Semana Santa: Viernes

Viernes Santa. Easter Friday

We slip away from Malaga in the early hours; see the hilltop castle receding; Mordor is still sheathed in darkness but today is sunny. By the time we reach Sevilla, 2.5 hours inland, clouds and cold are but a memory.

The streets of Seville are winding and disorientating. An extra degree of difficult is established by the procession barricades - both metallic and human. Looking onto the obscure street below our 3rd floor apartment, a river of families dressed for Church flow by. Wherever they were heading, we would follow. The problem was, they were having a good deal of difficulty getting to where they wanted to go as well. Or perhaps they had no destination, perhaps this was just a Good Friday afternoon stroll en masse.

Regardless, we kept finding ourselves back at the same square, dominated by a grand municipal building painted an unmistakable shade somewhere between rose and maroon and inappropriate. The third time we reached the square, we followed Jane's decision to settle with a glass of rioja at a wine bar set back from one corner of the square and take stock of our surroundings. The problem we seemed to be facing is that we were trapped on the inside of the parade. In each direction, we would reach a wall of people, above who's heads was a passing parade of conical hats, just as we saw in Malaga the day before.

Today the heaving floats seemed markedly more sombre, and those trailing carried crucifixes. Yesterday, although he was about to be betrayed, Jesus was to enjoy a big meal, and a meal is a celebration in Spain. Crucifixion on the other hand is ghastly in anyone's language. The passing procession reflected this mood well.

Throughout the night we would take time to watch the parade, with intervals for tapas, a beer or glass of wine. Bar-hopping and parade-hopping as the locals seemed to do. These past two days were incredible to me. Never have I seen such effort and passion invested in Easter-time celebrations. It was moving and fascinating and delicious all at once.