Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Antigua, Guatemala

Those who know say that if you want to see very high level Holy Week celebrations, there are two places in the world to do it:  Seville, Spain or Antigua, Guatemala.

Our hotel was right on one of the main streets near the town square.  The employees of the hotel began this sawdust alfombra (carpet) about 10pm on Thursday night.  We went out on the balcony at 2am, 4 am and 6am, just to check progress--the process is the very definition of "attention to detail".  These are done completely with colored sawdust, and assembled by hand with help of templates. By 7 am on the morning of Good Friday they were putting on the finishing touches.  When the procession came down the street at about 10 am it took about 2 minutes to obliterate it.  The people who lay down the carpets consider it an offering...there is real devotion involved. 

Families get together to make carpets too.  They are almost always smaller and simpler than the big alfombras done by businesses (above).  But the same devotion is evident.  These two little chicos were having a great time helping out.  Although she doesn't appear in this picture, Grandma was presiding over the effort.