Black Jesus

...Continued from last post: Esquipulas

So after having so much great fun in Copán looking at old stuff, my comrades and I made our way to Esquipulas, Guatemala, on pilgrimage to the Cristo Negro. We left early Saturday morning, and arrived before noon. When we got there, there was already a very long line of pilgrims to see the unique sculpture.

Basilica at Esquipulas, monument blocking view, and line

Esquipulas certainly had a lot to offer. Of course there was the Black Christ, but there was also a zoo, a market, and a Pizza Burger cafe.

The zoo far exceeded my expectations, which were pretty low to begin with. It would certainly be shut down by PETA in most other places of the world, that doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining. There were monkeys, ostriches, water buffalo, crocodiles, and other animals that are often in zoos. What was different about this zoo? A strange cave filled with smoke and candles that led to nowhere, and ziplines going over "Monkey Island." My personal favorite was the ostrich cage that didn't have a door.

Monkey Island

I didn't see the Black Christ until later in the night, and it was certainly a good experience. After waiting in a much shorter line than the one we originally saw, we finally got to see the object of so much adoration, and what earned Esquipulas the title of "Spiritual Center of Central America" from Pope John Paul II in 1995. The original was in a glass case, and was certainly beautiful. Then, there was a more accessible copy, where people could pray for longer, light candles, touch the sculpture, etc. It was very interesting, and certainly beautiful.

The People's Champion

The zoo was great, and the Black Christ was certainly enlightening, but I think the highlights of the trip are shared between the excellent eatery, Pizza Burger, and selling sandals on the street.

My party ate at Pizza Burger twice: once for dinner, and once for breakfast. For dinner, we had pizza for Blair's birthday. For breakfast, we had omelettes and pancakes. Both meals were memorable. There were free warm-ups on coffee at breakfast! The American way. Turns out the owner (who was sitting behind us and stealthily killed a wall-crawling roach) worked at a diner in NYC, and brought the vision back to Guatemala. This man will never know how much he pleased three citizens of the U.S. and one Canadian on the weekend of February 28, 2009.

Yes, my friend Blair and I sold rope 'pilgrimage' sandals on the street, and we sold three pairs in one hour. People loved them. It was fun. We were inducted into the unspoken fraternity of Esquipulas street-vendors. "¡Como los de Jesus!" : that was a good sales pitch.