While busily preparing for the group's arrival, we took a brief break on Friday afternoon and went with our Nicaragua friend Silvia to El Tope de los Santos. This event is part of the celebration of the patron saint of nearby San Marcos. It begins with a mass in the church on the town square in the morning, after which a giant statue of Saint Mark is hoisted up on a bunch of shoulders and carried down the road towards Jinotepe. At the same time, the patron saint of Jinotepe (Santiago, or James the Great) starts towards San Marcos, and neighboring town Diriamba sends their patron saint San Sebastian towards San Marcos as well. Following each saint is a throng of people from the town, accompanied by small brass and string bands, costumed dancers of all ages, craft and food vendors, men on horseback, bicycle taxis, horse-drawn carts, and a variety of other non-automotive means of transport.

All three processionals converge on the road somewhere between the three towns and are joined by a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus. When the saints meet, fireworks go off and everyone cheers and waves their hands or handkerchiefs in the air. Tope means "collision" or "bump" (even "scuffle" in some dictionaries), but in this case it seems to be a friendly encounter. On the days when Diriamba's and Jinotepe's patron saints are celebrated, they extend the same invitation to the other two towns.

When we got home El Gecko was waiting in the sink for us.