{"id":567,"date":"2015-04-07T17:06:27","date_gmt":"2015-04-07T17:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virginiaparker.net\/travel\/?p=567"},"modified":"2016-08-21T00:39:48","modified_gmt":"2016-08-21T00:39:48","slug":"madrid-unfiltered-sunday-april-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virginiaparker.net\/travel\/?p=567","title":{"rendered":"Madrid Unfiltered, Sunday April 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

Easter Sunday<\/strong>
\nApparently I like to make plans so I can change them. In a contrarian move, the rowdy people of Madrid all went to bed early on Saturday night. It was positively calm by 11.
\nI, on the other hand, didn\u2019t get to sleep until 1am. Let\u2019s blame that on jet lag. Woke up at 7am when the raucous folks who went to early mass strolled home talking and laughing.<\/p>\n

Went back to sleep because I could. Up by 9, had a cup of tea and reviewed the original plan – to go to the big ass flea market with the hoards and look at tat. It was the last thing I wanted to do, so I decided to wing it. I\u2019d walk over to the Bon Bon<\/strong> for caf\u00e9 con leche and a pastry, then amble over to the Prado<\/strong> even though my policy is to stay far away from the big museums on the weekend when the crowds come. I can be a contrarian myself.<\/p>\n

I was armed with a short list of words in Spanish. I am tired of fumbling with the phone app and have zero memory of any words I repeated on Duolingo.<\/p>\n

I strode confidently out the door, secure that I knew the way. I paused at one intersection\u00a0but told myself not to be a wussy. Didn\u2019t realize I was going the wrong way until I saw the roof of the palace \u2013 which is the exact opposite direction. I turned around and a few streets later realized I was passing by the Dominical Basilica Pontificia de S. Miguel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

My plan changed again.<\/p>\n

I slipped inside to say a prayer and maybe light a candle or two. Discovered Mass was underway, so I lingered in the back. I found I knew where they were in the mass by the rhythm of call and response, standing and kneeling, even though it was in Spanish.<\/p>\n

Just as the Priest raised the wafer to consecrate the host\u2026 BOOM! Boom, Boom. Booomm. Rattatat. BOOOMMM. Forget fireworks – It sounded liked the detonation of artillery, so loud the priest\u2019s amplified voice was drowned out. He sighed and rolled his eyes \u2013 or maybe looked to heaven for help. It didn\u2019t stop the drummers in the street outside the church.<\/p>\n

A convoy of white-caped celebrants with massive bicep strength gathered a crowd and banging away with all their might led the way to a packed out Plaza Mayor for the ceremonial drumming in of Easter. Yeah, when I think of death and resurrection rites I imagine a mood of solemnity and sorrow, but that\u2019s not how they roll in tourist central Madrid.<\/p>\n

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