Kite Festival Sumpongo - Day of the Dead

We have moved into our still unfinished house and have spent much of time trying to ride herd on one of the subcontractors. But with November first arriving, I wanted to take our annual trip to the kite festival in Sumpongo. Diane rallied from her cold and we hopped on the BMW to the town of Sumpongo about a half hour from our new house.

Sumpongo is a  nothing town and I would be happy to call it sleepy. Except on November 1st, the Day of the Dead. Sumpongo is one of the two nearby towns that celebrates this day by building giant kites. There are smaller kites too, but the real attraction are the big ones. People used to tie messages on the kites and fly them to the heavens to send the messages to their dead relatives. This year, for whatever reason, the crowds were the biggest I have ever seen. I chatted with some of the locals and some of the vendors and they agreed.

We go up early to miss the crowds, Not this year, the crowds were already there. People were parking a mile or more away, fortunately riding a motorcycle has some distinct advantages. I even managed to park on the street next an 1150GS.  We locked up our jackets and helmets and began the climb up to the cemetery and then on to the soccer pitch where the giant kites are. 

Cemetary with a view

Guatemalans decorating the gravesites

Family gathering at the grave. Usually for a shared lunch

One of the Mausoleums 

Up to the soccer field to see the big kites

An odd shaped kite

Look at the detail

Honoring some particular family member

 Really liked this one

 Closeup of the Center

Another Closeup. It looks like a painting, but it is all glued paper

Part of the crowd.

Really liked this one too

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