We've arrived in Barcelona - actually we've been here for awhile but we've now blogged our way through Egypt and Jordan and will attempt to get the blog up to real time.
The apartment and the location are wonderful (more about this later), but of course the locals hold a celebration to welcome us!
Our square is constantly thronged with people, but one afternoon there is a change in the crowd noise rhythm. We peer over our balcony. Wonderful things are happening so we rush downstairs. You've seen it in National Geographic, how it's happening in front of us.
We are two feet away from one of the most amazing cultural displays ever. For sake of clarity we'll call them "puppets".....giant figures 12 to 16 feet tall marching down the narrow streets, interspersed with bands and groups performing folk dances.
The "puppets' are marvelous - many symbolic of traditions we do not appreciate - historical, regal, trades (fisherman, lawyer, king, priest, etc). Some samples follow. We subsequently learn that it is the Festival of St Eulalia - the patron saint of Barcelona.
Unbeknown to us we will meet the horse and the dragon later that evening in the town square.
The dancers perform a paired baton clacking ritual. For the youngest dancers it is charming. For the older participants there is a lot of police night stick calibre wood moving around fast, that could hurt someone. Most enchanting is the age spread of participants. A lot of families spent a lot of time getting a lot of members up to this performance level. They move by quickly - we attempt to capture the rhythm
The "puppets" swirl through the square. It is impossible to describe the presence of these figures. We've all viewed a Santa Claus parade. This is far better. It's simpler but more moving. Perhaps it is the closeness, the intimacy. There are people inside - not machines.






























































































































































































































