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Published: January 15th 2016
There is a very good reason for Cuenca´s reputation as being Christmas (Navidad) Central. Nowhere greets the festive season with greater enthusiasm. The city seemed to be completely infused with the Christmas Spirit.
We arrived in Cuenca in the early evening to find a bus terminal with a helpful tourist office which was able to provide a map and public transport information. We quickly found the bus that could take us to the historic centre, taxi charge successfully avoided thank you lovely tourism lady!
Cuenca is a beautiful colonial city with all the mod cons that the daily lives of Cuencanos demand (eg. Anime and comic stores) We couldn’t help but admire the colonial architecture juxtaposed with Honda, Superman and advertising. The location of our hotel was perfect. With a roof top terrace that overlooked the beginning of the Paso de Nino (passing of the baby Jesus parade).
We began the search for pasta (I was exhausted again and in need of the familiar) and found some rather nice pizza at a truly awesome ice-cream shop near Parque Calderon. When we left, night had fallen but not darkness, the streets were filled with Christmas lights, the Cathedral of
the Immaculate Conception shone and the police band began to play in the park. Tommy´s eyes lit up and we all but ran towards them. Tommy danced around me and tried to shake me out of my wavering grinchiness as the band played. We wandered laconically through the Parque discovering crowd assembling around a native dance troupe. We watched entranced as the dancers performed colorful costumes and big smiles. My favourite moment was when the senior class completed their routine and their family and friends were invited to join them. A father whirled his teenage daughter around the square a huge grin across his face.
The next day we explored the city more thoroughly spending an hour or two in the gallery of modern art with my favorite exhibition being related to sacred geometry. After this we visited the central Mercado for lunch and made our way across the river and through a seriously fantastic park complete with playground and exercise course to the ¨modern¨ sector in search of a cinema. Tommy desperate to finally see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This was easy to find and we purchased tickets for later that evening. We then returned to the
historic centre and explored the central Mercado enjoying a delicious lunch and purchasing all the ingredients we needed for dinner that night for $1.50! as well as my Christmas present from Tommy a panama had. Further wanderings took us into hat makers where we watched as a beautiful hat was created by the highly skilled milliner. Then it back to the hotel to make a quick, delicious dinner and back again to the ¨modern¨ sector for Star Wars. By this time Tommy could barely sit still being a HUGE fan. Star Wars was everything Tommy hoped for and more. Rave reviews were given and questions posed about the next episode as we made our way home. I was beginning to doubt that anything could top this experience for Tommy. We were to find that the next day would come pretty close.
We awoke to the sound of Spanish Christmas Carols and before we knew it we were on top of our hotel terrace eagerly waiting for the beginning of the annual Christmas parade: Paso De Nino. Shortly we heard the sound of a band in the distance and then in a blaze of colour and theatricality the head of
the parade made its way down the street. A band on horseback led the way followed by an extremely well trained, well loved dressage horse. As a horsewoman I was enthralled. This was followed by wave after wave of costumed Cuencanos. Angels, Mary and Joseph carry the baby Jesus, groups of Egyptians and Romans of all ages made their way down the street. There were dancers of all kinds spinning and weaving and prancing through the streets. Tommy was particularly taken with the Diablos who interacted with the crowd causing mock cries of fear and increasing the sense of excitement. There were floats filled with all manner of Navidad scenes and of course several Santa Clauses made their appearance launching presents into the eager crowd (even though traditionally in Ecuador Baby Jesus delivers the presents). The parade began at 9am and continued on until 5.30pm. We knew about Cuenca´s reputation but you cant possibly know it until you experience it.
We wandered to and from the parade throughout the day visiting a restaurant in Parque Calderon to eat a delicious, filling Christmas lunch and sampling specialty Navidad treats and visiting the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in our wanderings.
Stomachs full we waddled through the historic centre in search of a quiet place to digest. We found peace beside the river resting comfortably and enjoying the street performers in the distant street. Eventually feeling slightly more capable of moving we returned to Parque Calderon to watch the spectacular finale of the Paso Del Nino. We reflected on yet another truly memorable day in Ecuador and as we watched the sun set across a skyline dotted with churches we began to realize that it is impossible to choose a favorite city in Ecuador.
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