Masks go on sale a few days before New Year’s Eve and are popular with old and young alike New Year’s Eve in Cuenca, Ecuador is like no other we have experienced around the world. This is our third NYE in Cuenca, and it seems to get smaller each year? You can see our blog […]
Pase del Niño Gallery is Live
We wrote about the Pase del Niño parade a few days ago. We now have that gallery live, with full size images. Hope you enjoy seeing what Christmas Eve is like down here at the equator. You can reach it by clicking on ‘Ecuador’ in the menu above, then choosing the upper-left page, or just […]
Pase del Niño Viajero Otra Vez*
*Parade of the Traveling Child Again Every Christmas Eve there is a massive parade in Cuenca. The centerpiece is a statue of baby Jesus that was sculpted in 1823, then carried by Monsignor Miguel Cordero Crespo on a pilgrimage in 1961, where it was blessed by Pope John XXIII. This is our third annual parade […]
Murder He Wrote!
The body of prominent Reaper Junction resident, Grimsby Graves, was found early this morning at the bottom of a newly dug grave in the Reaper Cemetery. The eerie find was made by sheriff’s deputies after they received a call from a local resident. Graves, whose ancestors helped found the town in 1770, owned the large […]
Always a Parade
As I have said before, Ecuadorians will start a parade at the drop of a hat, and for almost any reason. Apparently this applies to Peru too. We went in the town of Tumbes, and quickly came across these school kids preparing for a parade on the theme of ecology. Taxis in Cuenca are plentiful, but […]
Could be a Wedding. Could be a Divorce. Who Knows?
Another day in Cuenca, another parade it seems. Last night we heard music blaring from Parque Calderon in the center of town, with fireworks later. This morning we heard a band going by at 5:15AM, but rolled over and went back to sleep. This afternoon I walked out my front door and discovered the largest […]
33 Stages, 83 Bands, 2 Days of Music
Alliance Francaise is an international group that promotes French culture and language. Their Cuenca branch put on a massive music festival the last two days. There was very little tie-in to anything French, but there was music for everyone — jazz (our favorite), rock, metal, rap, electronic (actually a DJ when we went by that […]
Setenario Celebration (aka Feast of Corpus Christi)
Corpus Christi is a major Christian holiday in Ecuador. The celebration starts when the local Bishop leads a procession through downtown to the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception (aka “New Cathedral”) Following the Corpus Christi procession, the celebration of Setenario begins, as family businesses begin bullding castles. Castles always bring out large crowds to watch — […]
World Museum Day
Throughout Ecuador, there was yet another celebration — World Museum Day, or Dia Mundial de los Museos. Cuenca was represented by Museo Pumapungo, where folk dancers and bands performed throughout the day. We enjoyed listening to a band from Quito, and seeing the paintings of Ariel Dawi. Music at Pumapunga Museum from Burt Johnson on […]
Granda Era Has Passed
Incoming mayor Marcelo Cabrera greets the audience, kissing babies while protesters hold up banners Mayor Paul Granda left office today, as the new mayor Marcelo Cabrera was sworn in during a ceremony in Parque Calduron tonight. Two brass bands competed on the square — neither was very good… About a dozen protesters walked around peacefully […]