This is the day when the most unlikely things become reality. A bit more than 2,000 years ago, Jesus had disappeared from his tomb and, as his followers found out later, risen from the dead. Love will never die. It can suffer, cause incredible pain, make you despair. But just when you think it has died and you’re alone, it turns into the biggest miracle and makes you realise that it will always be with you. No matter what.

I know, this sounds cheesy… but there you are. I haven’t grasped the whole story of the passion and resurrection, I’m working on it because in my mind it is the most amazing, most inspiring ‘story’ around.

Today being Easter Sunday, we went to see yet more processions. In Blanes, there was just one. And it was pretty short. BUT – it had a surprise in store for us.

First the typical cofradía, all men, some in socks (used to be bare feet in the old days), all suffering under the weight of the statue of the risen Christ.

 

And then – mother Mary, carried not by another typical cofradía, but by one that had only women members.

 

Not sure whether these really short videos capture that incredible difference between how the two groups handled their task. Watching it from close by was quite something!

We discovered more stuff about Blanes. A shop closed for days now owned by someone called Puigdemont. A statue of Carl Faust, a German who lived in Blanes in the last century and founded the towns botanic gardens. And arroz negre, black rice, with strange creatures on top of it.

Pádraig is really having a great time. Enjoying the food, especially the gigantic and relaxed breakfasts, the walks, the sounds, the fresh air, the tiny shops in the town, the walks along the seafront.

And I ran 28k this morning. Heading off at 6am. Because it was still pitch black outside, my only option was to ran along the Blanes seafront which is well lit. 4 times. I really had doubts about whether I would be able to convince myself to get up that early and complete that long run. Maybe it was the day that’s in it that made the unlikely thing possible!