Now why is she posting a photo of the KKK?

So I didn't dress up as an Easter witch today, I know, I am sooo lame! But I still do have the chance to follow a Spanish Easter tradition and dress up like a member of the Ku Klux Klan! Oh yay!



OK, not really. It is Semana Santa here in Spain this week, Holy week. From Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday, everyday is a spectacular pageant of devotion and also mourning to the final week of Jesus’ life. So you may encounter lifelike wood or plaster sculptures of individual scenes of the events that happened between Jesus' arrest and his burial, or images of the Virgin Mary showing grief for the torture and killing of her son.



The processions began in 15Th century Andalusia and became very fancy for the purpose of showing off Catholicism and bringing the religion out to the people and paraded through the streets for all to see.
The floats are carried on the shoulders of men called costaleros (sack men), under the burden of the float which weigh between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds, only their feet and calves are visible to the public (sometimes chained). Accompanying them are penitentes (penitents), members of the procession who repent their sins carrying crosses or holding burning candles. They wear distinctive robes and cone-shaped hoods to symbolize repentance and grief. (Info gathered from Naval Station Rota's Facebook page.)



I have still not yet been to see one of these parades... But will go tomorrow for the big one! It is supposed to be a very stunning experience with brass bands playing religious hymns or flamenco singing written for the occasion and also colors galore. Religious or not, it should not be missed!

Let us go dancing with the devil

Have you guys packed yet?
Don't forget the broom, black cat and kettle.
Should we all meet at sundown and fly together? The devil will be waiting at Blue Hill! You can ride on my broom, I am sure that is better for the environment...



OK, no I have not gone insane (not more then usual). We have another unique tradition in Sweden that I want to tell you about. Tomorrow it is Skartorsdag in Sweden. All the little girls dress up as Easter witches and boys as, well, boy witches (or my brother used to dress up as an Easter bunny, because that is how wicked cool he is!).



It is like Sweden's Halloween but everyone has the same costume! And not the pointy hat scary witch but the cute, old lady kinda witch. The mini witches go door to door for treats or a coin, but unlike trick-or-treating they always leave a little handmade Easter card, letter or craft. I used to love it!



A long long time ago people believed that witches were especially active and their black magic especially powerful during this Easter week. And on the Thursday they were thought to fly off on brooms, or stolen cattle, to dance with the devil at a place called blåkulla (Blue Hill) until Saturday. I love that this tradition actually still exists in Sweden!
Hmmm... I wonder what the Spanish folk would think if I dressed up as a Easter witch tomorrow...?

Tramps like us need inspiration

I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Oh, someday girl I don't know when
We're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us baby we were born to run
- B. Springsteen

It is safer this way

Due to "the black cloud over my head and someone pulling a string that is tied tightly around my heart" time of month I am going to post a writing assignment from last years class. It is safer that way.

LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW
Every morning when I look out of my living room window I feel like the luckiest human being on earth.
Sipping my coffee I close my eyes allowing the sound of the Atlantic Ocean crashing upon the beach to regenerate my spirit.
There are birds chirping around me but as I open my eyes they are nowhere to be seen. It is highly possible that these little creatures are hiding among the green of the bushy trees in the park below. It is a small park and all that the trees conceal from my view are a few gray concrete benches and a shady spot, a much needed respite during the long hot summer days.

A smile comes upon me as the scene below is interrupted with the approach of “the gang”, as I call them. These four old men stroll along the white stone tiled beach promenade. One is holding an umbrella even though there are no clouds in sight. Every day they walk there, up along that path which follows the cliffs edge and then back down again towards the center of the town, often pointing out to sea and a couple of them holding onto their straw fedora hats when the wind picks up its strength. Today the ocean is slightly uneven, the wind causing it to be unsettled in a sparkling cocktail of green and blue, acting like a frame for the town in the distance. It is only the rugged fishing pier that breaks the frame. The pier is fully stocked with boats of all shapes and sizes, their white wooden masts pointing up into the sky.

