On Tuesday, Dec. 22, we visited the town of Chichicastenango, an hour's drive from our guest house in Panajachel. It is one of the most traditional Mayan towns in Guatemala. We were nearly the only "gringos" around and felt very conspicuous!
Charlie got his leather sneakers shined by a young shoe shine boy. He has had his shoes shined many times since coming to Guatemala.
We took two 'tuk tuks', small three-wheeled taxis a mile or two out of town to visit a Mayan holy site. As we were trying to decide what we wanted to do Tony looked at me and said, "I think it would be fun to ride in a tuk tuk". That decided it. And it was fun.
Our tuk tuks parked at the bottom and we hiked up a steep hill to this Mayan holy place. The "priest" was offering prayers - in the native Mayan tongue - for a young man who had come to have his business blessed.
This is the fire that the holy man had made. The different colored candles each represented something different, eggs respresented good health. The way in which the fire burned had special meaning. We wondered what it meant as one of the eggs exploded while we watched. Very sad that these people don't know the truth. We offered prayers of our own - to the One True God.
A shrine to Maximon, the evil cigar smoking, rum drinking saint was at the bottom of the hill. Our guide told us that women pray to this saint to have their men delivered from too much smoking and drinking.
The town was holding a festival to honor their patron saint, Thomas. The festivities were, of course, centered in the town square. They were setting off morters on the steps of the Catholic church, and loud music - bone jarring loud - was blasting from huge speakers.
There were many elaborately dressed dancers in the square. We didn't stay too long; we couldn't take the noise!
We saw some men wearing the traditional dress of this town, beautifully embroidered black wool jackets and head scarves with black wool shorts.
Nearly all of the women and girls were wearing traditional native clothing.
Father and daughter.
Charlie got his leather sneakers shined by a young shoe shine boy. He has had his shoes shined many times since coming to Guatemala.
We took two 'tuk tuks', small three-wheeled taxis a mile or two out of town to visit a Mayan holy site. As we were trying to decide what we wanted to do Tony looked at me and said, "I think it would be fun to ride in a tuk tuk". That decided it. And it was fun.
Our tuk tuks parked at the bottom and we hiked up a steep hill to this Mayan holy place. The "priest" was offering prayers - in the native Mayan tongue - for a young man who had come to have his business blessed.
This is the fire that the holy man had made. The different colored candles each represented something different, eggs respresented good health. The way in which the fire burned had special meaning. We wondered what it meant as one of the eggs exploded while we watched. Very sad that these people don't know the truth. We offered prayers of our own - to the One True God.
A shrine to Maximon, the evil cigar smoking, rum drinking saint was at the bottom of the hill. Our guide told us that women pray to this saint to have their men delivered from too much smoking and drinking.
The town was holding a festival to honor their patron saint, Thomas. The festivities were, of course, centered in the town square. They were setting off morters on the steps of the Catholic church, and loud music - bone jarring loud - was blasting from huge speakers.
There were many elaborately dressed dancers in the square. We didn't stay too long; we couldn't take the noise!
We saw some men wearing the traditional dress of this town, beautifully embroidered black wool jackets and head scarves with black wool shorts.
Nearly all of the women and girls were wearing traditional native clothing.
Father and daughter.
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