Holy Week is a great time to be in Antigua. There are all the religious celebrations plus activities to entertain the tourists. I listened to a cuban musician at La Cueva, had lunch on El Cerro overlooking Antigua, found the rum bar where you drink the best rum ever, met a bunch of expats at a classical concert, ate too much food, visited churches for velaciones and watched processions. And it is only Thursday morning.
One of my highlight was joining a Guatemalan family to make carpets....... I also went to a Canadian carpet making party. Only Canadians and Americans drink at these events. The Guatemalans take their religious obligations quite seriously.
i am off this week from my volunteer work. Kids are off for Holy Week. There are velaciones, carpetbmaking and procession every day. Antigua is very crowded many Guatemalans that come to Antigua for Holy week. There are also tons of backpackers and other tourists. The traffic is terrible but I only walk. It is fascinating to watch and participate in all the cultural and religious activities of Holy Week. The pick pockets are out in droves, a friend of mines purse was slashed with a blade but they got nothing. So you carry little with you and hold on tight to your purse.
On Monday my friend Nora came into town to have lunch with me. Nora is a single mom with two little girls. She works very hard at two jobs and goes to the university on Weekends. Educating herself and her two girls are a priority. I met her three years ago at the orphanage where she is a teacher. She is a lovely woman who shares with me the trials of trying to raise two daughters on her own on $300 a month. I am always amazed at how upbeat and hopeful she is. Such an inspiration.
On Tuesday I visited with Saida and Her family in Sumpango. See pictures in photo gallery "Saida's famiily." I was her special lunch guest. They killed a gallina ( hen). Her husband Rolando, her mother in law and her sister were there for lunch. The whole family specially the little girls made feel very welcomed. I met SaIda 3 years ago at the orphanage. She was in charge of the babies. Saida now stays at home with her two little girls. Her husband works in Guatemala city at the university. Saida and Rolando after many years of trying adopted Dulce from the orphanage. On weekends and holidays they pick up Lucy at the orphanage. They have tried to adopt Lucy but eventhough her mom never visits her she does not release her for adoption. The whole family is very proud of their Mayan and Catholic heritage.
Here Holy Thursday ano Good Friday are more important than Easter. For example my gym closes holy Thursday and Good Friday but it opens on Easter Sunday. Christ pain and crucifixion is more important than his Resurrection.
More in a few days...leaving now for Holy Thursday carpet making etc
There are new pictures in Holy Week in Antigua and Saida's family
Happy Easter
