im and I love Christmas in other countries. Jim is a bit of a humbug and thus, traveling hides many of the bad behaviors that exist in the US. Yes, others places have some of the same issues, but everything seems much more subdued and the good parts of family and celebration generally seem heightened. Perhaps it is just what we know vs not know.

Shopping in the traditional market for Christmas foods.

Last evening we went to a pasada – a visit to a home and then a procession of Mary and Joseph through the streets to another home for the night. Apparently the procession happens nightly from about December 7^th until Dec 23, spending the night in a different home each evening. I’m not Catholic so I only get a sense of the whole event. These are typically done in each barrio and there may be more than one posada in each barrio.

The second procession of the evening. We walked for probably 45 minutes around San Felipe with this procession. A little annoying that they used a generator to power the lights on the float.

Lots of kids with lovely candles.

I never knew the marimba is the national instrument of Guatemala. You hear them everywhere and all the processions have one at least at the beginning and end.

There was a procession across the street from Mario’s brothers house in San Felipe (a burb of Antigua), so we all went. First a visit with Mario’s brother. It has been interesting to get a sense of the compounds behind the gates along every street. From Pablo’s family (our amingo living in the US) of at least 2 generations, to Mario’s brother (3 families from perhaps 3 generations) and even Christina’s casa with 2 generations, it is a much more family oriented life. For most, life is not nearly as luxo as we are used to, but quite functional. Mario’s niece Hilda and others in the family have a cooking business – making all sorts of traditional Guatemalan cuisine for sale from their home. For example, each week they make somewhere around 3000 paches (similar to a tamale but wrapped in banana leaves and made with potatoes and a tomato sauce) along with other foods. This is all done by scratch on a wood fire. Quite impressive!

A pot steaming patches. It contained 170 of them. This family compound used 1 cord of wood each week on the 5 open fire wood cooking fires they have.

Today, Hilda came over and helped us make 55 patches (while I made 3 plum tarts and Fide made lunch of Frijoles Colorados con constillas de cedro – beautiful large lima-type red beans with pork ribs). And in Christina’s small kitchen with very impressive appliances! It is amazing how quickly Hilda makes the patches.

Hilda and Christina making patches. There was an entire roasting pan of potatoes.

Ready to be steamed for about an hour and a half. They are so pretty!

Almost everyone has gathered for Christmas at Christina’s – Our bakers dozen of Christina and Daniel, Mario and Fide, Julia, Jim and I (and the pets) plus Claudia and her two son’s Diego and Leiandro, and Martin and his three hijo’s, Mariella, Fernando and Alejandro. Argelia, Daniel’s sister won’t be able to join us until later this evening as she – amazingly in US style – has to work until about 9 PM in the shoe store. Then, if all goes by Guatemalan plan, we wait until midnight, shoot fireworks, eat patches and THEN, open presents. It could be a long night….!

Feliz Navidad!!!

A pretty view from outside the garage at Christina’s.