Semana Santa

The past week was Semena Santa. Its a huge catholic holiday to mourn / celebrate easter. The 2nd largest semana santa celebation in the world happens every yeay in antigua. Thousands of people from all over come to see the processions and the parties in the streets. For almost a whole week, marching bands playing death march music follow behind these floats walk up and down the streets. Diffrent people and families sometimes spend a whole day creating eloborate carpets made of flowers, fruit and colored sawdust that the processions walk over.
Its was really impressive to see 80 - 90 guys carrying these massve floats that weigh several tons through the streets for hours - somehow it ties into the whole penence aspect of catholocism. The creepy thing was that everyone, including the spectators, wears black and even with thousand of people on the streets, everything is lmost silent. We tried to some street ministry stuff during the main night, but a bunch of catholic goons got really upset, so we had to leave. THe smoke in the pictures is the insence they burn ahead of the floats. Somtimes there was so much insence burning that you couldnt see the other side of the street.
Next thursday our group is going to el salvador to relax on the beach for a few days. should be nice, especialy since school has been so crazy lately.