My 90 day limit is fast approaching and I’ve heard bad, expensive things happen to travelers who overstay their welcome in Guatemala. I’ve bought my ticket to San Cristobal in Mexico and can’t really say I’m excited about the 10+ hour bus journey that starts at 5am. It’s Sunday. I leave tomorrow.
I was here for the processions last Sunday — during the 40 days of Cuaresma (Lent), the whole city celebrates the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, culminating each week in a procession from a nearby village. Eighty cucuruchos (carriers) haul a massive wooden platform called an anda through the streets as penance for past sins.
And when I say massive, I mean it — some weigh up to 7,000 pounds. God knows what that is in metric numbers. After the main anda passes, a smaller one rolls buy, carried by women and supporting a statue of the Virgin Mary. The town was full of thousands of penitents, dress in purple satin robes. Pretty cool.
I thought I had seen it all by now and was worried about my passport issues, so I made plans to get out of the country. Room prices doubled during Semana Santa (Holy Week) and I wasn’t too excited about that either — Antigua isn’t exactly cheap to start with.
Then Sunday happened. Expecting more of the same, I step into the street this morning to find the cobblestones covered by large ‘carpets’ of dyed wood shavings, grass and flowers. Several people work on each, carefully creating intricate designs via the use of large plywood stencils.
Speaking to the hotel owner I learn that these designs are traditional, handed down through the family. Every carpet is different. They’re a fleeting form of art, though, as each will be trampled over by the incoming procession in just a few hours. While we carefully step around them to avoid damage, hundreds of penitents’ feet will soon walk right through.
I spend the day running about, taking photos of the colorful carpets and the various processions of revelers. Every eye I meet is followed by a smile and a nod. The vibe is electric. After 9 hours, 18 gigs of photos and 2 batteries, I head home.
The manager tells me that the peak is Thursday, when no one sleeps and processions roam the streets through the night. I also learn that the penalty for over-staying your 90 days is –she claims– only “ten quetzals a day”. Roughly $1.50 a day. I wish I’d known.
So the one reasonably cheap room I was staying in has been rented out. All that is left is their honeymoon suite which is now going for $46 US a night. My daily budget is $30. Dammit.
But after thinking about it, I decide screw it. This is a once in a lifetime chance. Four days over budget isn’t going to kill me — it’s so easy to get caught up in the budget mentality that you miss things you regret. And in the end, it works out even better. I mention my website to the owner and we work out a discount.
For a mention on my site, they’ll trade me my fare to Mexico and a midnight tour of the most well-done carpets on Thursday night — about one night’s rent overall. And I’ve stayed here twice now for over two weeks in total — obviously I approve of the place and think it’s a good value. It’s the first time I’ve worked a trade like this and I don’t feel like a prostitute. Score.
I change my ticket to Saturday, giving me Friday to sleep and recover after a night of wandering the streets. As I write this, the hotel owner is spreading dyed sawdust in the sun to dry.
It should be an amazing night.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Antigua is the ultimate Semana Santa destination, I would have loved to have been there.
San Cristobal is one of my favourite regions in Mexico, such a great history. Make sure you also get up to Oaxaca.
Thanks, Ayngelina! I’m thinking of renting an apt in Oaxaca for a month or so.
Go with the flow and don’t be afraid to change plans! Those are the best days, hands down! I am jealous and the photographs are stunning – those colors!!
Dude? Where’s the ads? I was gonna click on them daily for the next week and you a beer. What an amazing experience you’re having this week, one that is Worth Every Penny!
Peace and safe travels!
Ha, thanks for the support. I’m going to include them in the photo post so they get more traffic — I really liked the place. Unfortunately I have about 1000 photos to dig through.
Your photos are so beautiful and colourful. Awesome!
Thanks, Brock! I appreciate that.
I am so happy that you decided to stay. It was wonderful to meet you and spend some time exploring. The alfombra’s were amazing and it’s always nice to share the excitement with someone.
Safe travels my friend.
Me too! The weekend was a blast. Thanks for sharing it and I hope we run into each other again someday.
It’s interesting to see how culture and religion mix to come up with distinct local traditions. We follow the same 40-day lent in the Philippines where people bleed themselves and nailed to crosses as a way of purging sins but we don’t carry the massive platform and trample colorful artwork on the streets. Fascinating. Keep writing…..
I love your photos of the processions and alfombras – they’re a great reminder for me to zoom in close for the most dramatic shot. Did you see any of the alfombras with fruit worked into the design? In our neighbourhood of San Jose Villa Nueva people incorporated whole mangos into the design which was messy but fascinating.
WOW! I sooo want to see photos of the alfombras getting trampled. Was it possible to get any goods shots of that?
Have fun in Oaxaca.