guatemaltecas don't age too well at all!!!

Volcan de Fuego burped a couple of times and threatened then went back to sleep

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...1050212-XL.jpg

photo courtesy of Dan and Lisa on there 1987 Transalp...i couldn't see it from my place - their blog is www.heyivegotanidea.wordpress.com

have you ever smelt something before you heard it or saw it...i did yesterday, it was incense burning and very strong incense at that

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3099-XL.jpg

i came outside my Hostel to see this coming down the road

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3101-XL.jpg

and the procession that accompanied it

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3097-XL.jpg

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3102-XL.jpg

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3127-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3114-XL.jpg

i was an amazing sight with the deep bass drums pounding and the incense burning, and then the women came into view carrying this massive piece of religious art ( i have no idea of the name like a human carried float) . there were 50 women on each side and men at the front and rear directing/ steering it. it carried on down the street in a swaying motion, a very awe inspiring sight...it had to be 100 feet long

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3124-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3131-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3134-XL.jpg

notice the lady in middle carrying her baby as well

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3137-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3145-XL.jpg

the band following behind

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3156-XL.jpg

i got around the procession and got a shot as the sun went down with the volcano in the background

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3170-XL.jpg

as it got dark the people carrying swapped quite often from women to men...the procession went on for hours, it went past my place at 5.30 and it was still going around the town at 9.30pm

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3184-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3187-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3258-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3303-XL.jpg

Not getting pics Paul.:confused5:

lovin this thread
 

lovin this thread - thanks for taking the time to post this - something to dream about on the M4 with all my layers on.

so think about this, what you probably spend on fuel driving on the M4 each week would keep you here in Antigua for 3-5 days inclusive...i'm spending about $30 or 18 pounds a day and living very well, and this includes language school, hotel, food, and a few cervezas at night as well...food for thought?

Sure an all inspiring sight.:wav:

found a video of it...somehow i can never get videos to embed on here...it should with this code

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_W06JoaWZNA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=_W06JoaWZNA


any tech/ IT guys reading this tell me the secret? or Fran fix this one for me!!!

My teacher, after looking at some of my photos took me a school that was having a photography exhibit for one day as he thought i would appriciate it for the art and also it would show me a side of Gautemala in his words "i hope you will never see"




photos are VERY GRAPHIC so if you are easily offended wait for my next post which will be a lot lighter...






these are NOT my photos, i took them secretly so other can see...i expect to see things as i travel that blow me away, but from someone else's photos is not an emotion i expected today









he explained to me that his father worked in the sugar cane fields for 30 years and it was a very hard way to make a living, you just exisited...the pay right now today is 20 Quetzales per ton, in dollars at todays exchage rate thats $2.55!!

he showed me a couple of photos and told me that this is how he remembered his father looking at the end of the day

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...AM_2722-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...AM_2721-XL.jpg



next was some photos of the garbage dump area outside of Guatemala City where a river flows thru and because of this the heavier objects (metallic objects, steel, tin, aluminum cans etc) end up at the bottom, this is collected and if they are lucky on a very, very good day then maybe a tiny amount of gold may be there too

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...AM_2719-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...AM_2723-XL.jpg


Drugs have been a large part of central american culture and certain areas of certain cities are controlled by gangs, this is the only photo that i think needs to be posted...others were way to graphic, ganglands ritual murders etc...i'm sure you can use your immagination for that

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...AM_2718-XL.jpg




this is the bad photo and purposefully i have put it on here small and at the end so as not to see all the details, but what is being shown here is a that a family cannot afford to pay the 80 Q's a year or just 0.02 cents a day to keep their family member buried in the cemetery

so the body has been exhumed and is propped against a wall, standing up, until it is taken away with others that are about to exhumed for "cremation"and to disappear for ever...and if you read the earlier post about Nov 1st Day of the dead you will understand how horrific this is for a family and culture who have the utmost respect for the deceased

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...SAM_2720-S.jpg

on a lighter note......


time to leave Antigua in the morning for the ocean and another school, so its time to say goodbye to the spray on jeans of Antigua

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3072-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...%20copy-XL.jpg

the crazy kid who jumps up and down on a saturday whilst he plays his maracas

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3347-XL.jpg

amazing views of the volcano that has shown its pressense a little since i was here

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...AM_2735-XL.jpg
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3325-XL.jpg

the albino Mayan lady who only comes out on a Saturday during the day

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3358-XL.jpg

the unique artwork

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3361-XL.jpg

and stone work

http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/n...MG_3344-XL.jpg





this is definite location to return to in the future :023: