Ame: Lion Dance

This is our second day off for Easter. Juanita and I are sitting in the living room, planning, correcting and doing assignments. Then we hear drums and cymbals. We look out the window to see that there is a parade in the street right next to our apartment. So we hurry outside and catch up with the parade that has stopped in front of a temple. There are lions dancing, surrounded by people. I try to take pictures, but there's a lot of people in front of me. So, one of the man takes me in front of everyone so I can take pictures (he literally pushed other people so I could have a spot in front). Then, the parade got moving again and we followed it. Another man explained to Juanita that this was a celebration for Hunam's (unsure about the spelling here) birthday and that following the parade will bring us good luck and prosperity. The parade made a final stop at a market, where people gave us candy for good health, made us burn incense for luck and gave us a read egg to eat for luck also. They explained everything to us, pushed other people so we could take pictures and do the rituals and even made Juanita try the lion costume. People here are just so nice and so eager to share about their culture, it's fascinating. It is so nice to feel so welcomed here! This was really a great experience!

Lion dance

Juan and I with a dancer

Juan in the lion head