Kerry Jones, our favorite niece (OK, our only niece, but still our favorite!) graduated high school today. After this week, she is officially a college student, attending University of California at Santa Barbara. She will be majoring in chemistry in the College of Creative Studies. With fewer than 350 students, this is a very elite […]
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 […]
Belly Dancing in Cuenca
Dance Performance at Colegio Santa Mariana de Jesus Every so often, we used to go to High School plays in California. They were a nice change from the polished Broadway shows we usually saw, and was a reminder of High School when I had several friends in the theater club, and used to help them […]
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 […]
Birthday Party, Ecuadorian Style
Adrian plays the charango, while Marcos plays guitar We were invited by an Ecuadorian family to join a combined birthday party tonight. Three members of the family (Gloria, Adrian and Stephanie) have birthdays in May, as does Evelyn, so they decided on one combined party for everyone. Charango from Burt Johnson on Vimeo. Let […]
Police Car Celebration
I have mentioned several times that Ecuadorians find any excuse to celebrate, and that I always carry a camera with me because I never know when I will stumble upon another parade or party. Well, how about celebrating the police getting some new cars? Yep, that’s enough reason for a celebration around here! Evelyn and […]
Futbol Pandemonium
Futbol Pandemonium from Burt Johnson on Vimeo. Futbol fans really get into a frenzy, jumping around like kangaroos I have gotten into the habit of always carrying a small camera with me around Ecuador (for those interested, it is a Sony RX-100 MK II). I never know when I will turn a corner and […]
Viernes Santo
Today is Good Friday (“Viernes Santo” in Spanish) in the Christian religion, which commemorates the day on which Jesus was crucified on the cross. Many Catholic churches in town had small parades where a statue of Jesus on the cross was taken around the neighborhood. Iglesia La Merced is one such church, about a block from our […]
Semana Santa
Ecuador is a very Catholic nation, and Cuenca is a city with numerous free concerts and symphonies. It is therefore no surprise that there have been a series of symphony concerts all week, each at a different church. Tonight we attended one at “The Old Cathedral” on Parque Calderon. We arrived a little late and […]
Palm Sunday and Cajas Art
Today was Palm Sunday for the Catholics in town, but we started the day by returning to Lake Zorrocucho in the Cajas, where we spent last Sunday. Alberto drove us there again, and then Evelyn painted en plein air. We were joined this time by Shimi — an artist friend from Danville, back in the […]
