mazeepuran (माझे e-पुराण)

I hope all is well with my fellow bloggers and all are enjoying weather in their respective regions. We are enjoying warm spring days. I was able to work in my garden.

I have been quite regular on WP in the recent past but then in April I published only 5 posts including this one. There were many factors but the one which ignite the fire of confusion was the red mark on the storage space I saw on April 1. It looks like it was full, at least at that time. I spent considerate amount of time in thinking and rethinking. I decided to create some space by deleting a number of posts. I even thought of starting a new blog and archive this one.

The time I was spending in the virtual world reduced significantly in the past couple of weeks. I am back with a plan and for now I shall keep this blog. Spring is inviting and there are possibilities of future travel plans.

Here are most of the colours from my surroundings, captured during one usual hike.

Lens artisits photo challenge : WP’s played a practical prank on April Fool’s Day to me 😀

Six Word Saturday

Wherever you go, go with all your heart ~Confucius

In Norway, it’s normal to board a plane through both the front and the rear doors.

Hurray! Last week all of us managed to get a couple of days break to visit Alicante, Spain. Our last family trip outside Norway was in 2019, then we were in Florence. The selection criteria for the destination was quite simple, “a sunny place”. We were quite lucky to be able to experience Easter in Spanish way.

This is Easter in Spain. A fitting reminder that Easter is not just about eggs and bunnies; Spain celebrates Easter week with much more dignity than many other countries. It is one of the most important events in the Christian calendar and Spain treats it with the respect it deserves.

People carry enormous statues of saints on wooden platforms, which have been lovingly created by great artists throughout the centuries. There is an atmosphere of mourning, which can seem oppressive to onlookers, particularly when you see many penitents in hooded cloaks with just slits for their eyes. The mood lightens on Easter Sunday, with church bells ringing throughout the land as the Resurrection of Christ is celebrated.

The silence is unbearable. You catch your breath as you try not to make a noise. Thousands of people line the streets, but no-one says a word. Then the sound of marching feet fills the air. It’s the only thing you can hear. Thousands of penitents parade in complete silence. It’s dark too. The only light is from the lanterns of the people marching by, which add to the sombre and somewhat eerie situation. It’s very emotional and some people are choking up at the dramatic scene unfolding before their eyes.

The story of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is re-enacted with much pomp and ceremony in many towns throughout the country. However, two of the best places to spend Easter are in the Alicante region – Elche and Orihuela – just a few kilometres apart.

To give us company in this foreign land, rains and strong wind followed us 😀😂. Anyways, it was Spain hence nothing to worry. We thoroughly enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine.

Here are some images taken at the fabulous Castle of Santa Bárbara, located on the top of Mount Benacantil overlooking the historic town, the port and the Bay of Alicante.