Farewell Panajachel
expat reflects on ten years in Panajachel, Guatemala.
2. Bombas at all hours of the day or night? Please explain (won’t miss)
Our first Christmas in Panajachel. We went out on the balcony to enjoy the peaceful night sky. Midnight struck, and with it the heavens opened, not rain, but louder than thunder, fireworks, rockets, roman candles, wrip-wraps, and bombas. Loud bombas. Dumbstruck, we were. Half an hour later, after non stop fireworks, all around The Lake. We turned to each other, “This is how they celebrate Christmas?” We were soon to find out, fireworks, especially loud bombas are an integral part of any celebration here. Desfiles (parades) are often seen around town. Life size plaster saints are dusted off, touched up and hoisted proudly through the streets, to the sound of drums and music. To announce their progress, teams at the head and tail of the desfile set off bombas in home made mortars, steel tubes, ensuring a monstrous loud report, matériel level. Steer clear if you hear them coming your way, if you value your hearing.
One does wonder, in a country where hunger and poverty is a problem for many people, yet there always seems to be enough to stretch to fireworks; birthdays, quincenearas, weddings, saints’ days, festivals, in fact sometimes they don’t need an excuse. Four in the morning, six in the morning, afternoon, evening, eight/ten o clock at night. Local municipal noise ordnances don’t seem to apply. For those who suffer from PTSD, you might want to think twice before visiting. You have been warned.
