Mark, Author at Expat Expressions

Semana Santa in Granada 2010

by Mark | Apr 17, 2011 | Deep In It

As we enter the Holy Week 2011, we take a look back at Semana Santa in Granada, Spain, 2010. We are told there will be celebrations here in Buenos Aires and a larger one in Luján, which is a two-hour bus ride from here. But in Spain, cities like Seville and Granada have few rivals for the Holy Week celebration. Happy Semana Santa 2011!

We wrote an account to families and friends last year...

Granada sits at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Southern Spain. Semana Santa began during our second week of a month-long stay in Granada, Spain.

There is just no way to capture the scene around this festival. Nightly we have seen people in the tens of thousands crowding the street in a sea of humanity as religious processions pass. Most of the stores have been shut since Wednesday. The festival continues well into the morning hours. While the temperatures have been cool at night, crowds stay huge well past midnight.

Background

Holy Week (Latin: Hebdomas Sancta or Hebdomas Maior, "Greater Week" in Christianity) is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter.

The week begins with Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday), we all know that one. Not so familiar, Holy Monday (or Fig Monday), Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday (sometimes called Spy Wednesday). This quickly gets complicated for many of us. Toward the end of the week things heat up, there is Maundy (Holy) Thursday and of course Good Friday. On Holy Saturday the celebration of Easter begins after sundown. Easter Vigil is the longest and most solemn of the Catholic Church's Masses, lasting up to three or four hours.

Setting:

Our base for this Holy Week celebration is an apartment we rented next to Plaza Nueva in the Albayzin neighborhood at the base of the Alhambra, a Moorish citadel and palace in Granada.

To further define our choice location, the Albayzín (also written as Albaicín) area of Granada is the Moorish quarter of the city that retains the narrow, winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past. It was declared a world heritage site in 1984, along with the more famous Alhambra.

With such fundamental human history being re-enacted this week, the omnipresence of the Alhambra with its own religious heritage provides a somewhat trenchant perspective on the entire celebration.

The Alhambra, literally "the red one," is a palace and fortress complex completed early in the 14th century by the then Moorish rulers. The history of the time period is a rich testament to Moorish culture in Spain and the skills of the craftsmen and builders of this era. Moorish poets described it as "a pearl set in emeralds" in allusion to the color of its buildings and the woods around them. Read more if you get a chance. I believe it is the number one tourist attraction in Spain.

After the Christians conquered Granada in 1492 (another interesting story), the cathedral of Granada was begun in the early 16th century atop the site of the city's main mosque (not nice) and completed over a hundred years later. There is just no way to capture the scope and grandeur of cathedrals of this period. Here you get a glimpse.

So now you have the setting for Semana Santa in Granada, Spain, where Muslim and Christian cultures have intertwined for centuries. Let the 2010 Semana Santa begin...

Granada has 32 brotherhoods belonging to the city's many churches and therefore, 32 breathtaking processions. The figures representing the scenes on the pasos are life-sized. In essence, the processions represent the Easter Passion, the story between the Last Supper and the Resurrection.

The entire scene is alive with color and sound. Emotions are stirred by the slow rhythmic beating of the drums and mournful sound of trumpets. The only way to get a sense of the drama is to watch some of this YouTube video.

http://youtu.be/yn1AbWnqv4I

The pasos are carried on the shoulders of men called costaleros, 20-40 per paso. What makes this amazing is that they are under the float and out of sight when the paso is in motion. And you have to remember that the streets, especially in the Albayzín neighborhood are barely wide enough for a single small car to traverse. This is athletic artistry at work and is wildly appreciated.

Since they cannot see where they are going, they follow the instructions of the capataz who walks in front of the paso, beating the ground with a stick to communicate. The basic maneuvers are simple, achieved with a shuffling movement of the feet. The difficulties come when the float must, for example, turn a particularly tight corner in a narrow street. This tedious maneuver is often applauded by spectators. Another crowd-pleaser is the swaying of the paso.

A typical float, which can weigh up to 6 tons is carried by up to 40 men. Footnote: According to this article, in 2011 women are now included.

Remember, this goes on for several nights and into the early morning hours. The crowds are enormous. Even to a non-believer, this historic event repeated year after year for centuries has no real parallel.

I hope this gives you a sense of Semana Santa. If you go either to Seville or Granada for Semana Santa, plan well ahead.

P.S.

