New digs
I know I am supposed to be updating everyone on the Cordoba and Salamanca legs of the trip since I am behind but instead I wanted to let you all know we got our own apartment. Yeah!
We are about 3 minutes walking from the Plaza Mayor just off Gran Via; a main drag in Salamanca.
As I am writing this the Semana Santa processions are passing through the plaza and as beautiful as this should be I can't help getting creeped out a little.
--Joey
5 comments:
Why do they look like the klan? What is the occasion? Great news about the apartment.
Jackie
uncle-in-law's sister
Jackie, In Spain Holy Week is observed with processions. The hooded figures are called Nazarenos ("Nazarenes"). They are members of Hermandades ("Brotherhoods"), and the tradition of wearing those hooded robes probably go back to the
16th century- predating the Klan by about 300 years.It is a penitential rite. The Nazarenos walk from their parish church to the cathedral accompanying floats that have scenes from the Passion of Christ- not the Mel Gibson version by the way. There are also bands, and some "spontaneous" singers that accompany the procession. Hope this explains it a bit.
With the old European backdrop, the whole thing has a Partei Tag Gelande feel from the Nazi era. Weird.
Dadman
Thanks Jackie :)
From what I understood from my teachers the hoods are to make the processions anonymous as the point is not to identify who is in the procession but to honor Jesus' death and resurrection.
Again if I heard correctly, the hood heights are variable and each person depending on what they are repenting for make it taller (the larger the hood the more it hurts your head)
Some of the carriers look like Linus from The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.
That's funny that you mention that Dad because that is the comparison I made yesterday to a German girl. I said "Picture you came to the US and one of our 4th of July traditions was to goosestep to Sousa songs" To Spaniards, the KKK similiarity is only thought of when foreigners bring it up.
Come to think of it, it is kind of curious that the KKK being adamantly anti-Catholic chose a costume so rooted in Catholic tradition.
Weird is right.
--Joey
Creeped out?
What's wrong with the Middle Ages?
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