The ocean bathes the small town in a somewhat holy glow of light and reminds me of a place more exotic and oriental. Maybe this is because of the delicate pale color of the sand on the beach below it and the heavy palm trees circling that desert area. The buildings being mostly white makes the three old stone towers even more noticeable as the main characters of this town. These majestic towers belong to the church, castle, and market place which all date from the discovery of the new world.
Yes, I am indeed one of the luckiest people on earth to get to wake up and sip on my coffee to this view; it could very well be the definition of unbelievable.

Ask, and Ye Shall Receive / Ye Have Not, Because Ye Ask Not

All my hard work this week, slaving with my midterm exam, was rewarded with the whole weekend off! Friday, when I realized I had finished the exam two day before the due date (yes I am a genius), I knew this weekend would be special!

But first I have to tell you what happened to me on Friday morning. Thursday night, after reading a bit in my book (The Glass Lake by Maeve Binchy) and then reading some of the inspiring writing blogs I follow I felt a huge need. For awhile now I have been wanting to start writing again, I could feel I was so ripe for the process. My problem was, all my story ideas were super sucky! Before I went to bed Thursday I wrote this down in my little red notebook;

I want to write SO badly! I just do not know about what!
HELP, I need a story to fall in love with!

And can you guess it? Friday morning I woke an hour before I was supposed too and for no particular reason, with this image in my head from the dream I was having. The image was so powerful that I just had to write it down. And when I started to write, practically the whole story came flowing out of me! It was like magic! Seriously, this story is GOOD, it is like REALLY really good!
Just thought it was the most miraculous thing, I guess it is true what they say; Ask and you shall receive!

Here is a taste of what I did this weekend; I am truly blessed!
Friday night the husband and I went to El Gato which is "our" little bodega for a glass of sherry before heading to Shanghai restaurant for some delicious food (really recommend the curry egg roll and the blueberry duck!) and some hot Saki!







Saturday was a lazy romantic day but we did do our big monthly grocery shopping! Is that strange to only do it once a month? Just like to get it out of the way... But we did cook up a real treat for dinner that evening; home made pizza baked on the BBQ! This is a MUST try for any creative grillers out there. This was ridiculously good! And finished of the night with one of my favorite romantic movies ever "Only you".





And today was.... wait for it.... The first beach day of the year!!! It is Seriously gorgeous and warm here in south Spain now. Still too cold in the Atlantic but perfect for laying on the soft sand soaking up the rays, book in one hand and husbands hand in the other! My legs wont be pale for long! Husband and I had been spring cleaning our place all morning so it was definitely well deserved!



Hope you made your weekend absolutely legendary!

Happy Waffle Day!

I know every country has special days like woman's day and fathers day and such. But today is one day dedicated to something more important than all that in Sweden. It is of such importance, today is WAFFLE DAY!!! A whole day dedicated to waffles! How can you not love Sweden for that?



How do they serve waffles where you live? In Sweden the traditional toppings are whipped cream and cloud-berry preserves (above). Here in Spain (the famous Feria Gofres needs a whole separate post to do them justice) you can find them covered in chocolate or buy them fresh with cream or caramel- chocolate- strawberry sauce or all of the above! (below)



So in honor of all important waffle day hubby and I had waffles for dinner!
"I love being a grown up" my hot husband said when he came home from work and saw me in kitchen begging the waffle iron to heat faster (I have no patients especially when i comes to waiting for yummyness). We set the table with all the toppings we could find in the cupboards;



My carefully selected toppings were whipped cream, blackberries, chopped nuts and honey and yes, it was delicious!



One day I will try and make some savory waffles like these pictured below with a wild mushroom cheesy sauce. Or maybe some crispy waffles with caviar or smoked salmon, sour cream and avocado... That sounds like an Easter entrée to me!




Now go make some waffles people!

My humble servant

"Ring, ring!" (yes that is how my phone sounds)
"Hello?" (I always answer the phone with hello as a question)
"This is an automatic service of the health center reminding you about your appointment" (The robot receptionist was sounding a little stressed)

"Press one for confirmation" (sure I'll do that)
"Your time is now confirmed" (Robot receptionist sounded extremely relived!)
"Thank you for letting us serve you, have a great day!"

Before I could even hang up the phone I started to laugh my ass off; THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SERVE YOU?! I have never heard that before in my life, someone thanking me for them serving me!
Shit, honey I will LET you serve me anytime you want if that is what makes you happy!