Before we knew that San Geraldo was the 22-greats grandson of Saint Ferdinand the King (Ferdinand III) or the multi-greats grandson of English, Scottish, French, and a whole bunch of other kings and queens, we learned that he was descended from ancient Norwegian royalty. At the same time, we learned that the Norwegian word for “king” is “kong” (King Kong is apparently redundant). So, for a short time, San Geraldo had the nickname of Kong.
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IN SPAIN, YOU CAN SIT ON BALTHAZAR’S LAP AND TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS.
SANTA CLAUS (PAPA NOËL) IS MAKING SOME HEADWAY, BUT I HOPE HE DOESN’T USURP THE KINGS. |
Since San Geraldo (aka Kong) is a serious genealogist, I don’t think he’ll be laying claim any time soon to descendancy from Melchor, Gaspar, or Balthasazar. Still, we thought it would be fun to pay our respects by watching the Three Kings and the other 30 groups and floats parade through our neighborhood on the eve of “Kings’ Day” (Dia de los Reyes). It’s called the Cabalgata de Reyes (the Cavalcade of Kings). We had the delightful company of our nephew Matt (23-greats grandson of San Fernando) and his wife Lindy (like me, “royal” only by marriage). The more research San Geraldo does on my family tree, the more clearly rooted it is in peasant stock. For whatever it’s worth, I married up.
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| THE CROWD IN PLAZA DEL DUQUE, WAITING FOR THE PARADE. |
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| KING MELCHOR’S PAGES (#10 IN THE CAVALCADE). |
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NOT A GREAT SHOT OF “ATHENA’S PALACE,” (#2 IN THE LINE-UP).
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE CANDY FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. |
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THE LOCAL POLICE (#4). SO REASSURING.
SPONGE BOB REALLY GOT ON MY NERVES. |
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| EGYPT (#30). (AND THERE’S SPONGE BOB AGAIN; IF I’D ONLY HAD A PIN.) |
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A CLEVER (AND SAFER) WAY TO CATCH THE CANDY.
WE USED OUR HANDS (AND FACES). |
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| BALTHAZAR, AT #33, FINISHES OFF THE CAVALCADE OF KINGS. |
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THE STREETS GET VERY STICKY WITH ALL THE CANDY.
THIS FAMILY CAME PREPARED. |
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LEFT OVERNIGHT OUTSIDE OUR DOOR BY “THE THREE KINGS.”
I GUESS THEY THINK WE’VE BEEN GOOD. |
So, the Kings brought us candy (or perhaps it was our upstairs neighbors). But they didn’t bring us hot water, a second working toilet, or a partridge in a pear tree. I had “words” with “F” this evening and I’m calling the experts myself Wednesday morning.
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Author: Moving with Mitchell
From Brooklyn, New York; to North Massapequa; back to Brooklyn; Brockport, New York; back to Brooklyn... To Boston, Massachusetts, where I met Jerry... To Marina del Rey, California; Washington, DC; New Haven and Guilford, Connecticut; San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, and Santa Barbara, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Irvine, California; Sevilla, Spain. And Fuengirola, Málaga..
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Hi Mitch:
Just thought I'd let you know about the mishap. La Gran Dama Eloi fell last night and fractured her hip. She's in the hospital and may get surgery tomorrow. At 97 the outlook is not very favorable for a recovery.
saludos,
raulito
Raulito:
Sending love and warm thoughts to La Gran Dama. May she continue to surprise everyone. Thinking of you!
Love the throne very understated
John:
Too bad the red clashed with Balthazar's blouse.
Just curious… will there be all the parades and revelry going on during lent? The size of that crowd was kind of overwhelming, but I don't want to miss anything 😉
Sharon:
Population of Sevilla (municipal center) 700,000. Population during Semana Santa, 2 million! Are you ready for this?!? Check out this link and work your way forward: http://mitchellismoving.blogspot.com.es/2012/04/palm-sunday-domingo-de-ramos.html. You have no idea what you'll be seeing Easter week!
A pin or a sling-shot!! lol
Everybody loves a parade and appears they never get bored with all the ones you have in Sevilla, Mitch.
I can't believe you are still hot-waterless!! You have the patience of Jobe I guess. Got your next apartment ready in the wings? Take care.
Jim:
We're now turning on the water heater and then turning it off again before the water starts to boil! Yep, just call me Job. Lots of plans for the next apartment. Nothing to tell right now, because there are more possibilities hitting us than we expected. But, Mitchell WILL be moving (WITH San Geraldo, of course).
thinking of moving?
Carole:
If nothing else, we've been talking about a move to the Mediterranean coast by next fall. Will tell all about it once we know what we're thinking (right now, we're thinking way too much).
Wow, more amazing stuff for us! Thanks! I can't wait to show it to my students– I showed them a snippet from your video from the other day.
Sorry to hear the water problem is STILL not taken care of!
Judeet:
I'm thrilled you're able to share my blogs with your students. Let me know if there's anything you'd like photos of or info about. I will either do a blog post or just send some stuff to you!
Glad you got to marry up … to royalty no less! Oh la la!!
And I'm considering moving to Spain just for all the holidays and festivals and parades!
Hope the water situtation improves soon!
Jenners:
You'd better get here quick before the government starts canceling official holidays due to the crisis!
Water? We've got a river nearby.
You don't need a pin for Sponge-Pants Square-Bob, just something to cut through the string…
Those sweets on your doorstep are arranged in the ancient Greek symbol meaning "Plumber this way comes tomorrow at 11:00 or 11:30 please have kettle on".
Owl Wood:
My mustache scissors would have done the trick! Too late now.
If that's what the sweets said, they lied. I did, however, love the design.
Dear Mitch,
I enjoyed this post.
We also have been visited this weekend by the Three Kings. They come in child form and sing outside everyone's doorway after which they write C+M+B and then the year. People keep this sign on their doorway for the entire year so that the house will be blessed.
Our village has other strong links with the Three Kings. Once upon a time it was ringed by a strong wall with towers at each corner. The towers were named Balthasar, Melchoir and Caspar with the fourth being Michael. Added to this the Three Kings are supposedly buried in a shrine at Cologne which is (figuratively speaking) just down the road from us!
Kirk
PS
Being another descendant of various English Scottish Irish Spanish French and German kings (with a couple of Welsh Princes 'throne' in for good measure) I extend regal greetings to my distant cousin San Geraldo of Seville!
Kirk:
Jerry's got Welsh princes, too, I'm sure. I wonder how distantly cousined you actually are! (My great-great-greats probably mucked out your great-great-greats stables… although they probably weren't that high on the peasant pecking order.)
I wasn't aware of any "Three Kings" traditions in the States. It's fascinating and fun to experience here.