Independence Day

Today is independence day for Guatemala (and Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica!). Here the celebrations last most of September. There's lots of processions of marching bands (actually most of the 'bands' are just drums and xylophones). Each school has a band (in fact as far as I can tell most of the school is involved in it) and it's an issue of school pride when they compete with other schools in long processions around their area. Yesterday when I saw a real procession, I realised that some of the bands are actually quite good -- which hadn't occurred to me, having listened to the 2 schools near my house practice every night (and more recently early mornings too) for the last 4 months. (I'd like to suggest that they keep practicing -- but please not near my house!!)

The other way that people celebrate Independence is with an 'Antorcha' - a kind of fun run - but with people taking it in turns to carry the 'antorcha' (think Olympic flame!). It seems like every school or business or club organises their own antorcha - so over the last couple of weeks, the roads are often held up as the traffic follows the antorcha. Often there's a bunch of people running behind the antorcha, and then a bus behind them allowing 'runners' to jump on and off the bus whenever they get tired.

And of course there's always firecrackers at dawn and bangers and fireworks in the evening!