Last night, for Halloween, we filled a giant bag with candy and went to the Plaza de Armas. The Plaza was packed with families!
All my pics are dark & blurry, so I’ll just share two to give you a feel for the event.
We made our way through the mob and found a spot to sit by the fountain. As soon as I opened our bag of candy we were swarmed by smiling children. Each child held out a tiny plastic pumpkin, and said “HALLoween!” or sometimes “Feliz HALloween!”
A few vendors stopped by, offering knitted hats or whatnot, and I gave them candy, too.
When the candy was gone, we found a restaurant with a balcony overlooking the plaza and watched the mob. It was the most people I’ve ever seen in the plaza!
The next two days are holidays: All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, or Dia de los Muertos. The souls of dead relatives are believed to be very close at this time. Families take a traditional picnic of roast pork and tamales, along with special breads in the shapes of babies (T’anta Wawa) and horses (to transport the souls to the higher plane) to the cemetery and picnic on the graves. They decorate the graves with flowers, ribbons, and religious paintings, and leave food behind for the ancestors when the meal is done.
Craig and I decided to walk to San Pedro market to buy a special bread and some flowers to share with our mothers. When we reached the plaza in front of the San Francisco church, we found a festival. Luckily I had my camera. (trigger warning for vegetarians: photos of roast pigs ahead!)

But sitting out all day at room temp, no refrigeration = Not safe for gringos.

The plaza was filled with booths selling these, along with divinity cookies and other tasty baked goods. The market was packed with them as well.









I’m pretty sure my mom is complaining to Craig’s mom that I didn’t give her any tamales. She loved tamales. I might have to go back tomorrow!
Sue Guetterman
November 1, 2013 at 3:44 pmVery interesting. I did not realize that they would be celebrating Halloween there…..especially with plastic pumpkins. . Looks like you had better weather than we did. We had rain :(.
The pigs were interesting. Reminds me of Hicks BBQ in Belleville or the October Pork Fest in O’Fallon.
I am sure your Moms were just happy that you remembered them at such a special time. My mom would have liked burrito supreme with a margarita 🙂
Lauren
November 1, 2013 at 4:07 pmOh, I’m sorry to hear it rained there! I wish we had a big public plaza back home, I think it was more fun than sitting in your house waiting…Looked like fun for the kids, too.
According to the Peruvians, your mom is close to you today & tomorrow. You should go out for a margarita & a burrito tonight!
(oddly enough, most of the “American” foods Craig and I miss and crave are from our favorite Mexican restaurants back home! LOL)
Debbie Carter
November 2, 2013 at 12:58 amI am so with you in spirit. It does look like fun and I know the places you speak of. LOL Wish I was there.
Lauren
November 2, 2013 at 11:56 amYou would have loved every minute of it, Debbie!