Last week was "Fiestas de Quito." This festival goes from the end of November to December 6 to celebrate the founding of Quito in 1534. Most people don't have school or work on Dec 5 and 6, as those are the most important days of the Fiestas. During the week there is bullfighting, dancing, theatre shows, and a huge parade that presents the new Reina (Queen) of Quito. After the week was over, I realized that most of the Quitanos use this week as an excuse to drink, dance, and have a great time!
Below are a few pictures from the parade. It was FOREVER long. Kilometer after kilometer (yeah, they use those here. Celsius too.) of bands, entertainers, and indigenous dancers and musicians! My friend Rebecca and I stayed for 2 hours before leaving, and the parade was only halfway over!
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This week I also learned more about the bullfighting that goes on here in Quito. The Ecuadorians say that it's a cultural activity and it's always a "fun time." However, I saw it as a torturous activity. A couple weeks before the fight the bull is locked in a dark room so that its vision will be off when it's time for the bullfight. They also hit the bulls repeatedly in the knees with huge sandbags to make sure it's in pain days leading up to the fight and they put vasoline in their eyes the day of the fight to decrease their vision even more. They also pour acid onto the bulls genitals right before the fight which causes severe pain, aggravation, and the bucking you frequently see during the fights. I did not support the animal cruelty going on here in Ecuador and I hope that their government puts an end to the torture.
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