August Festivals

El Salvador's patron saint festivals, which run from August 1 through August 6 are in full swing. See La Prensa's coverage of the week including videos of the opening parade in San Salvador here. La Prensa has another nice photo gallery of images of the famous central San Salvador buildings this link.

Well worth reading again are the two guest posts by our friend Carlos about "La Bajada," the culminating religious celebration of the festival week. You can find what Carlos wrote here and here.

Comments

Gatofilo said…
Not to be a party pooper, but simply sharing the prespective of an observer who doesn't have a horse in this race:

These "Fiestas Agostinas" only serve to emphasize the 'why' that El Salvador is just a another squalid third world country on the verge of economic and social collapse.

It seems insidious that the entire country would come to a screaching halt for the week or so, for a drawn out forced vacation that no one needs or for that matter, even deserves or can afford.

I suppose the only group that makes out like bandits are the bandits themselves; the criminally insane sociopath who regularly preys on their fellow human beings, and that during these "fiestas" they know that the people have their guard down and are easy pickings.

Reading-up on these "fiestas" I ask myself, who in their right mind would even want to go out on days of sizzling heat and when the entire population is there at the beaches. One can only imagine the sanitation horror as thousands of people bury their filth in hand scooped holes in the sand, glass beer bottles scattered about everywhere, and people using the ocean to bathe and then to relieve themselves.

I'm amazed that more people don't pick-up typhoid, skin and eye conditions, or have a belly full of parasites after eating all those fat well nourished oysters.

But then, like someone once said, "Dios Provee" so I guess the criminal element sees this time of the year as their opportunity to make hay.

The "Fiestas de Agosto" are basically nothing more than a tragic week of mayhem and violence in a tiny poverty stricken country that can ill afford it.

But then, what can one say when the crowds in ill fitting bikinis are guzzling their cerveasas, but, "Salud and bien provecho!"

I'll be interested in checking the statistics once things get back to normal. Meanwhile, stay safe all.

Perhaps someone would be good enough to elaborate once they sober up.
Gatofilo said…
The "Fiestas de Agosto" are off to a fast start this year:

In only a single day (this past Monday) there were 25 murders in just three of El Salvador’s fourteen provinces!

It definitely must be scary living in that scenario of insanity and violence, trying to get ahead in life and perhaps raising a family, while realizing that the crime wave in the country is out of control and that the government is incapable of having any effect whatsoever on the henious cycle of violence.

It is becoming very apparent that the FMLN and the other leftist organizations that form the newly constituted government, will now have to pay the price for having led the people to believe for years that the problems of the country were going unresolved due to a lack of political will and the institutionalized corruption in the ranks of the ARENA Party that had held political power for the past 20 years.

It's never easy to admit one has been wrong for years, and it will be interesting to see if the FMLN is really a mature political party everyone hopes for.
Unknown said…
Gatofilo, your racist and chauvinistic ramblings contribute very little to an informed dialogue on this blog, so why don't you take your symbol to heart and "Don't tread on me" with more of your ill-advised comments.
Gatofilo said…
Friend John, you really aren’t contributing to the discussion here, but rather your empty words lack concrete anything. Like the hamburger lady said, "Where's the beef?"


You are obviously frustrated by the truth of fact and reality, but I would hope that you realize that a lie can be repeated for a hundred years, but that the truth catches-up to it in a single day. In the context of this reality, it should come as no big surprise to you that your friends’ demagoguery and rhetoric of the past 20 years has been exposed.

Your comrades are now faced with the dilemma of, who to blame now for their own lack of competence and their own failure to resolve any the many urgent issues affecting your country. The cronyism of the present administration has only elevated their party peers to the level of their incompetence, and so now they reject press interviews and informing the public that they have been wrong all along, and that the problems of the country are not as simple as they had claimed during the past 20 years as opposition party.

With a chuckle I can tell you that you and yours remind me of the fellow who searched all his life for the truth and when he finally found it, he felt offended and rejected it.

Enjoy a safe "Fiestas de Agosto."

Best wishes.
Gatofilo said…
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