Semana Santa

[Stanley Edwards]

...I've had enough of incense, brass bands and flamenco wailing for one year.

TBH I was sick of it after the first and never really that enthusiastic about the first time. However, took a new digi point and shoot out this evening on a mission to get inside all this crap.

Visited Five services sneeking around the back of each church in my squeaky boots At least I remembered to look out for light switches this time. Took a proper camera with me also. That will have to wait.

Fuck knows what was going on here! Can anyone tell me. Hardcore worshippers leave church and light some symbolistic bonfire. Have to say, they weren't my sort of people at all. Very weird and very scary.

Seen one church - seen them all.

Shit shots. Will post a full and proper photo-essay another day.

Off out again maybe. Dunno.

 

[Hocus Eye.]

I was talking to a Catholic girl who is a neighbour. She said that she was going out to a service at her church tonight which would take a long time and involved a vigil, where they would go out and light massive candles and stand by them. That was the gist of what she said anyway. Perhaps the bonfire is a similar thing - a vigil. I don't understand the symbolism or the theology. I had a long talk with her and she really believes in the whole thing although she is a scientist who works in a pathology lab in London.

To me the whole thing is an absolute mystery and I cannot understand how anyone can accept the ideas behind it.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

To me the whole thing is an absolute mystery and I cannot understand how anyone can accept the ideas behind it.

Which is exactly how I feel about E's, the club scene and loud boring music...each to their own, eh?


Basically Easter is far far more important than Christmas. People have latched onto the consumerism and sentimentality of Christmas. Easter is really a very very different thing.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Mind you, say Easter to most people and they think of Cadbury's....the fasting that leads up to it is very important....traditionally Lent coincides with 'the lean time' when food is in shorter supply anyway....this is difficult I can't really explain the cultural significance in a couple of posts....especially as I went out earlier and have partaken of much vino....

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Most of the churches were very empty given the number of people here.

Although Semana Santa is still practiced as a religious holiday and religion is still more important in Spain than in most European countries, it is rapidly becoming just a holiday. The processions are more about attracting tourist money for the local economy. You can see tears in the eyes of many business people when it rains

 

[dessiato]

just going to go to 'our' parade. fireworks have been going all morning, and the forecast is for good weather all day. Happy Easter you lot!

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Which is exactly how I feel about E's, the club scene and loud boring music...each to their own, eh?


Basically Easter is far far more important than Christmas. People have latched onto the consumerism and sentimentality of Christmas. Easter is really a very very different thing.

Well I am not sure about the relevance of E's the club scene and loud boring music, that is not something I have ever been interested in either.

I do know that Easter is the main Christian festival. It is central to the belief in the Resurrection of Christ which they believe in. However I also know that there have been Spring festivals since long before Christianity existed. The Christians took over existing festivals at Easter and the Winter Solstice.

Of course at base all religions originate in Sun worship rather then Son worship. The sun is our central energy source so there is a logic in this.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Well I am not sure about the relevance of E's the club scene and loud boring music, that is not something I have ever been interested in either.

I've come across hardened clubbers who say it's their religion and main form of spirituality which I find incomprehensible....

 

[Stanley Edwards]

I just made somewhere INTRO €800- €1000 in one day

Oi! Touristy folk and religious types, I got all your dosh innit. I is gonna have a fuckin good holiday next week


Haven't counted up yet, but my pockets are stuffed with 20's and 50's. Piss easy once you know how.

Who needs agents

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Well done Stanley, you have earned that money and your customers have got something unique, crafted by hand and eye. Now it's your turn to spend on holiday.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Well done Stanley...

Cheers.

Well hungover and poisoned today. Went out selling sketches in bars. Totally twated. Wanted to get through the €1000 barrier, but ended up spending as much as I was selling

Still, had the sense to empty my pockets before going back out.

Met some people from Boston (US) and proceeded to tell them how crap I thought it was. They still bought a sketch!

Taking films to lab today. Off to Jerez tomorrow. Then Cadiz and possibly Gibraltar. May post a Semana Santa essay at the weekend.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Bollocks.

I have a €50 note that no one will accept. Can't say I've ever checked for quality when receiving, then I've rarely received big notes here. I'll try and bank it tomorrow with a bunch of other notes. Only way my conscience will pass it on.

Also cleared a hostal debt earlier that turned out to be far more than I thought it was going to be. My holiday spend has been severely clouted

Although, it would be fun to try selling sketches in a different town for a change

Cadiz has a beautiful beach apparently.

 

[chooch]

Bollocks.
Also cleared a hostal debt earlier that turned out to be far more than I thought it was going to be. My holiday spend has been severely clouted
Cadiz has a beautiful beach apparently.

Yeah, a very very long beach. Bit windy and bleak in winter, but one of my favourite towns. Very down-to-earth. The coast along from there both ways (towards Tarifa and from Sanlucar on) is rather lovely too, though not cheap cheap.
Jerez is far more respectable, if you're still thinking of going there.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

...
Jerez is far more respectable, if you're still thinking of going there.

Business appointment in Jerez. Looking forward to the beach at Cadiz. Off to the health center in a while (bit of a lung infection) then getting the coach to the coast. Or, perhaps hiring a car if I'm a bit infectious.

All of the people I like here tell me they like Cadiz so, I guess I'll like it also. Something in my head keeps telling me I'm visiting the Spanish Cardiff mind

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Yo! Chooch, I am coming to Seville. Well, very briefly for a bus transfer. I´ll shout from the station at around 11PM. Which means I won't arrive in Jerez until after midnight (not Cadiz - confused brains). Love arriving in strange cities at midnight

Another good day money wise. Flying ATM. Just sold edition 1/3 of this:

at a very healthy/extortionate rate. No exhibiting. No printed publishing. No nada other than the web. Who says you have to play the exhibiting and awards game to get big fine art money?

Just bought some big pieces of very colourful, quality paper to sketch and sell in Jerez. I reckon there's money there.

 

[chooch]

I´ll shout from the station at around 11PM.

I'll listen out. You'll have a stunning view of just about fuck all from there, though you'll probably drive past Plaza de Espana on your way in and see the Giralda all lit up. And the seedy bit of out-of-town next to the new docks always fills me with local pride. Must go down there with my camera one day.

I reckon there's money there.

There is, but there might not be much on the streets. It can be very quiet. There's much more tourist cash in Seville. Sanlucar and Puerto (de Santa Maria) might be more full of rich locals and Sevillanos. Enjoy your trip

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Initial reactions to Jerez:

'Oh - it's closed'. Far to quiet for a Spanish city at 11pm for my liking. Looks pretty this morning mind despite an angry hangover. Managed to find a few bars open but, 'where´s me fucking tapas?'.

And, I seriously want to know who that was I met at Granada bus station yesterday. One of those I like so much I'm not even going to remember to ask your name nevermind get a telephone number moments. Shame.

Completed two sketches here. Business stuff to do this afternoon so, will try selling on the streets here this evening or, tomorrow morning.

It´s a tad more pricey here than Granada and not nearly as magical. Just confirming my own suspicions that Granada is a unique little city. I'm missing it already (or, perhaps I'm just to keen to get back to the bus station ).

Photos and photos of sketches tomorrow eveing hopefully.

 

[chooch]

Initial reactions to Jerez:
'Oh - it's closed'.

This is very Jerez. But I still really like it.
And, in a way, very Seville, and very Cadiz, and very almost anywhere else over this way that's not a resort.
Nowhere's as magical as Granada, though the proper old bit of Seville has a good go. Hope you like the coast.