\nI start with some cycling photos. One early morning, while cycling before going to the office, I had to stop and photograph the hills on the road to Aig\u00c3\u00bces, partly shrouded in clouds:
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![\"1030133\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_1.jpg\")
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\nOn Sunday morning, I cycled to the town of Agost, stopping for a break in Verdeg\u00c3\u00a1s. Some of the locals were very relaxed about my presence:
\n![\"1030135\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_2.jpg\")
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\n![\"1030137\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_3.jpg\")
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\nOthers were a bit wary:
\n![\"1030140\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_4.jpg\")
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\n![\"1030142\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_5.jpg\")
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\nLater in the week, during another pre-work ride, I was amused by these signs. The “detour” sign seems to be pointing to the heavens:
\n![\"1030144\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_6.jpg\")
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\nOn Sunday, we invited our friends Eliot and Assumpta, Lucas and Alejandra for lunch. Not paella this time, rather a lamb roast with some added dishes. While the lamb was roasting, we sat outside and had some drinks, munchies and conversation:
\n![\"DSF4514\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_7.jpg\")
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\n![\"DSF4509\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_8.jpg\")
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\nThen we went inside for the food:
\n![\"DSF4517\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_9.jpg\")
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\n![\"DSF4519\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_10.jpg\")
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\n![\"DSF4518\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_11.jpg\")
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\nStaying with the food theme, during the week I went to our local supermarket. We eat a lot of fish, so the fish counter is a regular stop for me:
\n![\"R007740\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_12.jpg\")
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\nWe also eat a lot of seafood, whether at home or, like here, in a restaurant:
\n![\"R007739\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_13.jpg\")
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\nA typical dinner at our house, baked fish on a bed of potatoes and onions, topped with some shrimp:
\n![\"R007742\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_14.jpg\")
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\nAs usual, I continued my project of photographing “parked” dogs in the vestibule of the supermarket. I love them all, whether small like this one:
\n![\"R007736\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_15.jpg\")
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\nOr bigger ones, like this docile creature:
\n![\"R007737\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_16.jpg\")
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\nThen Thursday arrived, and with it a 5-day weekend (Easter Monday is also a day off here). I wanted to document the processions well this year, so I went to see them on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. On Thursday, I went to a procession commemorating the Last Supper:
\n![\"DSF2651\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_17.jpg\")
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\nI always focus on individual participants in the events:
\n![\"DSF2639\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_18.jpg\")
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\nEven better when I have eye contact:
\n![\"DSF2666\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_19.jpg\")
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\n![\"DSF2652\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_20.jpg\")
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\nOn Friday, I went to a Good Friday procession in a working class neighbourhood called Carolinas. It was by far the most enjoyable experience of the Holy Week. In this neighbourhood there are no tourists, no huge crowds, just the local people enjoying the holiday:
\n![\"DSF2745\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_21.jpg\")
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\nMore eye contact, and a smile:
\n![\"DSF2738\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_22.jpg\")
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\nWatching and not watching:
\n![\"DSF2737\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_23.jpg\")
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\nA conversation. This is probably my favourite photo of the entire Semana Santa:
\n![\"DSF2750\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_24.jpg\")
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\nI started Sunday with an early bike ride; I wanted to go to the centre of Alicante at 11 to see the Easter Sunday procession, the culmination of the entire week. So I was out early on the road between Busot and Jijona:
\n![\"1030150\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_25.jpg\")
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\nJijona is very quiet on a Sunday morning:
\n![\"1030148\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_26.jpg\")
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\nThen to the city. One of the two processions on Easter Sunday is called Nuestra Se\u00c3\u00b1ora de la Alegr\u00c3\u00ada. The sculpture is carried from its home at the Bas\u00c3\u00adlica Santa Mar\u00c3\u00ada to the nearby city hall. On the way it is carried down a set of steps leading from the Bas\u00c3\u00adlica down to Calle Jorge Juan, a very delicate exercise for the costaleros<\/em>:
\n![\"DSF2782\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_27.jpg\")
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\nThe Se\u00c3\u00b1ora de la Alegr\u00c3\u00ada is escorted down the steps by members of Belleses del Foc i Dames d’Honor<\/em>, one of whom gave me a smile. There was also eye contact with one of the other ladies, but no smile:
\n![\"DSF2771\"](\"uploads\/2023\/14_28.jpg\")
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