Happy Miercoles

One of my favorite experiences this past week was Happy Miercoles! Every Wednesday, our language school hosts a tapas excursion, where staff take turns sharing their favorite tapas joint in Madrid. They call it Happy Miercoles (translation Wednesday).

This week, we walked to a nearby café and sampled local flavors, like chorizo, smoked ham, cheese, and bread. And of course, a pitcher of sangria was involved. We spent several hours munching and chatting. Some students present spoke excellent Spanish, and others, like myself, struggled to keep up. But we laughed and learned about each other, nonetheless!

After a few hours, a few Happy Miercoles-ers decided to move to a TV friendly haunt, where we could order food and watch the Copa del Rey; hometown team Real Madrid was playing the detestable FC Barcelona for the championship. Soccer is huge in here, and Alex and I are trying to immerse ourselves in the sport. And comprehend the complexity of European soccer leagues. (Thanks for your help, Jared!)

At half time, we heard strange drums. We stepped outside to see the commotion. We were surprised by an impromptu Semana Santa procession. A typical procession is a very haunting parade involving hooded penitents, candles, ornately decorated floats of both Jesus and Mary, and marching bands. The experience Wednesday evening was both chilling and beautiful at the same time. Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is bigger than Christmas here. Throughout Spain, communities take the entire week to remember Christ’s passion. I am posting pictures of Wednesday’s procession below, and I want to warn you that the outfits are going to look haunting and familiar. Rest assured, these outfits have been worn for nearly 1,000 years in Spain.

By the time the procession and the soccer game were over, our Spanish had blurred into a mixture of Spanish, French, and English, and we were talking about God, Semana Santa, and customs in our respective countries. The conversation was complex, as we were dining with a French man and woman, a South African woman, and a Dutch woman. All new friends!

This weekend, we are in Sevilla, Spain for the end of Semana Santa. We have watched several more processions and I have been blown away. I hope to provide a detailed account very soon!

Penitents carry candles and crosses through the streets of Madrid. 

Paseo, or float, displaying the Virgin Mary 

Happy Miercoles!