Pilgrimage to Cartago

The 2nd of August is the day of the national saint of Costa Rica "La Virgen de los Angeles". Her nickname is "la Negrita" because it's the figure of a little black woman.
This country has 4.5 million inhabitants and 2 millions of these make a pilgrimage to the basilica of Cartago every year at this day.  People come from all over the country and some walk a whole week to get there. This year I was one of them!

During the day it is so hot and the sun so strong that only very few people walk but during the night it was incredible how many people where walking! There was a never-ending stream of people on the street and because of that they closed the main roads for cars. We started walking at 11 pm...

... and 20 km later we reached the basilica at 4 am. And we were not alone. There were people from all ages and everyone had there own personal reason for making the pilgrimage, some for religious reasons, others because of traditions, others because they enjoy walking or just to be part of it.

At 5 am the sun was rising and still more and more people were arriving. Many of them were limping but that didn't stop them from asking "la Negrita" for a favor.