Thursday - "We want to be Penitents"

We spent the day in pouring rain in Seville and got stymied at every turn. We didn’t get to see the major sights due to abbreviated operating hours, but the kids did get to splash around in the downpour. We decided hauling around 5 soaking wet kids was not exactly a recipe for a good time, so we headed home to Osuna by late afternoon. We ate dinner in Café Molinillo which is right in the main square of Osuna. The restaurant itself is slightly smaller than an average one car garage! The only seating is outside, so we sat at tables on the edge of the square with prime viewing for the Holy Thursday processions. It was the perfect location, as the adults could sit and eat (and drink!) while the kids could play in the square. They made a new friend and spent a couple of hours racing around and climbing trees while we…watched. The procession finally came through the square and we got some great shots of the hooded penitents and the religious float. We then headed for home because our house is right on the procession route. A couple of hours later the penitents and floats passed right by our front door. The kids were able to sit outside on the little upstairs balconies and watch the procession. Very moving and solemn…until you heard 2 little voices calling out “Hi penitents, look at us, up here, hello little penitents, hi there, etc…!” (Abby and Claire were doing their best to further American/Spanish relations) After the processions had passed, the kids were wrapping themselves in blankets to make hoods and declared “We want to be penitents,” before we knew it, 1:00am had arrived again and the kids finally turned in. The adults were right behind them…