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Andrea in Ecuador |
Freak Show
So the bullfight was not what we expected. Javier kept telling us it is a big fiesta but we expected the bullfight to be a bit different. We got off of the bus and entered a throng of activity, cages with chicks for sale in the street, lots of venders selling BBQ'd meats, papas fritas (french fries), empanaditas (frybread with cheese in the middle, fruits, belts, soccer jerseys, jewelry, beer, etc. The arena was not a stadium but a large patch of dirt surrounded by three-story viewing platforms constructed of wood and rope. Each partition had blankets as walls to create little viewing boxes and there were ladders to get to the top. Inside of the ring, there was a crowd of people (boys and men), many of them drunk, trying to get the bull's attention by whistling, throwing rocks and waving bright shirts and capes. There was also a full sized doll, made to look like an Indigenous woman, hanging from a rope near the entrance to the ring. When the bull went to that corner the doll was raised or lowered to entice the bull. If the bull wasn't aggresive enough, it was removed from the ring and a fresh one was brought in. As the bull was racing around chasing children, venders would also enter the ring and sell cotton candy and various other treats, and toys (like yoyos) to the people in the stands. It was quite a scene. More from this experience later. I have more pictures to download and I need to get going. Later. Andrea
Photos:
Quote of the Day:
"I'm drinking a beer, riding without a seatbelt, and we are all squished into this
taxi...I just want to acknowledge how many safety rules we would be
breaking in Canada right now."
- Claudine
Postscript, sent July 14...
There was a big thunder and lightening storm for the 4th of July. Mike and I went on the top patio of the Palace to watch the lightening. Here are a few pics.
