Semana Santa

Arriving in Málaga on Wednesday during Semana Santa, I was unsure what to expect. Semana Santa is the Holy Week before Easter that is celebrated with parades and a break from school and work. In previous weeks, I had heard a lot about Semana Santa from various people, most of which were very excited that I would be here to experience part of it. Many said that there would be so many people in the center that you would not be able to walk. On the other hand, several told me that although Semana Santa is of great importance here, that they usually only go to several parades and that in general, it “pesada” (a heavy atmosphere). I had a glimpse of what was to come after seeing the tranferring of thrones in previous weeks. After hearing so much about it, I was excited to return from my trip and experience this religious celebration for myself. Upon arriving in the center, it was obvious that normal life in Málaga had changed, as even the bus lines were different because the parades passed through the Alameda Principal. There were many carnaval style stands with an array of candy, small donuts, and cotton candy and other people dressed up giving out ballons. Lining the path where the parades would pass were many chairs that could be bought to sit in to view the parades. Because of this, people were forced to stand behind all this, and crowd into the tiny streets branching off of Calle Larios, making it hard to see the parades in some locations. The parades are very slow moving and even completely stop at some points. As many people remark, the disguises look like those of the KKK. The biggest part of these parades are the thrones carrying the Virgin. Overall, I am still undecided what I think of Semana Santa. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to see it since it has such an important value to many Spaniards. Despite this, I don’t think it is the type of parades that I could sit and watch for long periods of time.