Cuenca, Ecuador April 8-11, 1979

Sally, Rachel and I are still happily traveling together, now in Santa Ana de los Cuatro Rios de Cuenca, commonly known, for obvious reasons, as simply Cuenca.  The ‘Cuatro Rios’ in Cuenca’s more formal name refer to the four rivers that flow into the basin in the mountain-scape in which Cuenca is nestled.  These are the Tomebamba (the largest), Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara.  The rivers and the numerous parks along them make Cuenca a lovely place to visit – it’s refreshingly cool, green and very clean.  There are lots of old colonial buildings and countless cathedrals.  It appears to be a prosperous town with many suburbs filled with stately homes and haciendas, most with red-tiled rooves, and pretty garden courtyards full of shrubs and flowers.  There are plenty of busy, colourful markets where mostly Indian vendadores sell fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, clothing and straw hats.  All in all a great place to visit, but....

 

...unfortunately it happens to be Mardi Gras, and the way that’s celebrated here, for almost a week, is by throwing water – often coloured – at other people.   The method of throwing the water goes from emptying glasses, large containers or wash-tubs – preferably from high locations like balconies, higher windows or roof-tops – to throwing water-filled balloons, or using water guns or hoses.  Anyone may be doused, but Gringos – and especially gringo women – seem to be the favourite targets.  Great sport, and fun to a point, but it got tiresome.  One day I decided to avoid the antics by taking a bus, but that proved to be a mistake.   Whenever the bus stopped – and buses stop frequently here, to pick up passengers, for police checks, or just because – the water-toting assailants would stick hoses in the windows, most of which are broken and/or don’t close, and give all of the passengers a good soaking – starting, of course, with me.  

 

However Rachel, Sally and I did brave did meet some locals who were able to shield us from some of the wet festivity, and who took us (by private car, with working windows, so safe – and dry!), to some surrounding villages.  It seemed the village people, mostly indigenous, were not such keen celebrants of Mardi Gras, a mostly Latino event.







     Note:  The two bottom images are from postcards bought during the trip.  

  

Location: Cuenca, Ecuador

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