processione di Pasqua del venerdì santo

Buongiorno and Buona Pasqua 🐇🐣

Buongiorno from sunny Trani - it's 8:30 in the morning and we are sitting outside the train station - about 40 minutes early 😊 - waiting to depart for Ostuni.

This was our first Easter in Italy and little did we know that we would be awakened at 3:00 am (yes a.m.!) yesterday on Good Friday to the sounds of something dragging on the ground, a band and many many voices*. Unbeknownst to us, we were in the midst of the procession that re-enacts Jesus's final journey to the cross...when I peaked out our bedroom window I saw masses of people on the street just below us. I think we may have been the only people unceremoniously trying to sleep as they dragged the cross past our balcony. 

Realizing that many, including us, had been up early we were surprised to see all the shops and pasticcerias overflowing with people (and pastries). 

And it was indeed a Good Friday as the wind warning of several days had ended so that we were able to walk for more than an hour along Trani's beautiful promenade and I had my first dip in the Adriatic Sea 💗. It was well worth saying I did it, but honestly the water felt the same as at home - wet and invigorating. And as you can see, I had the beach to myself!

* In my previous post I spoke of how endearing the sounds of Italy are - perhaps I could be more specific about the time 😉.

Fragrant orange bushes that grow everywhere permeating the city

Good Friday a few hours after the procession. 

Flying around these bushes were several beautiful lime green parrots but unfortunately too fast for the camera 

Pete's veal cutlet - obviously not adhering to the traditions of Good Friday

Zeppole - 'small' 😀 deep fried cookie - the restaurant offered us these at the end of our meal - we had to be polite!