If I was the pope....

So I mentioned there was a procession coming to town right?

It was most exciting, there was a real buzz about the beautifully cobbled streets of Antigua today.

After a draining combination of eating, photographing, shopping and passion fruit juice drinking we retired to the roof terrace for an hour or so. I'm working on my 'dirty tan' ( as my mum calls the colour brown I go). In fact I'm generally looking very unkempt - hippy like hair, dirty brown skin. Anyway....

The excitement of the procession lured me away from the sun bed - and down we went. Now I don't mean to sound all worky - but man this procession could do with a little focus. For a start it wasn't as much a procession as a let's stand around in our finest quality street purple robes and chat amongst our mates. I kind of wanted to go and help them out. It took them hours of just kind of standing there. I loved seeing one of the head purple clergy men on his iphone, while smoking AND popping into the local shop for a chocolate bar. Serious religious stuff you see. I think the Vatican needs to come and have a word.

It did make for amazing people watching though - and the atmosphere in park centrale was brilliant. Vendors selling candy floss, smurf toys, every kind of balloon, cakes, sweets and of course ice creams. The guatemalans love an ice cream. They also continue to be utterly lovely and charming and sweet. A man apologised to me when his lovely little boy tapped me on the shoulder to say hello earlier. I've mastered it's ok in Spanish so all was fine. The kids are very cute - quite a few have plucked up the courage to speak a few English words when they see us. Their smiles are wonderful.

Me encanta Guatemala - and talking of love - I fell in it today. With a handsome, dark brown and black cute little puppy I walked past in the pet shop. I can't wait to get little Charlie/Don Rodrigo when I get home.

I definitely didn't fall in love with the odd guy who was dressed like Antonio Banderas in the mask of zorro in our street tonight. He was filming himself doing all sorts of jumps and flying turns. Odd. If only he'd have taken part in the procession - he could have raised their energy levels.

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