The blogging adventure will continue again once I have moved to Hereford, end September 2022: Feliz Navidad!

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Christmas Eve Antigua - 1979 - Dance of the Gigantes!

Its Christmas Eve 8:20am I've done my final shopping and am looking forward to two days in the garden – my final shopping included wire cutters, small hooks and a very tough looking pair of gardening gloves and I plan to wear rubber gloves underneath as where I plan to go today is full of fire ants!

Here people will work until evening, then party and visit friends, some will go to midnight mass and then at 1am tomorrow consume the Christmas meal! (YES 1 am not 1 pm!) Most will then go to bed the worse for wear and not get up until the afternoon tomorrow! So December 25^th is pretty much a wash-out! Everything happens Christmas Eve night. As it happens I have justinvited a friend to have a Christmas day meal with me tommorow evening -so have put up my twinkly lights on the patio and bought some candles!

The same dance 2010

Presents are distributed before the meal today, also. In the streets this afternoon will be the “Dance of the Gigantes” …… “Late afternoon of Christmas eve sees the Dance of the Giants. Los Gigantes, some dressed like the three kings, others just rocking gaudy finery, dance around the main streets on stilts. Marimba music sets the tone as holidayers join in or just tap a toe while they watch the cheery mad procession. Later, folks gather with family, with many attending church, eat a holiday spread and then open a modest selection of presents. At midnight there is a massive display of fireworks in the main “parquet central” that tilts the town with the sheer ooh and ahh of it all.”

So guess I will be ooh-ing and ahh-ing if I am not arghhhh-ing with back-ache from the gardening! But being only four blocks from the main square will probably be able to see it all from the comfort of my patio! The people here are actually “firework mad” I have watched displays of fireworks every night since December 7 (Devil Burning) and expect that they will continue every night until the Feast of the Kings on Jan 6.

Although I plan to be alone this Christmas (that just changed!), I have a Guatemalan friend visiting from Monday – Thursday next week – he will be here for another “bonkers” local custom the Day of the Innocents (December 28^th) again I quote from a helpful website “Okay, this isn't really a festival. Instead, it's a day of fun and mayhem Guate style. It can sort of be likened to April Fool's Day, but with a harder edge. Instead of playing lame and harmless pranks, people will do things like phone a friend to say in the most serious and excited tones that her husband has been in an accident and is in the hospital. Or how about this knee-slapper: I feel I have to tell you that your husband is having and affair and you're the last to know. Or how about this one: I have a wasting disease and I wanted you to be the first to know. If the person swallows the story then the taunt of "innocente" follows. One hopes all is forgiven by New Year's eve. …. “ Makes the Dimbleby Spaghetti Tree rather tame. An interesting idea of a joke!

This picture is "Jocón de Pollo" just change the Chicken for Pork!

I also have gone a little crazy I burst my food budget by Q.200 (£17)and have splashed out on the finest pork loin (£1.25 per lb!) with which I will cook “Jocón” (pronounced Hock-on)a pork cooked in a sauce of coriander and tomatillos, sesame and pumpkin seeds, served with rice and a local vegetable that looks like a giant bright green pear!(Hope my guest enjoys it!)

I have also bought Cemitas - an aniseed, wholemeal cake/bread – great with coffee – and at great expense £3 the local Christmas Cake which I am assured is full of fruit! It looks like around version of farmhouse fruit cake!

So along with some Chilean wine at £2 a bottle (well several bottles actually) I am all set. I will start Christmas day with a tradition breakfast of fried plantains, sausages, scrambles eggs, rolls and refried beans! Mmmm can’t wait.

The shower packed up this week, the element went so a new shower was fitted, these showers cost a maximum of £10 and are incredible – hot water in 5 seconds! I was a little worried when the guy who came to change the unit didn’t bother to switch off either the water or the electricity! At the moment when I thought danger really was looming I went for a stroll in the garden – so that he could concentrate! There are reasons the showers are called “Widow makers!”

Just found out that there is a “basura” war going on! (Basura = Rubbish) Disafordunadamente (hope you remember my favourite Spanish word!) I have paid the rival company for the removal of my rubbish, much to the upset of the contracted collector. And I have paid the others in advance when I should only pay monthly in arrears! So have just had an interesting chat in Spanish with my “collector” to ensure a strategy that enables him to collect my rubbish and to thwart the rivals! Life is so exciting here!

The electricity meters are displayed on the front wall of every property and once a month during the night they are read and using a hand held machine the bill is produced and put in your letter box – the bill can be paid in any bank and you have a month to pay! My bill was a shocking Q.100.03 (£9.50!) I really must stop enjoying those long showers! I had budgeted for Q.250 so am a happy bunny!