On November 2nd, it was "Todos Santos" (also called Día de los Muertos or Día de los Santos Difuntos). All Saints/All Souls Day. People visit the graves of their dead family members, bringing them flowers and adorning the tombs. Many people spend the entire day in a type of family picnic (and sometimes the night), eating and drinking, leaving bread dolls and other pastries, as well as full meals and drinks for the dead. They set a place for the deceased at each meal.
On November 1st, most people clean the tomb stones and graves of their deceased relatives. The evening of November 1st, I visited the cemetery in the center of Tarija city with some friends. All graves are lit up with lights and or candles. Tons of people are at their relatives graves, praying, eating, drinking, talking, etc. It was an impressive sight. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera. However, the next day my friend Cecilia and I visited a small cemetery, south of Tarija, located on a small hill. Here are some of the photos (click on the photos to enlarge them)
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| Chewing coca leaves; they give you energy, reduce the hunger feeling. A lot of farmers are addicted to it, they chew all day long...... |
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| Hay stack; here they use trees to dry grass in. With the strong and hot wind here, an ideal solution. |
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| Ancient and modern fencing combined |
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| Walking home ...... public transport is unfortunately not for everyone |
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| The Tarija area has not seen much rain yet this season. Most riverbeds are dry or almost dry. |
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| This canyon is famous for its funnel effect, creating very strong winds at the bridge. |
