Day 4 (Nov. 1st aka Day of the Dead)

I was especially excited for today because Nov. 1st is a special holiday for Guatemalans. It's somewhat like our Halloween (at least that is what it can be compared to) although it has more of a spiritual aspect to it. It is a day to remember lost loved ones, and honor their memories. Many times people visit the graves, placing objects or dishes of food that that loved one used to enjoy by the grave, and also grabbing some food for themselves and celebrating. Some food that is prepared especially for this day is called fiambre. To me it just looked like a pretty salad, with a mix of lots of different things. It sprung from the tradition of bring your lost loved one their favorite dish. Eventually, all of these things got combined from the different salad, and fiambre was the result. Fiambre recipes vary from family to family and can include anything from deviled eggs to shrimp. It is custom to bring fiambre and share with the other families who have come to the festival.

The other cool part about the festival was the festival of the kites. Many people construct ENORMOUS kites and fly them on this day. The kites signify the souls of their loved ones reaching up to heaven. It was quite the sight to see.