Chichicastenango Part 2

There are beautiful murals on the outside walls of the Municipal Palace facing the square.
The Popol Vuh was discovered in the Monastary next door to the Santo Tomas Church. The church and monastary were founded in 1542.

The inside courtyard.

Mourning the people lost in the uprisings against the government during the 1980's

Weavers of Peace.

A Confradia. The town's religious life is centered in traditional religious brotherhoods known as confradias. Membership in the brotherhood is an honorable civic duty and election as leader is the greatest honor. Leaders must provide banquets and pay for festivities for the contradia throughout his term. Though it is very expensive a confradia happily accepts the burden, Even going into debt if necessary. Each of Chichi's 14 confradias has a patron saint. The most notable is the confradia of Santo Tomas. Confradias march in procession to church every Sunday morning and during religious festivals with the officers dressed in costumes showing their rank. I have seen them in Chichi, in Solola and in San Cristobal de las Casas in Mexico.

Have you ever wondered what happens to all those clothes in the Salvation Army and Goodwill that don't sell after a reasonable period of time? They are sold in bulk to people who ship them to third world countries where they are sold.

Beginning the setting up process in the street just in front of my hotel. Across the street is an ice cream parlor with banana splits.