The Epiphany

 They do a lot of celebrating in Cuenca.  There are parades, music, dancing and fireworks all the time, or so it seems!  Today (1/9/11) I was enjoying a cup of cafe pintado at my favorite coffee spot, Cafe Austria, when I heard music coming my way.  You often hear loud music coming and going, so I stepped outside the door to see what was happening.   It was a colorful, small, but sweet parade with a variety of floats made with vehicles, horses and carriages.  The floats that are made with trucks or cars are amazing because they all cover the windshield with cloth leaving just a tiny hole in which to see to drive!   There were dancers adorned in their beautiful native dress, several bands and a few animals.  In parades, you often see beautiful little girls riding horses, with parents walking along the side.  They are dressed in ornate, fabulous gowns and headdresses while the horses have candy, fruit and a wine bottle or two cascading down its sides.  I was told that this parade was just one of many parades throughout the city celebrating the Epiphany.

With over 90% of the population in Ecuador being Roman Catholic, the Epiphany (or Three King's Day) is a humongous event.  After a big parade, hundreds of people congregated in the streets to party on January 6th, the day of the major celebration of the Epiphany!   Will, Lindsay and I participated briefly, as it was a bit too crowded for us.