April 9, 2007

Semana Santa in La Ceiba

Semana Santa, HondurasBeaches, Alcohol, Drugs, Violence.
Can we call this Holy Week?
La Prensa, Honduras

Semana Borracha (Drunken Week) is over, leaving a Honduran death toll of 106. La Prensa reported that there were 29 deaths from auto accidents, 14 drowned, and 63 dead in violent acts. During the last seven days of the holiday, 27 million beers and 1 million liters of guaro (liquor) were consumed according to La Prensa.

While there were many religious processions and church services in other parts of the country during Semana Santa (Holy Week), what was most noticeable in La Ceiba were the giant signs for L.12 or L. 13 beer (U.S. 65-69 cents).

Driving through the Zona Viva (nightclub area) on Saturday night, we noticed that most of the permanent open air establishments were almost empty, while hundreds people walked the streets after consuming their L.65 buckets of beer (U.S. $3.40) in the Salva Vida area of the beach set up for the holiday. Salva Vida is a Honduran brand of beer.

The permanent establishments were complaining that they couldn't compete with their normal prices of L. 15-20 plus tax. So much for Semana "Santa" being a boon for Honduran tourism.



semana santa, HondurasThe country is in crisis, but we're going swimming!
La Prensa, Honduras

While most people had only a 4- or 5-day weekend, government workers were given the entire week sandwiched between two weekends. Supposedly the extra two holiday days will be made up by missing some holidays in October, but in reality that rarely happens. Workers just take the holidays anyway.


El Jefe says that a lot of people call Easter Sunday Resurrection Day because they stay drunk all week and then get resurrected on Sunday.

Compare that with Rudy's photos of the holidays in Guatemala and Billie's account from Mexico. Quite a contrast.

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