Forget Halloween.. here it's all about Dia de los Santos! It can be seen both on the ground and in the sky. Like most other work places in Latin America, we received the day off to celebrate and commemorate those who have since passed. A few of the tias invited us along to attend the internationally-known kite festival in Sumpango. Kite festival, you ask? Yup! On November 1st, and only on November 1st, the spirits of those who have died can return to visit their loved ones in the form of kites. From the size of the festival, it was pretty clear that attendance from both sides was present.
Not only was the quantity of kites impressive, so too was the size of these kites. I'm talking mucho mas grande que yo! Kites were ginormous, expansive, and intricate. Made with tissue paper, glue, masking tape, and bamboo sticks, I at first did not understand how such large kites could fly. After consulting one of the artists, we found out the larger kites are more for the art of the hobby. He then continued to comment that he had been working on his for the past six months! From our conversation with him, it was obvious that love and intention were behind the work of such detailed and stunning kites. The rest of the day was spent admiring the large kites, watching the small kites fly, passing through the cemetery, enjoying pizza for lunch, and eventually buying my very own barrilete :)
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