we saw was of Christ inside a glass case. I'm not gonna lie, it was all a bit creepy with so much silence and blackness...

Sábado de Gloria (Saturday of Glory)
There aren’t any processions this day…the only day out of the whole week.

Domingo de Resurrección (Day of Resurrection)
Instead of going to processions (I guess I had finally seen enough....) we went to church of course!

Costaleros

So these are the men and even women who carry these ginormous and heavy images through the streets for hours on end. When Kirsten and I first saw them, we were like, Who do these dudes think they are wearing do rags? Then we realized who they were. There are anywhere from 30 – 70 costaleros carrying each image and oftentimes they are underneath cloth and cannot see out or where they are going. They are also situated VERY close to one another and can only take baby steps…no wonder they move so slowly. They have certain pasos (steps) that they do in time with the music and usually rock the image back and forth. It’s quite amazing actually and takes lots of practice. This is one of my favorite pictures of a costalero smoking a cigarette…

Semana Santa Video

I really wish you all could have been there to experience it for yourselves. The processions really were fascinating and there was just something intriguing about them. The images of the last week of Christ’s life being carried by 40 or more people all over the city for 4 hours (uphill even) with the band playing music…it just left you in awe. So this is as close as you’re gonna get to experiencing it through the videos. Sorry, you can’t smell the incense of course…you’re really missing out on that one! Haha!

Semana Santa

Today was Domingo de Ramos. Semana Santa (Holy Week) here is from Saturday to the next Sunday. Now, this is what I really wanted to see here in Spain for Easter! I thought I was going to have to go to Sevilla to see it, but it's just as big right here in Almeria. Here in Andalucia they have processions every day of the week, maybe 3 or 4. There are tons! And this is the typical outfit. Don't worry, don't be scared!! They are NOT the Ku Klux Klan revived. It's crazy cause being from the U.S. we have that negative connotation. It's interesting to say the least....

So Kirsten and I had a front row standing position and were able to see everything super well. A typical procession leaves from a church and there are lots of these people with Klu Klux Klan hats (sorry, I don't know what they're called) and also huge images like these along with bands who play music while the many people underneath the images do their steps. They can't see where they are going you see. There are people to guide them and they have practiced a lot. Some of the more penitent people walk barefoot. These processions last a loooong time! We are talking like between 4-6 hours. Can you imagine carrying an image like this for that long? They have to prepare the whole year before. So the 2 images in this particular procession were the Last Supper (let me tell you, it was ginormous!!) and then the Virgin Mary. It was all that I had hoped for and more!! And we still have many to see as today is only the beginning of the processions.

We were standing so close that I could touch the images and I even took these close-ups of the side. Elise, you should be proud....

MORE TO COME FOR SEMANA SANTA.....STAY TUNED!!

Granada

Here is a picture of Myrium, Kirsten, and I in the Stake Center in Granada. Myrium told me that I had to sit down since I'm too tall. Haha! Good one. In case you don't remember, Myrium is the lady from the Ward here that I hang out with. Kirsten came Friday night for the whole Semana Santa (Easter). It's been fun to have her here and we've already had lots of fun adventures!

So Myrium called me up at the spur of the moment to go to Granada with her in her car for a Stake Enrichment. I was cooking lunch at the moment so we had to hurry and stuff it down, and walk really really fast to make the bus to Aguadulce where she lives. It's about 2 hours driving in the car to Granada. After Enrichment, there was lots of delicious food, but they subjected us to torture first. We had to sit through and listen to explanations about how they made it and blah, blah, blah....Kirsten and I hadn't been to the grocery store (still haven't) so we were starving! Well, at least I was! Then when we were let loose on the food, it was almost impossible to get what you wanted. It was like a free tapas bar going around the room tasting a bit of everything.

Myrium is crazy. She's funny! It's fun to hang out with her, but on the way back I totally thought we were going to run out of gas. The light had been on for a while, it was dark, and there was no town in sight. BUT, we made it ok to fill up thank goodness. It was a good day all in all.

Fiñana. So Fiñana was the very small pueblo I was originally assigned to here in Spain. I didn't realize it at first (the province is Almeria so I mistook that for the city Almeria), but when I found out I was extremely disappointed because it is so small, not close to the beach at all, and doesn't have a branch/ward of the Church. I would have absolutely nothing to do in my free time. I had even decided not to come to Spain because of it. Can you believe that?! But then I worked on trading someone for Almeria. Well, of course NO ONE wanted to go to such a small town, everyone wanted the big city. I wasn't having much success. So I finally traded Fiñana for Sevilla through the Junta de Andalucia (the people in charge of it all), but I didn't want to go there either because it's too big. Yes, I'm picky as you can see. Haha! But this was perfect cause the other people doing the program all wanted to be in Sevilla. I got so many responses back through email from people wanting to trade. I seriously could have picked anywhere in Andalucia, city & pueblo alike - Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Nerja, etc. But I picked Almeria since that's where I thought I was originally! Anyway, driving through Granada the other day we passed through Fiñana. I wanted to go and spend a whole day there to see where I would have been living, but now I don't need to. There's not much to see - just a small town with a couple of churches. Yes, it's very cute, but I'm glad I'm living here and not there!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Yep, that's right. St. Patrick's Day has been moved back 2 days earlier here in Europe. Normally, it's on the 17th, but since that falls within Holy Week, all the bishops got together and decided to move it back to today, the 15th. Here I am sportin' the only green shirt I have...you've probably seen it a few too many times on my blog. That's cause I like it! It's from Mexico. Did YOU wear green for St. Patrick's day or get pinched?

All my hard work is paying off!!

I couldn't be happier! That's the great thing about being a teacher...you can actually see results of your work. Tonight I went to my class with Jose & Ana. Jose had his first English test this week since I started with them and he got a 9.5 out of 10 (the grading system is a bit different here in Spain). His parents were happy and said that's the best grade he's ever gotten. Good for him! At least I know I'm doing some good. Hehe!

Jose's a little trickster...I guess what goes around comes around. No wonder I like the kid so much! When I walked in, he told me that he had gotten a 3.5 and played off being sad and all. Then he brought me his test and really he had gotten a 9.5!

Zapatero is re-elected

Sunday was the general elections for Spain and Zapatero was re-elected as President. There was a turn out of about 75% of people to vote. On Friday, just two days before the elections, a former councilman was shot and killed leaving his home in the Basque Country (northern part of Spain). It is thought to be done by the ETA, a terrorist group here in the Basque Country to influence the elections. Zapatero and his opponent, Rajoy, quit their campaigning until the elections. There have been many people uniting in opposition to the ETA and for a moment of silence on behalf of the murdered councilman. There was about the same turn out for voting in 2004, when the terrorist bombings took place in Madrid, which was exactly 4 years ago to the day - March 11.