Sumpango, Sacatepequez, Guatemala, November 1, 2016

Today was spent at Sumpango's Kite Festival where people from everywhere it seems, gather first in the cemetery to decorate graves and tombs-

There were many flowers and plants on the graves-

Others were covered with grass, troweled smooth or covered with lime-

Fancy streamers decorate this grouping.  Someone liked pink-

Live entertainment-

Whitewashing-

Painting-

Incense burns-

There is a market nearby so I couldn't resist my first Corona - I don't even like Corona but it didn't taste skunky to me like it does at home-

Guess you don't have to be 19-

Desserts are plentiful: nut brittle, macaroons, meringue, and doughnut holes soaked in syrup-

Crustos-

Next door at the soccer field is the kite festival-

There were 48 entries competing.  Winners are determined by creativity and length of flight.  We left at 2, before any large kites had been cut loose so I'm not sure who won.  I can't imagine the big ones can even lift off.  The kites are meant to link the spirits in heaven back to those left behind.

Hope you like kites!

They are made of tissue paper, usually with a plastic backing and lots of tape.  They are tied onto bamboo poles-

then hoisted upward to a round of cheers and applause-

It's a family day with all ages attending and flying smaller kites-

Music blares from food cantinas and smoke rises from barbeques.  This man is shaving ice for slushes-

Leaving the soccer field, the cemetery is in the distance-

I wish my culture wasn't so fearful of death and that we too celebrated the dead like they do here.  Maybe someday!

We rode in a chicken bus there and back but this would have been just as good, maybe more comfortable-

Because it's a holiday, no meals are provided at my casa, so Melanie and I went out.  We lucked upon a parade, well, a one float parade, moving very slowly down the street.  People were holding candles to light the way-

The float was carried like a coffin by 80 men dressed in black.  A band accompanied.  The front is death - maybe it's Jesus (there's a cross) wearing black-

The centre is the coffin-

And at the back is the Angel, now in heaven-

Supper was at Hector's, the #2 restaurant in Antigua, according to Trip Advisor.  I had sangria, quiche and a mixed salad-

It was very good but the quiche seemed a little soggy.

Not sure if I should be worried or not :)

Today was a good day.  I met a lot of tourists, mostly from America.  I didn't get much chance to practice my Spanish but with a vocabulary of 5 words, it's kind of difficult!  That's okay... I'm back to school tomorrow!