The Colorful & Giant Kite Festival in Sumpango Guatemala

0

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…  

IMG_1898

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.

IMG_1880

IMG_1879

IMG_1920

IMG_1883

IMG_1877

Impressive works of art, each kite was created out of tissue paper that was taped together.

IMG_1885

IMG_1887

IMG_1889

IMG_1886

IMG_1942

IMG_1931

IMG_1932

IMG_1889

We walked in awe and took photos. Our favorites were the big black one in the back, and next to it, the peacock.

IMG_1890

IMG_1900

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.

IMG_1938

IMG_1959

IMG_1960

IMG_1891

IMG_1893

IMG_1918

We had to eat, of course… and there were lots of yummy options.

IMG_1964

IMG_1911

IMG_1913

This is what we got.

IMG_1916

IMG_1915

 
 

Rachel Denning
Rachel Denning is an unassuming mother of five who never really did any international traveling until she had four children. After a second honeymoon to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, she and her husband decided to sell most of their belongings and move their family abroad.

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.
Read More Share

Recent Author Posts

Join Our Community

Connect On Social Media

Most Popular Posts

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply

We Blog The World