OK, now we're back in Zaruma after a wonderful and informative sojourn to the Jungle. My site was celebrating its Fiestas Cívicas, and so there were all manner of parades and fun to be had, and I assisted by either providing direct logistical support or acting as a reporter and gathering choice photos for the municipal collection. Supposedly it's winter now, but we did have some truly gorgeous days that weekend. Sunny, but not too hot. Here's part of the centro histórico as the big military style parade started to round the corner in front of all tthe seated officials. Much of the music is very formal and all sounds rather similar and there was nothing in the way of flambeaux men or coconuts and spears or beads or doubloons, but hey, their parade was still a blast to witness. Made me miss New Orleans for sure.

The military band hanging out waiting for their next number. These guys were pretty funny, telling someone new every five seconds that "No hay paso" (You can't pass here basically.) Over and over they'd repeat that like a mantra, then one little kid squatted down, got on his hands and knees and squeezed through them unnoticed. One guy did notice however and laughed himself sick at the thought of the military "roadblock" being defeated by a five year old. Good times.

Zaruma is reknowned at least in Ecuador for the beauty of its female citizens, young and old. I felt obliged to try and document this phenomenon. You be the judge.

Now THIS reminds me of the French Quarter in the Big Easy...

Ah yes, the race of the Pichirilos. Take a city built on a hillside with no level streets. Add jerry rigged go carts without brakes or adequate steering and let them scream down the hillside on a good slope, around blind turns, through crowds of people. Hilarity most definitetly ensues. I really have to build one for next year's race, this was like the end scene in The Road Warrior. Awesome.