INDEPENDENCE DAY IN CUENCA

Yesterday was Cuenca's 190 anniversary of their independence from Spain. This is one of 3 national holidays celebrating independence - the other two being Quito's and Guayaquil's. This 4 day celebration culminated in many activities. We got caught up in just a few of them. We were walking downtown near Parque Calderon when a motorcade with sirens and motorcycle police raced by, down a street lined with military. We later learned that the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, was there to attend a "solemn session" with other government officials. Earlier that morning he had officiated at the military parade, which we missed even though it was in our neighborhood. There are so many things going on all over town it is hard to get in on even half of them.

As you can imagine the square was thronged with people. Everywhere you turned there were dance troupes and music ensembles.
and these "women" whose role seemed to be similar to our clowns.


The government offices were decked out in their finest.


BUT, the true highpoint of my day was the RUNNING OF THE BURROS.

Here they are waiting for the starting flag.

More of them, with their "women."


The donkey run was preceded by a go cart race.

And while we waited we were entertained by a devil who posed for pictures with the crowd.

And they're OFF....

And, yes, I got to pet one of the burros on the nose.

Audrey