Here are a couple of YouTube videos of our neighborhood in Granada:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2rAW1hXvYI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyV3W0GRs_A

And of the Alhambra:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDaodQLm8C8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MLKaVkEZxA

Zoológico Buenos Aires!

by Mark | Apr 13, 2011 | Deep In It

The Buenos Aires Zoo is said to be the oldest zoo in Latin America. It has a mostly recognizable and diverse cast of characters…

Located next to Plaza Italia, the zoo is visited by approximately 3 million people a year, which makes it one of the busiest in the world.

We enjoyed this zoo on a sunny weekday afternoon and felt like we had the place to ourselves. As with any zoo, there is a contradiction of sadness for the captive animals and the awe inspired by being face-to-face with the variety of life of earth.

Not to brag, but we have visited a few world-class zoos, especially during our travels around the United States in 1996-97. While living in Carlsbad we purchased yearly passes to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Kingdom. We have accumulated mucho zoo time in case you notice a hint of arrogance in this post.

Every zoo has a specific character.

The Buenos Aires Zoo has a long history as well. The doors opened on October 30, 1888. The first zoo director, Eduardo Ladislao Holmberg, a doctor and naturalist, guided the zoo for the first 15 years. His premise was that the buildings housing the animals would correspond with the architecture of the origin of the species.

As the years passed, the concept of the modern zoo evolved and these smaller animal enclosures gave way to more natural habitats. Fittingly, these magnificent buildings have been designated as Historical Monuments, so replacing the outdated zoo concepts incorporated into the original buildings has met a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. What we see today is a snapshot in zoo time and a somewhat faded, although still visually stunning, architectural feat.

After we passed the entrance portico, which is a reproduction of the ‘Triumph Arch of Tito’ in Rome, and a couple of other distinctive buildings shown below, we realized this zoo is as much about the design as it is about the animals. The Elephant Palace is a replica of the Goddess Nimaschi Chapel in Mumbai. The Vesta Chapel is a circular building that includes 16 Corinthian columns, a copy of the original chapel located in Rome.

The Elephant palace…

One beautiful, interesting, detail-laden building after another…

Then you come to the carousel. According to the date plate this one was built in 1898.

The woodwork and intricate designs are gorgeous.

There is always an element of romance at the zoo. Couples strolling arm in arm…

And, let’s not forget the animals, birds, reptiles and insects.

It looks like the picture to the right was done in Photoshop but it is original. The look on the duck’s face as it stands literally inches away from the hippo’s massive mouth still makes me laugh.

The Buenos Aires Zoo includes a nice aquarium. I included this photo of the spiny fish just because it turned out so well.

There was a great selection of South American birds.

As you can imagine, with the Amazon in South America, there is a huge variety of fish, insects and reptiles. I passed up the boas and caught this guy in mid-stride.

The insects displayed were other-worldly. The scorpion varieties were enough to make you want to check your shoes twice .

Then these beetle-like fellas give a whole new meaning to creepy-crawly.

Finishing with the glamorous, these fairy-like insects seemed right out of a Spielberg movie.

While I could show you nice photos of a rare albino tiger, a pair of cheetas, a cute monkey family, a zebra I could almost reach out and touch, the classic giraffe, a flying monkey (literally), a brilliantly colored Toucan or the majestic bear, I prefer in the space alloted to share this unuusal creature. Not the best picture by far, but the more I discovered about it the more certain I was that you would want me to share.

(Wikipedia) The Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest canid of South America. Although the maned wolf displays many fox-like characteristics, it is not closely related to foxes … One conclusion of this study is that the maned wolf is the only survivor of the late Pleistocene extinction of the large South American canids.

Here are just a couple of the interesting facts about the maned wolf from here :

Amongst the locals, maned wolf is believed to have supernatural powers. Its right eye is supposed to bring luck in gambling.
Another superstition has it that if children wear a necklace having a maned wolf tooth, they will not have dental problems.
Maned Wolf is an astonishing animal, native to South America, with physical features of a hyena, the head and coat color of a wolf and the large ears of an African hunting dog.

I am not done yet…

The Buenos Aires Zoo has created some remarkable advertisements that caught my eye. To see more do a search on You Tube.

Boca

by Mark | Apr 5, 2011 | Deep In It

Blue Skies

The bright red bridge against the beautiful blue sky caught my eye in the evening as we walked to the bus stop for the short ride back to our apartment. We had spent a lazy afternoon roaming the streets, poking into shops and getting to know one of the most photographed neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.

