Guatemalan Fair: The Sawdust Processional Carpets
The People of La Antigua Guatemala and surrounding villages simply love to make processional carpets and the town fair provides the perfect excuse to make sawdust and flower carpets throughout the year; really why wait for Semana Santa (Holy Week).
Along with the processional carpets, white and yellow plastic decorations mark the route of the town’s procession. Nobody is allowed to step on the carpets before the procession.
The Royal Street Side Note: By the way, the name of this street is Calle Real (Royal street) which is the name given to the main street or avenue in small towns in rural Guatemala. This was done to mark the streets where the king and queen could walk by. It’s been 186 years since Guatemala obtained its independence from Spain in September 15, 1821; yet the streets are still called Calle Real, just in case The Kings ever show up—and they did in San Pedro Las Huertas. Check out the full coverage of the Kings of Spain visit to San Pedro Las Huertas earlier this year.
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He could be straight from Anderson with those droopy drawers and that hat. 
July 13th, 2007
What a fantastic photo. Love the composition and colours.
Planet Earth Daily Photo.
July 13th, 2007
Depending on the kind of wood used, that trail might smell as good as it looks.
I can imagine cedar.
If you visited my blog yesterday and left a comment about our 52nd wedding anniversary, I wanted to say, “Thanks.”
oldmanlincoln
July 13th, 2007
I had no idea that carpets were done at tomes other than Semana Santa!! What a treat it was to see those incredible creations on our visit this past Easter.
Becky
July 13th, 2007
RUdy, what are those lines on the ground that look like ropes? are they speed bumps? I really like the background - makes me feel like I’m there .
July 13th, 2007
Pedp, I almost got the carpet to enter and leave diagonally across the frame. I am glad you like it.
Abraham, Happy Anniversary. You and Patty make an outstanding couple. Yes, you are right, sawdust has a scent too.
Rebecca, The make carpets year round for all the catholic rituals and festivities. But, they are not as elaborate and pretty as the ones you saw in Semana Santa in Guatemala.
Claudia, I believe they’re the shadows of the white-n-yellow strings hanging above.
July 13th, 2007
I love colours and sky !!!
July 13th, 2007
Follow the Yellow brick road (Tin man’s heart was stuffed with sawdust!)
July 13th, 2007
…me encantan las alfombras de flores! aquí las usan para el Corpus Cristi y para el dia central del Señor de los Milagros.
Muchos saludos!
July 13th, 2007
A royal thoroughfare for a royal city. La Antigua will always be special…its modern kings and queens are its “soulful” inhabitants. Beauty of a photo! BTW…Rudy, I think that little girl in blue at the right was waving at you!:-)
July 14th, 2007
Fabrizio, the contrast of the colors was nice at the moment I took the photograph.
Pamela, I understand your reference now. We’re not in Kansas anymore.
Giu, también aquí ponen alfombras en esos días y otras festividades. Es un gusto saber que te atreviste a cruzar la línea del Ecuador y visitar a tus compañeros latinoamericanos.
Coltranelives, maybe she was waving at me, I didn’t see it though, I was to preoccupied with making sure all the elements fit inside the frame.
July 15th, 2007
I love the blue, blue sky and the yellow and white streamers, canopy for the beautiful orange carpet. And you also have people in the pic! Great photograph.
July 18th, 2007
What I’d like to know is who cleans all this saw dust up when it’s all over?!
That must not be a fun job at all.
March 20th, 2008
[...] imprisoning the mixture of the smells of copal incense, corozo palms, fireworks, pine needles, moisten saw dust, fresh tropical fruits, palm flower arrangements and sweat into a digital format readily available [...]
March 20th, 2008
[...] of the world famous alfombras de Semana Santa (Holy Week carpets) made from colorful sawdust, flowers, fruits, and anything the imagination [...]