the baptism of cars ritual

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Ronald showed me how the walls were made of wood on all the fences up in the hill, then we headed back to the town and had a coffee, bought two tickets for the boat trip to the Isla de Sol and packed our bags with water, bread, mortadela and tostado de macarrones for the boat trip. Whilst we ate Saltenas (a pastry filled with juice, olives, carrots, eggs, potatoes and chicken) we watched the daily ritual of the baptism of cars. Everyday people of the town who have just bought new cars park their cars in a line outside the church, they decorate the cars in flowers, dress them up and bring lots of food and drink to celebrate the baptism of the car. The priest then comes out of the church with holy water and sprinkles it on each car saying some holy words like in the baptism of a baby. Once the car has been baptised with holy water the car is considered to be road worthy and safe for the family to drive. As baptising a baby is to send the baby in the footsteps of the Lord , baptising a car is considered to send the car on the right road. The family then celebrate the cars' baptism with drink and food.

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