Chichicastenango 3

Leaving the Shaman we walked back up through the town, so just some random street shots when I felt brave enough.

Finally someone who looked happy to see me!

This is all the stall had to sell; a few pots of yoghurt and tubs of jelly.

I'm pleased to say it wasn't me that incurred his wrath.

Back up on the Santo Tomás church steps. 

These two waving incense buckets around were responsible for the constant smoke.

Inside the church the decorations and rituals were similar to those we've observed previously and as with San Juan Chamula, photography is strictly forbidden.

This mural is on the wall of a nearby colonnade and it was an easy way of photographing people whilst pretending to just take the artwork.

Hats are very popular with the men in Guatemala, most wear Stetson or cowboy type.

This was another from the hip shot, but after a lot of straightening I'm actually quite pleased with it.

Getting ready for Christmas early with these plastic table coverings.

Next up was a much needed cuppa and a loo break.  We went to a sister hotel to the one which we'd had breakfast in and it was another lovely old colonial building.

Outside a little street urchin (not sure why I didn't take his photo) was selling these Guatemalan Worry Dolls.

The story of the Worry Doll (muñeca quitapena) is a local Maya legend and refers to a Maya princess named Ixmucane who received a special gift from the sun god that allowed her to solve any problem a human could worry about.  The worry dolls represent the princess and her wisdom and the idea now is that Guatemalan children tell their worries to the Worry Dolls, placing them under their pillow when they go to bed at night.  By morning the dolls have gifted them with the wisdom and knowledge to eliminate their worries.  Of course we bought a set each for M& E.

Being on the hilltop also afforded me a much better view of the cemetery.

I just hope there was some kind of fencing to stop the kids on the lower LHS from falling off their terrace into the street below.

The hotel gardens were again beautifully planted with interesting decoration all around (love the limp hand!).

And there were also a couple of rather flea-bitten resident Macaws.

One of the Johns came back from the loo rather excited as apparently there was an even better view of the cemetery from the poinsettia fringed lawn.

And he was perfectly correct, a superb view just as long as you didn't fall off the very steep ledge.