semana santa

I'll first address your predictable initial reaction to these pictures - no, the brotherhoods in Sevilla did not copy the KKK's costumes, the KKK copied them. The Semana Santa traditions have been around for much longer than the KKK, 

and are part of a truly sacred Spanish custom. I'd prefer if you refrained from making any jokes regarding 

the KKK (even though my mother couldn't).  

Seville's Semana Santa is the most revered in all of Spain. Each "brotherhood" or church has at least one procession, in which hundreds of members dressed in the cloak and cap march from their home church to the Cathedral of Seville (the Catholic Mecca of Andalucía) The procession also includes a marching band (although there are a couple of brotherhoods that expect complete silence during their procession) and a "float," a massive, ornate chunk of gold with a religious scene on top. Semana Santa is so loved by so many Spaniards, even those who are not religious, because they admire the artwork of the floats, which  depicts either a beloved virgin or a scene from Jesus' life.

  

Semana Santa means springtime, which in Seville means beautiful, blossoming almond trees.

Seville's most crowded week is Semana Santa, as people travel from around Spain and around the world to witness the ceremonies.

alcohol is not absent from any single event in Spain

women watch from their balconies on San Jacinto

"floats" weighing three tons, carried by men from their local church to the Seville Cathedral

the mask provides anonymity and equality before God

procession (see the bunch of candles?) leaving the Cathedral, under the Giralda

The nighttime processions were beautiful, with gold lighting from the cathedral and the glow of the candles.

Esperanza de Triana (my neighborhood)

Semana Santa wouldn't have been the same without my mom and her fearless friend Maryann.

boa

 

Portugal has a really interesting aesthetic...I had a good time attempting to capture it. 

 

 

 

that pink building was my hostel! (called This Is Lisbon)

 

Most of the building exteriors are decorated with colorful tiles or wallpaper

 

My weekend in Portugal coincided with the announcement that Portugal would be the third country to need an EU bailout.

 The number of abandoned buildings in Lisboa was disheartening, and indicative of the need for serious housing reform. The decrepit buildings did contribute to the unique aesthetic of Lisboa, in which the decay is striking.

  

"aqui podia viver gente" - people could live here - was painted on several empty buildings in the heart of lisboa

View from atop the Santa Justa lift (see below)

the elevator

lisboa monuments

pretty graffiti

Monastery, tomb room

Portuguese kings' and queens' tombs + eerie figure

I stumbled upon a beach in Albufeira where the shore was entirely covered in shells.  The waves, as the foam crawled and bubbled over the thousands of seashells, sounded like rain on a rooftop. This photo was taken at a sea shell exhibition.

These little trolleys are in fact used as public transportation, snaking through the narrow, steep streets of Lisboa.

portuguese flag + light pole with golden ship atop

view of the city from the other side

typical tile artwork - pastry shop in Belém

gorgeous day on the atlantic/río tejo

Discovery and exploration still holds a special heart in the Portuguese national identity.

flamingo dancing

It wasn't until recently, when my mom and Maryann visited for spring break, that I saw my first professional flamenco show. I had refrained from seeing a professional show and opted instead to watch the impromptu (and free) flamenco of La Carbonería and Calle Betis. I soon realized that in the case of flamenco dancing, it's true that "you get what you pay for." The esteemed flamenco venues of Sevilla attract the best dancers and musicians in the world. The stage at Los Gallos was enhanced by a beautiful mural and dramatic stairwell entryway, and the show itself was full of stunning dresses, excellent music, and intriguing dance acts.

Sierra Norte

I finally visited the Sierra Norte of Sevilla, a protected reserve in the mountains about 80 km north of Sevilla. It's difficult to get to many of the trails without a car, but Felix and I managed to get to the pueblo Cazalla de la Sierra by bus, and then searched for our trail from there. The trail we chose was called Las Laderas (the mountainsides), and since it was a Tuesday, we were the only hikers in the park.

The Sierra Norte, in my mind, is the most beautiful place in Andalucía. Of course, I haven't seen the desert of Almería or the Parque Doñana, or even the Sierra Nevada of Granada. But walking along trails next to olive groves and forgotten Spanish plantations, I felt as if I were walking through the heart of Spain. It was pleasant to get away from the city for a bit and enjoy the silence of nature, as well as soak in the greenness that is not so easy to find in Sevilla. We even did a part of the trail walking in the stream, barefoot.

hi sheep

so graceful

enchanted trail

courtesy of felix

picnic w/ bacon wrapped dates

classic self timer shot

forest boy

huckleberry finn

clear and refreshing

baaaa

we did it!