Saturday, April 7, 2012

Purple People Eaters

I don't know what we were thinking. I take that back. I know precisely what we were thinking. We were thinking of churros y chocolate. What we were forgetting was that there are 2 million people in Sevilla this week. And 61 processions — some with thousands of participants — filling the streets 24 hours a day. Given the relative calm of our own plaza, we were lulled into a false sense of serenity.

GIVE ME MY CHURROS Y CHOCOLATE. I'LL REPENT LATER.

We decided to go out for a healthy walk in the evening, to culminate in an unhealthy dose of churros and hot chocolate. As we began to near Calle Reyes de Los Catolicos, the street that leads to Valor, the café with exceptional churros and chocolate (and also to our old churros stand), the streets grew more crowded. We reached our turn only to find ourselves stuck in the middle of another procession. Except for the corps of Roman soldiers and the thousands of purple-clad penitents, this was nothing new. We've seen two processions walk right by our house. No need to linger long on the float that had just passed bearing Jesus or the one near the end with Mary. Just give us our churros and chocolate.

THE CROWD COULD HAVE EASILY OVERWHELMED THE ROMAN SOLDIERS.

We couldn't turn left to get to Valor; that would carry us in the same direction as the procession and the thousands of onlookers. So we turned right, fighting the tide, to reach the churros stand by the river. By the time we got there, the procession had passed and we made it to the crowded counter to place our order. We stood at a tall table and enjoyed our well-earned treat as the skies again threatened rain.


WE FELT LIKE A COUPLE OF SALMON TRYING TO SWIM UPSTREAM.

Afterward, we got off the main thoroughfare as quickly as we could and we wound our way home through the backstreets, sheltering under an awning during a brief downpour. Ten minutes later we were relieved to lock our door to the outside world — especially to the Roman soldiers and Purple Penitents.

18 comments:

  1. Chocolate and churros beats penitence with the mobs any time. Get your comfort here!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such effort for a churro?
    What am I saying!
    I'd do anything for a good churro.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bob:
      I'd do anything for the hot chocolate it gets dipped in!

      Delete
  3. I'm not sure what a churro is--is it like a doughnut? (You certainly answered my question about whether there were tourists!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ms. Sparrow:
      Check out this link to see what they are (our first time enjoying them here):

      http://mitchellismoving.blogspot.com.es/2011/11/churros-and-chocolate-virgins.html

      What we used to get in Mexico and Southern California were long and straight and tasted to me just like a donut. The ones we get here are curled and different. The hot chocolate dipping sauce (I never saw this before coming to Spain) is my favorite part.

      Delete
  4. Makes me claustrophobic just looking at that crowd! I AM SURE the chocolate helped you through it! lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim:
      The crowds were oppressive. The chocolate helped, but we won't be doing that again until the Semana Santa tourists leave! which means, we can head back out tomorrow... ;-)

      Delete
  5. It's amazing how many people participate in that. I think I would have jumped right into the thick of things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Scott:
      Oh, those crowds are not for us! We now understand why one of our local friends told us it would be nice to just hide inside for the week... although I hear a marching band in the distance right now... and I don't want to miss anything... Never mind!

      Delete
  6. Look Caiaphas, they're right outside our yard.
    Quick Caiaphas, go call the Roman guard.

    No, wait!
    We need a more permanent solution to our problem.
    Churros and Chocolate!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Walt the Fourth:
    Yes! You understand!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Where's the photograph with all heads turned towards you as you scale a lamp-post and shout "For the love of God, get out of my way - I need CHOCOLATE"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Owl Wood:
      As you well know, that's one of the joys of having control of the camera. (Anyway, I didn't say it so politely.)

      Delete
  9. Churros and hot chocolate sounds like a sweet form of penitence to me! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Facinating to see, particularly after I just finished a history course which included the Spanish inquisition. Purple pointed hoods still give me the heebie jeebies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ur-spo:
      That would be a fascinating course to take!

      Delete

Please visit www.movingwithmitchell.com if you would like to comment or stay up to date. I stopped posting here and reproduced all previous posts, as well, 25 September 2018. Thanks!!!