As fate would have it, I’m in Quito at the time it’s going nuts wrapping up the year for being the Cultural Capital of America for 2011. It’s been non stop entertainment, and even now at 9pm there’s a swarm of people marching the down street outside the hostel banging drums and generally being noisy! No idea why they’re subjecting themselves to the cold; when the clouds are parted and the sun is allowed to shine it gets quite warm, but as soon as the sun disappears it drops at least 10 degrees minimum.
Also the first week of December is party time celebrating the founding of Quito, which is next week. So I don’t know whether all this festivities are just for that, a combo of both celebrations, or neither and this is an ordinary week in Quito.
My first day in Quito was a Sunday, and honestly I didn’t expect much considering most shops are closed. When ever I arrive in a new city or town, I like to wander around and get my bears where everything is. So I headed for the main plaza, Plaza Grande.
The plaza was alive with people. In fact every plaza I walked by on my way to Grande was filled with people and some form of entertainment.
There were clowns! I have no idea what they were saying, but the audience found them funny. Sadly their act wouldn’t be allowed back home as the yellow clown took great delight in smacking around the orange clown.
I must have sat and watched these two for about half an hour. Clowns can transcend language barriers, particularly when one is beating the other one up.
There must have been at least half a dozen bands I came across spread out over each of the plazas of Old Town.
Some were traditional like these lads to the right, others were more modern belting out on the saxophone, and one thing that was very obvious throughout was that Old Town was in a very festive mood.
It was certainly a far cry from what the Old Town was apparently like some years ago. Even the 2010 Lonely Planet I have warns how dangerous it can be after 6pm, but nothing could be further from the truth. Of course the policia on every street may have something to do with that!
Come Monday morning the Plaza Grande was packed again. This time there was a protest what looked like directed at a bank (Occupy Plaza Grande?) and a fairly large police presence, which assumed where for the benefit of the protesters.
Behold, El Presidente! Turns out that 11am each Monday morning is the changing of the guard at the Presidental Palace.
There was a fair bit of marching around of the guards, then finally the President rocks up on the balcony. I must have had my camera on him for at least 5 minutes waiting for a decent shot, and I swear he looked directly at me and waved. This is what I choose to believe.
The entire changing of the guard procession must have taken almost an hour. There was singing, there were drums, there were mounted guards on horse back and finally the raising of the flag. I could understand drawing it out if it were only once a month or so, but if this is a weekly thing I’m surprised the President hasn’t tried to abolish it yet. He’s got to be over it by now!
The New Town didn’t seem to share the everyday need to celebrate. However there is huge park that is home to many buskers, the bulk appearing to be comedian acts.
Once again I found myself watching the entire performance, not a clue to what they were saying, but finding myself laughing all the same at their antics.
This entire park was so nice that I came back that afternoon and joined many of the locals in taking a nap on the grass. But not before having to win a game of Solitaire on my mobile, then I allowed myself to dose off for an hour or so. The price I have to pay!
Yesterday so far was the largest of festivities in Old Town. The two main roads were closed and a parade snaked its way through the town. This must have gone on all morning, with the parade doing a handful of laps.
The girls to the left, spinning batons while an ensemble of xylophone players and drummers gave them a musical background attracted the most attention.
I’d say there were maybe a dozen or so different groups represented in the parade. Some were obviously from schools, but others I couldn’t read the banners they were carrying.
There was a mix of women and men in traditional clothes dancing around, while others were dressed in uniforms and seemed to be in for it just to represent their group (I’m positive there was a nurses contingent).
I chilled out in what’s become my local cafe with a coffee to watch most of the parade go by. I’ve been trying to order breakfast in Spanish the past few mornings, which the staff appear bemused by. It’s a pretty good deal too, 2 fried eggs, two large slices of bread/roll, coffee and a juice for $2.25!