I knew that we needed to experience the Giant Kite Festival in Sumpango for Dia de los Muertos… it’s one of those ‘must see’ things in Guatemala. I wanted to be a part of this traditional festival, where the giant kites are supposed to represent the souls of departed ancestors who are ascending to heaven…
This was an all day event, sort of ‘fair’ style and they apparently only fly the smaller ‘giant’ kites, not the colossal size… which I could see why. These things were HUGE and must have weighed several hundred pounds.
Impressive works of art, each kite was created out of tissue paper that was taped together.
We walked in awe and took photos. Our favorites were the big black one in the back, and next to it, the peacock.
But just as we were standing next to it, admiring it, a gust of wind ripped it from it’s frame (watch the video below). It was sad to see something like that ruined, that must have taken so long to create… but before we left, they had it repaired and back up.
A couple of other kites also ripped off or blew over, frame and all… kind of dangerous considering how large they were (the kids were sure someone got squashed.) I later heard that this was the first year they’d had so many problems with kites blowing over.
We had to eat, of course… and there were lots of yummy options.
This is what we got.
Driving from the United States to Panama, they settled in Costa Rica for a year, until the U.S. financial market crash in 2008, when they lost their location independent income. Returning to the United States to look for work, they knew they'd be back 'out' again, having been officially bitten by the travel bug!
Despite adjustments to living a simpler life (or perhaps because of it), they were able to save enough money to move to the Dominican Republic in 2009. After six months they came back to the States once more, where they were offered employment working with a non-profit organization in India.
They spent five months living in Tamil Nadu, then returned to the States once more (to Alaska) so they could have baby number five - Atlas.
From there, they set out in April of 2011 to drive, in a veggie powered truck, from Alaska to Argentina, visiting every continental country in North and South America.
Travel is a part of their life now, and they can't imagine doing anything else. Rachel photographs and writes about their incredible family travel adventures on their website, and they also have resources that encourage others to live a deliberate life.
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