The End of My Week in Antigua and Navidad in Guatemala

I spent the morning in the market with my spanish teacher, Irma. We shopped for fruit, herbs, cakes and twenty-eight or so colored candles for tomorrow's celebration of the new B'ak'tun. The celebration and ceremonies will begin at 5am! Neither of us know the significance of the colored candles, but I suppose I will find out tomorrow.

In the market there are nativity scenes squeezed into every imaginable nook and cranny, enormous piles of muli-colored saw dust (to fill your nativity scenes with), and many stacks of singing Christmas lights.  Bombos (fireworks) are going off all night, every night, and I have heard every Christmas song I know played on marimbas.

It doesn't feel like any Christmas I have ever known, but I am enjoying it all the same.

My teacher Irma. We have our lessons next to the ruins and under the arch of a church. She is wonderful.

The nativity scene in the house I am staying.