Stations of the Cross

We are definately still on Michigan time - especially Marie. She didn't go to bed until 3 am (9 pm back home) last night. After cafe and working for a short time, while Marie slept in, I brushed up on my Spanish shopping vocabulary and headed down the street to try on the dresses I saw in the windows. After cafe and working for a short while.

It appears that stores here only get one size of every dress and they didn't have my size in the dressed I loved. I ended up with two new ones anyway and a promise for one tomorrow. When I asked one of the salespersons what size the dress was in the window, she told me a 38. I wear a 42 or 44 in Europe size. I left and she chased me down the street to tell me she was mistaken and the one in the window was a 42. When we went back to the store, however, the manager (I guess) yelled at her in Spanish for a while and then she turned to me and said sorry, come back tomorrow. No wonder there economy is so poor. LOL.

After Marie got up, at about 2:30, we took a bus down to Cibeles Square - well, as close as we could get since LOTS of roads are closed. The pesos - stations of the cross - were lined up on the street from Cibeles Square to Colon Square. Pesos are floats containing life-size wooden sculptures typical of Spanish Holy Week, masterpieces of Spanish religious art and unique treasures. They were really beautiful and awesome but it was very difficult to revere and appreciate them in the 100 degree weather and the huge crowd. We viewed them from a very narrow path that was mighty congested. And there was no shade. I think that people were already staking out their spot for the 7:30pm event when the Pope was to lead the Way of the Cross. It was shown on huge TV screens around town also. Once we were able to find our way out of that crowd, however, we wanted to separate ourselves from it as much as possible! So we walked and walked and walked. We actually were headed for another museum but never got there. We saw many sights, met many people from other countries, took more pictures of people and their flags, stopped for something to eat, walked some more and took a bus back to the apartment. We enjoyed ice cream in the square across the street, purchased from a vendor from Holland. Lots of kids and people in the square tonight, probably because it is Friday.

Silvia is coming home tomorrow morning so we need to clean the place up tonight! I'm so excited to meet her! She gave us lots of tips on places to shop. I think Monday will be shopping day.

I miss everyone back home.