Holiday Weekend

It was a festive time this past weekend.  There were more than 300 events planned and we took in as many as we could.  The weather cooperated with lots of sun and just one downpour of rain.  The festival began on Thursday night, October 30th, with a concert at Parque Calderon which is very close to where we live.  During the day we watched as a giant stage was set up.  We also saw lighting being strung throughout the park.  Later, we learned that it was for lighting the arches on the new cathedral (which is a mere 200 years old) with different colors, and to spotlight the trees with colors.  The concert began sometime after 8:00 P.M. with two older gentleman that sang songs familiar to most of the locals in the crowd.  Many people, young and old, sang along with them.  One singer in particular was very animated, dancing on the stage and telling jokes in Spanish.  It was really fun to watch him and to see how the crowd reacted to the show.  Later, a younger band with multiple instruments came on stage.  By that time we were tuckered out, and headed back home.

Sorry...this is the only picture I have of the event.  It shows them setting up the stage.  I haven't learned how to take good night time pictures with my phone camera.  The photos always look washed out if there are bright lights and I am not sure how to adjust the camera.  Any suggestions on how to solve this problem would be appreciated.

Friday, October 31st, we met our friends, Roz and Ken, at the Art Festival and viewed the numerous tents set up selling all kinds of arts and crafts.  We saw lots of jewelry; items made of leather, such as purses; baskets; handcrafted decorations for your home; recycled art; paintings; and too many other things to mention.  

These pictures were taken from above, and it shows a few of the tents set along the river.  However, it doesn't do justice to the huge number of tents set up for the festival.  They stretched along both sides of the river as far as the eye could see.  (The broken bottles you see in the foreground were often placed on the top of walls or fences to deter people from climbing over the top and coming inside your home or business.  These bottles were placed on a wall bordering the church that I talk about in the next paragraph.  Today, they are not used as much.)

After viewing some of the art, we went to lunch at a restaurant located inside Todas Santos church.  We were the only people in the restaurant and enjoyed a lovely meal.  Later our waiter was kind enough to let us tour the gardens that supply some of the food for the restaurant.

This is the dining room where we ate.  It would be a great place to hold our book club...very peaceful and quiet.  

There is also a bar in the church.  Look at the cooler...I guess It's Miller Time sometime in every corner of the world.  

Lance and Ken are standing in front of a large wooden container that was used back in the day to make bread.  They are holding two breads we had purchased earlier from our favorite Italian baker.

Here is a picture of the ovens used to bake the bread at the church.  The people were busy getting ready for the Todos Santos Traditional Bread Festival that was to take place on Saturday, November 1st.

Below is brief explanation about the bread they were preparing and some pictures that were posted on a blog by Nancy and Chuck-Retirement in Ecuador.  She does a much better job explaining it than I can.  

November 2nd is called All Souls' Day here in Ecuador.  It is observed to some extent by all parts of society, but is especially important to the indigenous peoples of the Andes.  Families gather together in the cemetery with offerings of food for a day-long remembrance of their ancestors and lost loved ones. Ceremonial foods include colada morada and guagua pan.

Guagua pan is a type of sweet roll shaped like a small child or baby.  They are decorated with icing and sometimes have a sweet filling.  Guagua is the indigenous word for "baby."  It is pronounced "wa-wa."  The origin of this sweet bread is here in Ecuador.

Colada morada is a beverage prepared with purple corn flour and small pieces of fruit including the Andean blackberry which gives it it's color.  It is prepared with cinnamon, allspice and cloves and other herbs.  (The two pictures above were taken by Nancy.)

(A few days later I came across this alter set up at the art festival, which I believe might also be in honor of All Saints Day.)

After leaving the restaurant, we took a taxi to Parque el Paraiso.  While there we looked at some more crafts, watched part of a talent show and walked around the park.  This was a new experience for Lance and I and we enjoyed seeing this popular park in Cuenca.  

When we arrived at home we saw some festivities taking place at Parque Calderon.  

The picture above is a woman holding a small girl.  These are our neighbors from France.  They live right next door to us in our building.  Her husband told us he will be working in Cuenca for the next two years.

Saturday, November 1st, we met up with Glenn and Mara to take in more of the festival.  On our way to the Todos Santos Traditional Bread Festival we saw the end of the Parade of Students.  Here are just a few highlights of what we were able to see.

Check out those heels.  Many women walk around in high heels all day here ...even on a parade route.  

When we arrived at the bread festival, we shared a glass of colada morada and guagua de pan.  The drink was thick, sweet and spicy and the bread tasted like most white bread you might have had in the past.  While at the church we took a tour with a guide who spoke English.  She explained the history of the church and took us on a walk through the garden where she talked about all the plants that were growing there.  She did a great job.  I'm sorry I didn't capture her face...she was very pretty and sweet.

We ate lunch at a small cafe that we use to frequent when we visited last Christmas.  Then, we saw more of the art, including the paintings that were displayed by the broken bridge.  From there we walked back to Parque Calderon, enjoyed an ice cream treat, and parted ways.

  

Check back later for the final two days of the Festival.