Ecuador Living

 Ecuador fiestas really do seem to spring up on you unannounced. I was visiting our friend John Papski, at his new country home in the village of La Merced, 15 miles from Quito, and there was another Ecuador fiesta.

As John his wife Dioni, and I plus the children got off the local bus, a 25 cent ride from the other side of the valley, we soon realised that we were in the middle of the fiesta having missed the start. We were just glad we could take a rest and watch on a hot day.

No Ecuador fiesta is complete without a beauty parade. The judging had taken place earlier….

Another thing that John and I noticed was that there were a lot of people eating roast pork for lunch. ‘Horneado’ is a roast pork dish that is especially popular in the Valle de las Chillos where we were. On a hot weekend thousands leave the big city of Quito and come down into the quieter valleys just to the easy of the city. Here the lady cooking startled when she saw me - there are not many foreigners in these parts.

Below a local cowboy catches a quick snack …

The beauty contest and the marching bands had only been the preliminaries for the dancing. Now the crowds were lining up 5 or 6 rows deep along the main street. Ecuador fiestas cannot be considered a fiesta unless there is some form of dancing.

Dancing is integral to the Ecuadorian psyche and is done without any self-consciousness being displayed. People dance for the love of it and because it’s just something .. well just something that you do.

Only a very few dancers become professionals but amateur dancing as a cultural event takes place everywhere as an enjoyable cultural event to participate in and to watch. Chances are if you stay in Ecuador you will soon be asked to dance even if it’s at a private fiesta.

In the central square of La Merced (population 2,000?) artists showed their paintings hoping for a sale or two …

yet everyone’s focus is upon getting a great view of the dancing no matter how high the vantage point …

All the generations turn up to watch from this balcony …

as different dance groups take to the street dancefloor ..

Of course, some of the older folks have seen dozens and dozens of fiestas and many years ago they were down there dancing too. They never tire of watching Ecuador fiestas, and who knows if they’re not feeling a touch of nostalgia.

All over Ecuador you can find large and not so large working farms called haciendas. Horseriding plays a large part on haciendas to round up cattle and sheep. Ecuador fiestas celebrate their heritage of horseriding as goatskin chap and poncho wearing riders demonstrate their riding skills. But first, of course, a brass band playing Ecuadorian national music should welcome the riders to town.

Most of the riders are men and many are experienced. But perhaps you could participate in a fiesta too. Here’s how one conversation I had went along “Where are you from?” (In English), “England” I replied, “.. oh, I lived in London for 12 years”. “How many years have you been riding?” I asked my new found friend - “believe me, this is my first day on a horse”.

There are plenty of ladies taking part too….

and even the young ones get to gallop down the street too …

After all the exertion riders, other participants and the crowds disperse to seek shade and try the local pork dishes …

And then it’s time to head back to the house of the ranch, until the next time an inpromptu Ecuador fiesta announces itself. Tired marchers walk back to the house …

and the horses and riders set off for home over the hill and yonder.

Ecuador fiestas are such a part of Ecuadorian culture that, as Gary has noted, just in Cotacachi they seem to take place every couple of weeks. Color and energy resonate throughout the year so why not travel and learn by enjoying our seminars which take place throughout the year too.

May 13-17 Ecuador Import Export Course
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-import-and-export-tour
 

June 6-9  Ecuador Coast & Quito Real Estate Tour
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-coastal-real-estate-tour

June 11-15 Ecuador Spanish Course
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-spanish-course

June 16-17 Imbabura Real Estate Tour
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-real-estate

June 19-21 Shamanic Mingo Tour
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-shaman-mingo-tour

See discounts for attending more than one June course
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-tours-savings

September 17-20 Ecuador Coast & Quito Real Estate Tour
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-coastal-real-estate-tour

Sept 23-27 Ecuador Spanish Course
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-spanish-course

Sept 28-29 Imbabura Real Estate Tour
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-real-estate

See discounts for attending more than one Sept. course
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-tours-savings

Oct 14-18 Ecuador Import Export Course
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-import-and-export-tour

Nov 7-9 International Investing and Business Made EZ Ecuador
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/international-business-made-ez-ecuador

Nov 10-11 Imbabura Real Estate tour
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-real-estate

November 12-15, 2008 Ecuador Coast & Quito Real Estate Tour
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-coastal-real-estate-tour

See discounts for attending more than one Nov. course
http://www.garyascott.com/catalog/ecuador-tours-savings