The Day of the Dead

It was the 2^nd of November, and Tamarita Rachel was up at the crack of dawn bouncing around her grandparents´ house.  “Wake up!  Wake up!” She cried as she poked her head in bedroom doors.  “It is the Day of the Dead.” 

Little sister Emily rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat up in bed.  “Guaguas de pan,” she murmured with a cheeky grin on her face.  “I want some bread dollies.” 

Tamarita Rachel had been waiting for this day for a very long time.  She remembered last year, licking her lips at the memory.  She knew that on this day everyone ate deliciously sweet, sticky bread dolls and drank colada morada; a purple, spicy drink. 

At last everyone was ready.  Abuela (grandmother), Abuelo (grandfather), Tia (Auntie), Papi and all the cousins set off to the local graveyard.  Tamarita Rachel hopped and skipped with excitement.  It was fun to meet up with all her little cousins and play while the adults painted the grave stones and set out flower arrangements.  They would sit and chat and reminisce while the children laughed and joked and make-believed. 

Tamarita Rachel liked the graveyard on this special day of the year.  The entrance was lined with stalls of beautiful flowers.  All the neighbours were together greeting each other cheerfully.  The smell of banana pasties, barbequed corn-on-the-cob and tripe filled the air. 

And then came the best part of all.  Out came the colada morada.  Cups of the tasty sweet fruit drink were passed amongst the family so that everyone could share some.  Next Abuelo gave a bread roll shaped as a doll to each of the children.  Tamarita Rachel and little sister Emily exchanged a delighted grin as they licked the sweet, sweet icing off the top of their dolls.  Scrumptious.  It had definitely been worth the wait.  

You can read more of Tamarita´s adventures in The Adventures of Tamarita Rachel available on Amazon now!