Day 22: Guatemala
In the town of Antigua, locals decorate the streets with "carpets" (or alfombras) made of flowers, colored sawdust, and other natural materials over which processions will travel during Holy Week. Preparation can take months, though the actual construction usually happens the day before (this article gives a little more info on materials and construction). That the carpet is ruined over the comparatively short duration of the procession supports the idea that their creation is a sacrificial act.
It's also not unusual for the carpets to reflect native themes, so there's a bit of a cultural mixing as part of the tradition, too.
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