Navidad Verde
Day 50
Feliz Navidad, it just doesn’t sound the same as merry christmas. I realize it means the same thing but to my language challenged ears it doesn’t. The closer we got to Christmas the more I told Jordana that we should pretend it isn’t even happening. We were in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala for the holidays, it wouldn’t be that hard to pretend it was just another day. There was little decorations apart from in a few stores and even there it mostly consisted of spreading pine needles all over the floor. There was a nice nativity scene in front of the city theatre, but no town parade or christmas tree in the square. Even the carols we heard weren’t exactly what we were used to. Jingle bells was sung in Spanish, but the lyrics were completley different and too often carols had been re mixed into wacky dance versions. Dreaming of a white christmas in very green Guatemala really just didn’t do the trick. Welcome to christmas, Guatemalan style.
Christmas eve we spent missing home and when we tried for a splurge meal at an authentic French bistro we found it closed along with the rest of the city. Usually we would be gathered at my parents house with family and friends. My mom would be cooking way to much food, the beer would be flowing, sitting cold out on the back deck. It was easier to just not think about our traditional christmas’, sort of like it had been cancelled this year. We did our best for a nice meal, pasta and a bottle of wine at the hostel. Then we met with a few others in the hostel and found the only bar open. At midnight the entire sky of the city lit up with fireworks, some so powerful they set off car alarms. Seems like alcohol was the only familiar thing from home this night.
Christmas day was a quiet day. We walked around the deserted city, called home and sat in the park most of the day. While christmas seems less commercial here everything is still closed. Easter is the “big” holiday time in Guatemala. We found one restaurant besides McDonalds that was opening for dinner, Antigua Cafe. Dinner was good and almost resembled a christmas dinner back home, grilled eggplant and roasted potatoes. Once again as sunset the centre square was besieged by firecrackers. It was like a war zone. Kids, teens and even adults lighting firecrackers and tossing them at each other. I thought that after 36 years of civil war people would like to keep the explosions at a minimum. We retreated to the safety of our room to pack for our early start to the market town of Chichicastenango.
Christmas is a big deal for both our families. The ritual of it all,breakfast, lunch and dinner. Exchanging gifts at my parents place then rushing to Jordana’s parents house to do the same. With the same excitment we had as children. At night visiting friends at Joanne’s house, my friend Gareth’s mom. Drinking much too much but always the best time of the year. It was all very tough to miss our family and friends this time. It was one of the very few times we wished we were back in Canada. As we lay in bed that night we both agreed that being away for christmas is something we would avoid in the future.
Tags: Guatemala, Quetzaltenango
Michael Coroneos
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