Easter is finally here, let the celebrations begin.
Semana Santa, or Holy Week, in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. It includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and Good Friday, and lasts from Palm Sunday (or in the Eastern, Lazarus Saturday) until, but not including, Easter Sunday.
Here in Mexico, Semana Santa is more than what Western culture recognizes Easter for, more than just chocolate Easter-eggs and tales of the Easter Bunny, it is a time of reverence for Roman Catholics and even for those less devout followers, a huge cause for celebration with the religion being deeply rooted in Mexican tradition and culture. Everywhere in Mexico you can see processions of people wandering through towns honouring their Lord and, due to the public holidays, is cause for many Mexicans to head off on vacation.
Playa del Carmen receives a huge number of these national tourists and the town comes alive during this time, with near full hotel occupancy rates, busy beaches and a huge eruption of parties held by nightclubs in the region to attend.
The celebrations are for everyone however, not just the local people, with the popular event organizers of BPM being primarily Canadian organizing yet another equally as anticipated event for the week known as Primavera Festival, along with several other large scale parties organized by different groups/clubs set to take off also.
If you want to experience the true meaning of fiesta, Playa del Carmen is certainly the place to do it.
