Traveling
Last Friday we began our journey outside of our orphanage bubble and into uncharted territory (for us). Traveling through the country gave us a chance to see how most Hondurans live and we couldn’t help but think about all the children at the orphanage previously living in those conditions. We had to leave the country of Honduras to renew our visas because we would be subject to strict fines later if we did not. We traveled for 15 hours by bus (all of which were through the mountains) and made our first stop in Copan Ruinas, a famous archeological site about 20 minutes from the Honduran/Guatemalan border. We spent most of Saturday walking through the Mayan ruins. While not as grand as the ruins in Guatemala or Mexico, the Copan Ruinas feature the most extensive hieroglyphics. The town of Copan was very pleasant, with nice people and a colonial feel.
Copan Ruinas
Tuk-tuk
The next day we took a 7 hour shuttle to Antigua, Guatemala. It is one of the most beautiful and fascinating towns we have ever been to, and look forward to spending the next few weeks here. We started our Spanish lessons on Monday, and are staying at a local Guatemalan woman’s house during our time here. She lives with her two daughters, their husbands, and five or six grandchildren. She cooks us three meals a day, so we never know what is coming next, but it is always good.
On Tuesday we were surprised to learn that we had the opportunity to experience a very special tradition in Guatemala. On November 1, many locals celebrate the Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos), and do so by flying kites. It is a holiday celebrated mainly in Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepequez. It is at this celebration that locals build extravagant kites and fly these kites to communicate with the spirits of the deceased. They believe that the spirits will speak through the whistle of the wind and the fluctuations and tiny movements of the kites. The kites are made of cloth, colored paper, bamboo, and wire and range from 8ft to 100+ft in diameter. The cemetery nearby was also a sight to behold, as families would sit near the tombstones of the deceased and eat and drink (alcohol) together. It takes the phrase “and one for my homies” to a whole new level.
Party on the grave
The cemetery
Giant kites
Copan Ruinas
Tuk-tuk
The next day we took a 7 hour shuttle to Antigua, Guatemala. It is one of the most beautiful and fascinating towns we have ever been to, and look forward to spending the next few weeks here. We started our Spanish lessons on Monday, and are staying at a local Guatemalan woman’s house during our time here. She lives with her two daughters, their husbands, and five or six grandchildren. She cooks us three meals a day, so we never know what is coming next, but it is always good.
On Tuesday we were surprised to learn that we had the opportunity to experience a very special tradition in Guatemala. On November 1, many locals celebrate the Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos), and do so by flying kites. It is a holiday celebrated mainly in Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepequez. It is at this celebration that locals build extravagant kites and fly these kites to communicate with the spirits of the deceased. They believe that the spirits will speak through the whistle of the wind and the fluctuations and tiny movements of the kites. The kites are made of cloth, colored paper, bamboo, and wire and range from 8ft to 100+ft in diameter. The cemetery nearby was also a sight to behold, as families would sit near the tombstones of the deceased and eat and drink (alcohol) together. It takes the phrase “and one for my homies” to a whole new level.
Party on the grave
The cemetery
Giant kites
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