Striking Colors

A landmark of sorts, located at the corner of Avenida Paseo Colon and Almirante Brown, this work of art provides a glimpse of what is to come as you enter La Boca.

These full-sized characters protruding from the windows or standing on the wrought iron balconies create an artistic scene reminiscent of a Broadway play. Buenos Aires is a city full of street art, and here in La Boca they go for the smash hit on every corner.

As we strolled the streets, we encountered one scene after another. Sometimes the surreal nature of the art is illustrated by the juxtaposition of the real and the art as in the piece below.

A young woman and her baby were hardly distinguishable from the art.

And can you see Betsy below?

We continued to explore...

We happened by the local fire department and were invited in to snap this photo, our language skills not refined enough to ask about the cannon in the left foreground. I didn't know how to ask if it was a water cannon... (sorry).

This area of the city is particularly renowned for Tango, and the passion of the dance is embraced in this mural.

Life & Passion

If there is one thing this barrio thrives on, it is the Club Boca Juniors soccer team, one of the most important in Argentina. The Bombonera (chocolate box), seats more than 50,000 spectators and is a landmark. The Boca Juniors is regarded as the working class club in contrast to its cross-town archrival Club Atlético River Plate.

Beyond the brightly colored buildings and the fantastic murals and street art, there is a Fine Arts Museum founded by Benito Quinquela Martín. His life story is that of a man from humble beginnings who became famous and gave back to his community.

So there you have it -- a taste of La Boca; you will find it all here, food, art, natural beauty, a gritty urban environment, and Tango. I leave you with this...

While walking through Boca last Thursday, I poked my head into a particularly interesting bar/restaurant and noticed a filming take place of this singer and piano player. I didn't catch their names but oh, the music...

http://youtu.be/SJNkEDsuPCQ

Evita Peron

by Mark | Mar 28, 2011 | Deep In It

It is impossible not to notice the imagery, graffiti, and references to María Eva Duarte de Perón in Buenos Aires. When we visited the Casa Rosada, the national reverence for Evita was evident. Books, pins, posters and other Evita memorabilia are displayed at street markets and antique shops. She seems to evoke the same feelings we in the U.S. have for Roosevelt and for similar reasons.

Our interest piqued, last week we visited the Evita Museum (Museo Evita) located at 2988 Lafinur Street in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires fairly close to our apartment. The entrance fee was 15 pesos each, headset for an English translation extra but not absolutely necessary. We were not disappointed in our visit to this museo.

Most everyone knows Evita's basic story if from nothing else than the musical Evita starring Madona with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.

The museo offered a detailed examination of her life complete with original photos and video, newspapers, magazines, film clips, and clothing. Eva's life is one of the all-time, great, rags-to-riches, storybook tales. Born out of wedlock in a small rural village, she moved to Buenos Aires in 1934 at the age of 15. Here she pursued and successfully established a career in radio, on the stage and as a film actress. A short 10 years later she married Juan Perón who would soon be the president of Argentina and become a political legend.

At the height of her popularity at age 33, Evita died of cancer on July 26, 1952, roughly 18 years after arriving in Buenos Aires. During that short period Evita achieved stardom, engaged in political action culminating in becoming Argentina's First Lady, became a world-renowned activist for the poor and disenfranchised, and in 1947 became a player on the world scene with her "Rainbow Tour" of Europe as First Lady of Argentina where she met with dignitaries, heads of state and the Pope.

After Evita's death her body took an intriguing path, its whereabouts remaining a mystery for 16 years. It was a period of a military dictatorship in Argentina with a ban on Peronism. Finally the military revealed that Evita's body had been buried in a crypt in Milan, Italy, under the name María Maggi. Today her body resides in the famed Recoleta Cemetery here in Buenos Aires.

Recoleta cemetary - Eva Peron's grave site

We took this photo at the Recoleta Cemetery (more later)

The museo houses great original photos...

The photo below is a great period piece. The Peróns focused on transforming the economy, thereby providing jobs and spurring the economy.

There was also a series of modern art pieces focused on Eva and Juan.

Our afternoon at the Evita Perón museo left us filled with questions about the richness of life, no matter how long or short, what makes for a great and revered political and cultural leader, and how life seems to thrust some people into a role and purpose with no warning or easily understood reason.

The career of Juan Perón continued, he became president for the third time in 1973 and died in office in 1974. His third wife, Isabel Perón, who had been elected vice-president, succeeded him as president.

