More processions.

Another day of working on the paper and learning some statistics. The paper is shaping up. Laura's willing to give it read through in the next week or so. I also added some background today that helped to contextualize the results a bit better.

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I went to the gym again today. It's definitely easier on my body, but I do miss the river. I'll have to go along the river every once in a while just to visit. On the way home from the gym, I was struck by how folks have decorated their balconies for this semana santa season:

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I noticed walking around the city that the car tires make a really ugly squeaking sound when turning. I couldn't figure out why I was suddenly just noticing this after almost 10 months here. Then I figured out what changed. Along the procession routes there is a now substantial layer of candle wax on the road. All of the nazarenos carry candles and light them in the evening when the sun goes down. All those thousands of candles drip on the road. Cars drive over it and coat their tires. For whatever reason, the tires squeal when they have wax on them.

If you're keeping track, in January the streets were coated with sugar from the three kings processions where they threw out free candy and now, in April, they're coated with wax.

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We stopped in a tile and ceramics store this afternoon to get some small gifts for our friends, the Simons, in Hungary:

We're looking forward to seeing them again after 15 years.

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This evening Laura and I walked to the cathedral area to see the procession of the students. This procession is populated by the students and faculty of the University of Sevilla. I told Laura I'd go with her as far as the first dense crowd and then I was heading home. I made it this far:

Laura just plowed right through. I on the other hand, took this picture of the lovely Christ paso, and waved her off into the crowd.

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As promised, the video of the Christ paso from our neighborhood procession two days ago, La Estrella: