Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Back in Antigua
My week at Lake Atitlan was really interesting and very different than Antigua. The villages around the lake are all indigenous. People wear traditional clothing, and there are slight variations between the different villages. I did make it to San Pedro on the afternoon shuttle. Then my suitcase and I took a yuk-tuk to my apartment on the lake. On Sunday I took a shuttle to Chichicastenango where they have a market every weekend. While there are shops that cater to the tourists, this really is a local market. They sell clothes, food, live animals … pretty much anything. It was incredibly crowded and you would not believe how hard these short people can push you around. And it was so colorful.
On Monday I started school in San Pedro. My class was in the afternoon, so I was able to sit in the sun every morning and do my homework and read. On Thursday there was no sun, so I hopped the water taxi to Panajachel and walked around there. On Friday I took the water taxi to Santiago since that is market day there. It was like a miniature Chichicastenango. All of the women wear traditional clothes, but Santiago was the first place I saw where the men did, too.
Walking around San Pedro, I noticed signs painted on houses and buildings: God loves you. Jesus is the only path to God. Etc, etc. I have not seen this anywhere else. I took a series of photos that I call the Signs of San Pedro. Also in San Pedro, I attended the local Pub Quiz on Wednesday night at Barrio's and tied for second place. Like old times in Davis with Ben, Judy, and Wendy, but they were only there in spirit. I was a team of one.
I came back to Antigua to see the procession of the alfombras. Every Sunday during Lent, they have a procession of a huge float of Jesus that is carried by 50 men. They switch off every block or so. It is a big honor to carry the float, kind of like carrying the torah on Simchat Torah. They start around noon, make a circuitous tour through the town, and finish after midnight. Alfombra means carpet. People make beautiful "carpets" of flowers in the street that get destroyed when the float bearers trample on them. I kept walking ahead of the float so I could see all of the alfrombras. Very cool.
I will spend two more days in Antigua to take care of some things, and then move on to the beach for my last week. Vacation time.
On Monday I started school in San Pedro. My class was in the afternoon, so I was able to sit in the sun every morning and do my homework and read. On Thursday there was no sun, so I hopped the water taxi to Panajachel and walked around there. On Friday I took the water taxi to Santiago since that is market day there. It was like a miniature Chichicastenango. All of the women wear traditional clothes, but Santiago was the first place I saw where the men did, too.
Walking around San Pedro, I noticed signs painted on houses and buildings: God loves you. Jesus is the only path to God. Etc, etc. I have not seen this anywhere else. I took a series of photos that I call the Signs of San Pedro. Also in San Pedro, I attended the local Pub Quiz on Wednesday night at Barrio's and tied for second place. Like old times in Davis with Ben, Judy, and Wendy, but they were only there in spirit. I was a team of one.
I came back to Antigua to see the procession of the alfombras. Every Sunday during Lent, they have a procession of a huge float of Jesus that is carried by 50 men. They switch off every block or so. It is a big honor to carry the float, kind of like carrying the torah on Simchat Torah. They start around noon, make a circuitous tour through the town, and finish after midnight. Alfombra means carpet. People make beautiful "carpets" of flowers in the street that get destroyed when the float bearers trample on them. I kept walking ahead of the float so I could see all of the alfrombras. Very cool.
I will spend two more days in Antigua to take care of some things, and then move on to the beach for my last week. Vacation time.
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