Perónism lives today; the current president of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, leads the Peronist political party that currently dominates elections.

For additional reading:

Evita: The Woman Behind the Myth. A&E Biography. 1996
Adams, Jerome R (1993). Latin American Heroes: Liberators and Patriots from 1500 to the Present. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0345383842.
Barnes, John (1978). Evita, First Lady: A Biography of Eva Perón. New York, New York: Grove Press.
Crassweller, Robert D (1987). Peron and the Enigmas of Argentina. W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0393023818.
Guillermoprieto, Alma (2002). Looking for History: Dispatches from Latin America. Vintage. ISBN 0375725822.
Perón, Eva (1952). La Razón de mi vida. Buro Editors.
Juan Pablo Queiroz, Tomas De Elia, ed. Evita: An Intimate Portrait of Eva Peron.
Rousso-Lenoir, Fabienne. America Latina. ISBN 2843233356.

Parks, Parks, Everywhere a Park

by Mark | Mar 26, 2011 | Deep In It

In this massive city filled with active avenues, cars, buses and people, there are an amazing number of parks and plazas. Our apartment is located very near one of the nicest. There is something there for everyone.*

Parque Tres de Febrero, also known as the Bosques de Palermo (“Palermo Woods”), is big (see map below). Sometimes compared to Central Park in New York or vice-versa, it has a similar scope and flavor of activity. Suffice it to say it is a world-class park. Luckily for us we can walk a couple of blocks, cross Libertador and we are there. Not to get bogged down in the history of how the park came to be but this is a good story. In 1852 Juan Manuel de Rosas was overthrown. It sounds like he might not have been a very nice guy which makes taking his lands and making a public park seem like a reasonable thing to do. That event (the overthrow) took place on Februrary 3, 1852. So for a little in-your-face irony the park was named Parque Tres de Febrero (February 3 Park). Touché!

The design was created by urbanist Jordán Czeslaw Wysocki and architect Julio Dormal, the park was inaugurated on November 11, 1875. French Argentine urbanist Carlos Thays was later commissioned to expand and further beautify the park, between 1892 and 1912. Thays designed the Zoological Gardens, the Botanical Gardens, the adjoining Plaza Italia and the Rose Garden. See, I told you this was good. As you can see on the map, this is a park with parks within and adjoining parks that extends quite a distance.

We go to Parque Tres de Febrero several times a week which is one of the benefits of renting an apartment a few blocks away. I know what you are thinking and you are so right, we have a ton of photos to show. Luckily the editor will manage the impulse to show them all. Let’s get started. The park comes alive on the weekends when seemingly the entire city comes to play and relax.

The centerpiece is an active, small lake where boats are available for rent and people congregate to relax and sunbathe.

A wide roadway circles the lake, cars are not allowed, so this track gets filled with bicycles, rollerbladers, horse drawn carriages, walkers and runners.

It is an endless stream of people, all ages, shapes and sizes. Vendors line the streets with food, bicycles and rollerblades for rent, ice cream and goodies for the park.

A couple of things caught our attention in this people-watching meca. In one open area between tall trees these athletes perform some amazing feats of tight rope walking artistry. I was particularly drawn to this area, most likely explained by the family heritage.

Rollerblading is a popular activity. It is inexpensive to rent the skates and experts mix with weekend warriors. This self-made obstacle course gives the experts a chance to show their artistry. They are amazing…

For the less athletic or those inclined toward the romantic, there are these horse drawn carriages.

But there is much more to this park beyond the opportunity to exercise (which seems to be a national past time), relax with a picnic, or cruise the lake. For example…

This bridge crosses the lake and takes you into a park within a park called Jardin de Rosas….

The view from the top provides a perfect place for couples to gather.

Sr. Carlos Thays outdid himself with the design including the multiple bridge crossings.

This part of park has a definite European flavor…

You couldn’t have a world-class park without a fountain centerpiece.

Somewhere it states that there are over 12,000 roses in this park and there is no reason to doubt that statement.

The views are almost breathtaking. In this area, the white lattice-covered walkways are exceptional.

We need a separate post just for the statues. As you can see they are varied and placed throughout the park.

The picture below is a favorite, the light provided a perfect cast that communicates the peaceful setting.

In Florida they have Banyan trees, I am not sure this is one, but it is striking.

From the look of the picture below this could be taken on a weekday when the park is somewhat quieter. Sometimes after a mind-boggling Spanish lesson we walk over to the park to unwind and to review.