Monday was All Saints Day, celebrated here in Peru with a day off and a trip to the cemetery to visit loved ones! I went with the family and we visited the graves of various family members. The cemetery was immense! (I guess most are compared to the cemeteries in Fremont!) Outside the cemetery people were selling food and beautiful flowers, little bouquets started at just one sol, about 30¢!
The place was packed, we basically had to push our way in through the crowds at the gate. The atmosphere was light-hearted overall, (otherwise I probably wouldn’t have taken so many pictures!). Here are Marcos and his boys knocking on his father's grave!
Some people were praying or holding small religious services, but most were just stopping by to place flowers by graves. I have never seen anything quite like it. There were boys all over with ladders so people could place flowers at the highest graves in the mausoleums.
Most of the graves markers were painted with bright colors, it looked like a giant, colorful, outdoor locker-room! There was even a small section of the cemetery for the few Jewish residents of Iquitos. And I have been assured that the graves on the ground are actually deep in the ground, even though they look like they were buried half-way!
I don't buy it, those caskets looks like they are not buried at all!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting day to get to observe with the family.