# 7 - Is this heaven? Wednesday afternoon and Thursday

# 7 -  Is this heaven?

Wednesday evening and Thursday, April 17 and 18 and Friday between 4 and 6 AM

This morning, Friday, we awoke at to the sounds of tubas, drums, horns, and the rest of the band.  We all stayed in bed and put pillows over our heads as the procession that started at 4 at La Merced passed by our house around 5.  I guess we’ve become jaded.

Which reminds me, Sandy and Joan both bought some beautiful jade jewelry yesterday.  It’s made with the mineral, jadite, found in this neck of the woods rather than the jade mineral most are familiar with, nephrite. Nephrite is calcium magnesium aluminum sulfate and jadite is sodium aluminum sulfate.

Fill's Food Forum

Wednesday night, the 16th, found us at Rony's Tacos, a simple, small 4 table spot on Calle 6 and Caldaza Santa Lucia, near the central market.  Eat in or take out, take your pick.  We ate in.  J, S, and I had delicious pollo burritos that filled the whole plate but with tortillas they thought were oversized and to Joan's disappointment, wheat flour rather than corn flower.  T made his own beef tacos and tacos al pastor with corn tortillas.  The highlight was a fixin's bar that made everything taste just like each individual wanted. A fun meal with a total cost of Q265, about $35 including cervezas and tip.

 
On Thursday, amidst all the procession watching and alfombra viewing, we took time to grab lunch at a small cafeteria for a full meal of beef or pollo, rice, and salad (I had the beet salad).  OK, but not on the keeper list.  The evening experience at Panza Verde, however, was a different story.  Panza Verde is an upscale boutique hotel on the south end of Ave 5 with a very fine restaurant.  We had cocktails on the second floor roof garden.  J ordered her favorite, Campari with a large wedge of lime.  It came with a half of a lime so it rates 4.5 stars.  However, at about US$10 per drink, (more expensive than Madison), it also rates QQQQQ (Quetzales being the monetary unit here).  The food was excellent with delicious salads, fish, pasta with shrimp, and vegetarian entrees (not all of the above for each individual).

Now for pics through last night, Thursday.

Procession from San Francisco (11 AM start, 11 PM finish)

Jesus in jail on Thursday afternoon and evening

The procession from San Franciso continues (about 4 PM)

All finished at this spot next to the cathedral except for the vendors and the clean up crew

Inside the ruins behind the cathedral on Thursday night