Thursday, 07 February 2008

• > 45

  Easter at Alentejo

  Weekly Photo Challenge

  I keep posting previous Weekly Photo Challenges, and went back in time, even more!
  
  As I've told you, personal reasons made me go to Alentejo several times last year, and every time I took pictures, thinking on making entries about it. Now I'm posting!
  I know that my closest Friends keep enjoying traveling to Alentejo, the south interior region of Portugal, one of the most forgotten and, thanks to that, well preserved in their traditions and way of living.
  
  
  

  Fire and Ice

  Weekly Photo Challenge hosted by: Gitarezan
  Subject: Fire and Ice

  I came back to this theme as I think the photos are suited to it…
  There's no ice at Alentejo, except on drinks! But there's a lot of fire! And I'm not thinking about the 40º Celsius everyday on Summer… Take a look!
  

  
  

  As I've told you previously on Post > 44, The most important church of the region is this small chapel at the top of a hill named Altinho (small bump) where Our Lady of Guadalupe lives all year… except on Easter, when She visit the city.
  

  
  

  People then carry Our lady around, (I guess she is bored to dead by living is such a remote chapel) and the guards open the "Procissao".
  Notice the "wall" behind? It's a Roman device to carry water. This city is old…
  

  
  

  And here they come. Can you see the red fabric suspended from the upstairs window? That's a silk bed cover.
  Many people think that's the only reason for that kind of windows in such a hot region…
  

  
  

  Here She is. It's the greatest honor to carry Our Lady of Guadalupe instead of any other saint and even instead of Christ.
  

  
  

  And here is an angel, a true one.
  

  
  

  Our Lady of Guadalupe, after a year of darkness in the chapel, is shining in gold.
  

  
  

  People get his place carrying Our Lady because of promises made. I remember many military used to carry Her when Portugal had war at Africa... Other people, mostly the poorest ones, offer money.
  

  
  

  Sunday Easter is the day of an historical parade where people also show traditional crafts and old ways of living.
  

  
  

  Bad Roman, picking on those helpless maidens… nice horse!
  

  
  

  Singers can't miss the parade, as singing together is one of the most well known tradition of Alentejo.
  

  
  

  At nigh we were lucky enough to find a table on a restaurant of the main square. So we could have dinner and watching the show that was going on in a stage in front of the Mayor building.
  Picture is from my daughter Susana and her childhood friend Paula. Actually it was taken from a video as I was experimenting the camera.
  

  
  

  Janita Salome was singing. He's a singer who sings traditional chants (that are a mix between Gregorian and Arabian chants) with an even more Arabian twist.
  I've made a video with a song that I like very much, named Extravagant.
  The lyrics go like this:
  You called me extravagant, for coming home late. I'm a bright young man, I go home at done.
  Sorry, but my broken English can't give the true meaning of the song for lack of vocabulary… In Portuguese we understand that the bright boy is really a star…
  it's an extravagant song. I hope you like it!
  
  
  

  
  

  The evening ended up with the burst of firework.
  

  
  

  And we slept under flowers...
  

  I hope you liked visiting Alentejo at Easter!

  Next on Photo Challenge:
  Poetinme (Fruit)
  BookWormExtreme (Enchanted)
  TheSunnyC (Fungi and Wild Flowers)
  Gitarezan (ALien)
  Photographics (Up, up and away)
  Sezwick (Undermining Authority)
  Junjie1800 (In your Bowls)
  

  Winter ended at Portugal!
  

  
  

  Picture taken on January 27, 2008, last time I've been at Alentejo.
  

  Almonds are blooming!
  

  I keep being overwhelmed with work as I'm making a site with some of the contents I teach at school.
  Please forgive me for not being visiting you, my Friends, as I would like to…
  I try to read you as often as I can, and believe me, I think of you as true Friends, and thinking it is almost as helpful to me as talking to you…
  

  

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