Saturday’s spirits


The comets flew up to the highest reaches of the sky… loaded with his sweetest dreams


Crepúsculo en la plaza Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia
Dusk at the plaza           Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia

That was how the small, young country-family passed the weekends, an unassuming life, yet filled with the pleasant happiness derived from those lunches on Saturday. And always present in these picnics were the fried plantains, the blood-cakes, the sausages, and of course, the fresh cassava, gathered earlier in the morning from the family orchard and prepared before leaving home.

El árbol y el cielo Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia
El árbol y el cielo           Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia

On that day, they rested and saved their strength, for the next day was market day at Santa Isabel or Murillo. On Sundays, they left early in the morning, before the crack of dawn, loaded with the cheeses and the milk candies to sell to the merchants, who avidly awaited their arrival to buy all goods they carried.

La banca Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia
The bench         Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia

Invariably, after lunch, the young couple would open the bottle containing the traditional sweet spirits, but with a high alcoholic content. While the child had a good time in the tree’s boughs, they enjoined a quiet, good time, as they peacefully chatted or simply enjoyed the calm surroundings, sipping their drinks of the anise-flavoured spirits, without a care in the world.


El cometa Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia
The kite          Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia

 

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