Kite Runner, Guatemalan style

Dia de los Muertos in Guatemala is quite a bit different than the Mexican version we usually hear about in the states. 

 Here the main aspect of the celebration happens in an actual graveyard (which I suppose is more appropriate considering its called the Day of the Dead). Though it might sound morbid, the festival is actually a colorful and very entertaining celebration in which locals build extravagant kites (barriletes) and fly them in their local cemetery. The kites usually have messages or picutres on them to serve as a symbolic link between the living and the dead. There are kites of all shapes and sizes ranging from the normal kids ones you see in the states to 50ft monsters that are propped up on huge bamboo poles. The most popular however are about 12 ft and usually have multiple flags from around the world on them to symbolize relatives who moved away and died in another country. Needless to say it was impressive. Except when one of the 12 footers lost its air and dived bombed to the ground a little to close for comfort!

And what would a celebration be without food? Fiambre, the traditional dish of the festival, is made only once a year. And trust me, once in a lifetime is about all you can handle! Fiambre is somewhat like antipasto but with a mix of cheese, meat of all kinds, and vegetables cured in vinegar. We were lucky(?) enough that our house mom made some and we had a HUGE bowl of it for lunch. Ours contained beets, hearts of palm, carrots, turkey, ham, bologny, hot dogs, 3-4 different kids of sausage, black chorizo and much much more. It was a gut buster! 

Check out our Picasa web album for more Dia de los muertos photos...Hasta la vista