Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken

A huge food fest is what All Saints’ Day really is about. I ate so much I think I’ve gained like, five pounds. During Novembers 1 and 2, the cemetery doesn’t look like a cemetery anymore; it’s chock-full of people and it looks like this one big rave party or carnival. Actually it looks more like a carnival because everybody sets up colourful tents to shade themselves from the heat of the sun. There are food booths everywhere and not only that, but people sell all sorts of things. There was this guy that went around selling these dyed chicks…really! There were red, purple and green chicks and at first I thought it was quite cute. But then I looked away after awhile because I couldn’t help but feel sad for them. I think chickens have the saddest life stories. I mean, they easily die when they’re chicks but if they live to grow up they end up on the dinner table anyways. I feel so sorry for cows and chickens and all the other animals I eat but I like the taste of them too much to become a vegetarian. Besides I just can’t imagine myself eating like a rabbit. That’s awful too. *shudder*

The sun was shining brightly this afternoon when we arrived at the cemetery but at least there was a breeze so it wasn’t that bad. I didn’t do much in the afternoon except lie on the mat, read 100 Years Of Solitude and eat. I forgot to bring a pillow and my discman and CDs, of all things! Time passed quickly and I wasn’t bored for long but still it would’ve been more fun if I had my music with me. The rest of my relatives and some of my cousins arrived at around six and after that things were more lively. The cemetery looked even more festive at night because all these candles were lit. Some kids floated candles on the lagoon in the center of the cemetery and it looked really pretty. I think candle light is beautiful; I like the way the flame sort of bounces at the slightest breath and I love the way it illuminates a dark room. Me and my cousins walked around the cemetery in order to burn a little bit of the food we ate. And then we just sat around my brother’s grave and talked until we went home at around 8 p.m.

I swear, I love the All Souls’ Day celebration. There’s really nothing like it in the world.