So for the past week and half the grand people of Granada have been waking up and participating in a very loud parade complete with fireworks (i thought we were being shot at when it first started) at 4:30 in the morning, every morning.... Jeffrey and I were annoyed, to say the least. We had no idea why they were doing this and how could you be so inconsiderate (not considerate at all shoot). It had to be for some holiday but the only holiday was for today, December 8th and the parades every morning just didn't make since to me I tell you! I'm all for decorating for different holidays and having parities in honor of that holiday, but a parade at 4:30. please make it stop! After talking to some locals, sure enough the celebration was in honor of the holiday on December 8th. The day of immaculate conception. Basically they celebrate the fact that Mary was conceived and born with out original sin. They don't believe that she was born on December 8th they just picked that day (week) to celebrate it.
Really loud parades and constant fireworks aside, it has been really cool to see a different country celebrate a native holiday. Surprisingly, nothing much happened yesterday, the 8th (the actually holiday) We were told that everyone would have off, but grocery stores and a lot of little shops were still open. It was the week leading up to the 8th that was madness.
You already know about the 4am parades, add in constant fireworks, shrines to Mary outside your door, individual serenades at your front door and an all night festival and you have experienced Dia de la Inmaculada Concepcion.
December 7th the day before the holiday |
but at night was when the real celebration began
This is the street a few houses down from ours, it was packed with people hanging out, selling food and waiting for the parade to come by. it was packed!
Once the parade started getting closer, the street started to get so congested! It was like the buses, i don't know how you can fit 70 people on one little bus and stop for more but you can!
All of these people were waiting for this shrine of Mary. There wasn't a car pulling it but tons of people pushing and pulling it and walking beside it.
After this shrine went by, everyone cleared out. People raced to Parque Central, where there were even more people packed together and even more food carts!
Even though they were tons of food carts, they were all selling the same types but we figured we should try a little bit of everything.
Fried chicken and fries-- what more do you need! they loaded it up with sour cream, ketchup and sometime of dried cheese. And boy was it goooood! Hit the spot I'll tell ya.
Everyone was selling these candied apples. They looked amazing and I wish I could say the same about how they tasted. No good. Don't try them. They were super mushy and the candy coating wasn't very good either.
Also this picture was pre wind blown hair into sticky candy apple. Of course after the apple incident we got cotton candy to make up for it! After an hour or so the party wasn't really ending, but we decided to head home.
December 8th- The actual holiday
The streets were deserted yesterday (the 8th) It was so bizarre, I'd never seen Granada so quiet!
Also there was no parade at 4am so hashtag blessed.
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Aren't these houses just to die!? |
We walked back to Parque Central later in the day and it was pretty deserted too.
Except for the cutest of cutest naughty boys trying to light fireworks.
We've hit the two week mark till we go home!! (hallelujah!!) We are so excited to be back in the states and eat some corn dogs and twizlers - actually that's just me- but we are gonna do as many things as we can here before we leave! This weekend were head off to the beach so stay tuned!!
You're just the gorgeous-est.
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