Every once and a while, there will be some sort of day that is celebrated in the catholic church. Here they do parade type things where there will be a group of people who will walk down the street anywhere from 25 to 200 people depending on the what it is they are celebrating. This is just something you get used to after living here for a while. The part that really lets you know that it is happening is when they shoot off these big size bottle rockets. They are very loud and depending on where you are in the city they are like a gun going off very close to you. The times you hear them the most is just outside one of the main churches downtown which is not very far from La Roca. I will find myself preaching and have to stop in the middle of my sermon just because they are so noisy. I am not really complaining here. I just want you to understand some of the cultural things that go on here. This morning at 4:00 AM they were lighting them off as they were passing by the other side of the bull ring. (we live on the backside of the bull ring). We wouldn't even know anything was going on except for these fire crackers. The shoot up in the air and go off as if they are right in your house. I must say this is an unpleasant way to wake up in the morning. Usually they are off in the distance somewhere. But today was very close. It is just a part of how we live here. There are supposedly "noise laws". But this is definitely one that is not followed up on.
