Procession

Trapani Misteri, this procession has happened for the last 400 years in this city, started at 2pm today, finishes tomorrow at 8am returning back to the church where the procession started. 20 of these statues depicting the stations of the cross are carried by about 20 men for each one, with bands playing in between each one. 

The procession starts with the drums, who stay with the procession the entire night.  The bands stop overnight and start up again in the early morning, but these drummers stay out all night.  You would not get much sleep if you were staying on old town.

Clergy and dignitaries at the beginning of the procession, they did not stay out too long.

Bands between each of the floats

Some of the little ones were done by here, and we were near the beginning.

Some of the floats were extremely heavy, more than 20 men to lift them

Some can lift and smoke at the same time.  

We saw only 2 women that were helping carry.  Notice people out on their balconies watching.

We watched from here for about 2.5 hours before we had enough

She was walking backwards in these boots with those heels conducting an orchestra.  The route is about 5km long, not sure if she did the whole thing

We also saw one choir, you can see the next float coming behind

The procession is very slow, and all the bands play at the same tempo, very slow.  When they move the floats it is a very slow walk to the time of the music and drums. The do the entire circuit only once.

It gets even more beautiful after supper when all the candles are lit.  Plus you see the wax dripping all over the little boys, as well as all over the floats.

Final float

We saw the floats in no particular order after the ones this morning, we went back and forth finding them on the streets.

We did get lucky and just happened on everyone having a break in the main square.  It was very impressive, and very crowded to see them all together lit up in one spot.

Impressive seeing them all lined up in the square with the candles lit.  The figures are very close to human size.

Back to the apartment for a break, Ron and Nancy have had enough, but Andre and I head out for a little more.  I think this is the only time we are up past midnight our entire trip!  This is also the busiest we have seen with people.  It is really a social event as well, so many people aren't watching at all, just visiting, but the procession route is lined with people that are watching.

All kinds of pop up vendors are set up for the crowds

These are the crowds on the street, the procession route is actually on the left of the trees that you see on the left.