Semana Santa (holy week) is winding down here in Spain, and what a week it was! I had an amazing week full of lots of Spanish experiences, and I got to totally immerse myself in the unique culture of Semana Santa. The week started off with an invitation from Manolo (the man who goes on all our trips with us) to see a procession in the mountains of Málaga. Not everyone has the opportunity to go see this procession, especially foreigners, so I was so lucky to be able to go. A friend and I met up with Manolo and his friend and together we spent the day eating paella, listening to the bands and watching the procession with the mountains in the background. Here are some pictures and so you can see what it was like :
The procession in the mountains was a great way to begin Semana Santa, but compared to the processions in the city center, they were totally different in terms of size and scale! The ones that go through Málaga centro (over 40 in total!) are massive, and some of them are carried by hundreds of people. I saw a bunch, Thursday night is the most important to the Spaniards, so I made sure to see those, here are some pics :
The crowds were intense, people travel from all over Spain, Europe and the world to come see the Málaga processions, as they're respected as some of the biggest and the best in the world. The processions start in the afternoon and go all night long, as each one marches for 5 or 6 hours, seriously hard work for the people carrying the thrones, but it's considered a huge honor to be able to carry them. It was such a neat experience, a lot of people were crying in the streets and very emotional, and with the incense and the music, it was a very cool atmosphere.
My week continued with an invitation from Manolo to see a bullfight on Saturday night. At first I was very apprehensive and not sure if I wanted to go see, but I figured that I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to see a bullfight while in Spain, and especially since I was going with Manolo, I knew I would have a very worthwhile experience. I won't get too graphic with my descriptions or pictures, but ultimately, I was left with a totally new perspective on bullfights. It was difficult to watch them be killed, but the way the bullfighters and the bulls interact really is an art form, it's almost like a dance between the two. It was fascinating to watch their movements, everything was very precise and strategic, there were no mad attempts to kill the animal.
I was also struck by how much death is respected-- when it's time for the bull to die, the crowd gets silent and the bullfighter stops and walks away, respecting that the bull needs to die alone. I can understand both sides of the bullfighting controversy, but ultimately I gained a totally new respect for this important part of Spanish culture, and I'm so glad I went. Also, afterwards Manolo used his magic connections and got me a signed photograph by the bullfighter in the picture above, he's a very well-respected toreador so it's a really special reminder of my first bullfight.
This morning, Easter Sunday, there was one last procession in the center, so I made sure to go and see the end of Semana Santa. It was a really beautiful one, with lots of music and representations of all the processons that had gone on that week.
Definitely one of the best weeks I've had in Spain and I'm so glad I was able to be here to experience the unique cultural, historic and religious traditions that are part of Semana Santa.
Hasta luego!
Sarah
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