These pictures are not going where I want them.
This if of the men carrying the float. The flowered one is a close up of the big rug with Sarah and Elise. the rugs were very detailed!
Happy Easter!
Last week Thursday, three of us left for Tela. The rest of the group came on Friday afternoon. It was pretty busy for Semana Santa, so we couldn't make hotel reservations. We all had a place to sleep, they were just not the cleaniest. Friday and Saturday, we just went to the beach and such. Sunday morning four of us rode bikes to Lancetilla Botanical Gardens. We saw lots of cool trees and plants. It was fun to ride bike even though it was super hot!
Monday, four of us left for Guatemala City. We met Elise who was visiting her host family from last summer in Guatemala City. Tuesday morning, we all took a bus to Lake Atitlan and Panajachel. The lake is beautiful and clear blue. It is also cooler in Guatemala because it is higher up in the mountains, so that was a welcome break from the heat in Teguc for a while. Panajachel was pretty touristy, so we didn't do much else. Wednesday we took a boat to Santa Catarina and stopped at some tiny hot springs on the way. Guatemala has a large indigenous Mayan population (I think almot 90%). Many women still wear tradition clothing. Especially around Lake Atitlan and in the rural areas, but even in the cities.
Thursday morning we took another bus from Panajachel to Antigua, the old colonial capital of Central America. So it still has many old buildings from the 1500s and lots of Spanish influence. It has huge Catholic celebrations and processions for Semana Santa. People make beautiful rugs out of saw dust and flowers on the streets for the processions to walk over. There are big floats of scenes from Holy Week that maybe 40 men carry on their shoulders through the streets. Good Friday is also celebrated much more through the Catholic church than Easter is. So Friday, there were lots of parades. Friday afternoon, we climbed Volcano Pacaya. It is still active, and often people see flowing lava. We only saw a little red lava under lava rocks. We could definitely feel the heat from the lava. Our guide even roasted marshmallows over the lava for us. Saturday we left at 4 AM to head home to Teguc. And my family comes on Tuesday!!!
an old church and float that the men are carrying. they all wear purple cloak things, and I think they are wealthy families who belong to the Catholic church. it's an honor to carry the floats and wear the purple.
Richard, Sarah, Carly and Elise in Antigua
three beautiful Guatemalan girls in traditional clothes. the style is always the same, with the skirt and shirt, but the colors are very different!
an old church and float that the men are carrying. they all wear purple cloak things, and I think they are wealthy families who belong to the Catholic church. it's an honor to carry the floats and wear the purple.
Richard, Sarah, Carly and Elise in Antigua
three beautiful Guatemalan girls in traditional clothes. the style is always the same, with the skirt and shirt, but the colors are very different!
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