Semana Santa

They take Easter pretty seriously here. There are no adverts for chocolate eggs or a continual commercial barrage reminding you there's yet another festivity approaching.; which is all rather refreshing but the way they do celebrate, with grand processions, is a bit scary. We stayed in Madrid although we were meant to got to Valladolid we were a bit too lazy, ahem. Anyway, Sevilla hosts the largest of the processions and Madrid despite being the capital is a bit more low key. Even so it was an impressive sight with tens of KKK-esque costumed worshippers slowly moving up the street commanding a respectful silence despite the crowds, they were followed by enormous floats which are carried solely by people underneath. Factor in that many of them decide to do it barefoot and that it's pretty cold and you realise this is a country very serious about it's faith. It was both inspiring and surprising, it was an undeniably impressive event but the power of what is a relatively simple display of faith was a bit unnerving, at least for me.