Pase del Niño

December 24th…while my friends and family are running around, frantically worrying about getting last-minute gifts, I was gallivanting the blocks of Calle Simon Bolivar, taking in the colorful and bizarre splendor of the great parade, Pase del Niño.

The temperature hit almost 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but the thousands and thousands of people participating in the parade continued to dance and prance down the street. Children, dressed in elaborate costumes, rode on top of horses carrying saddlebag adorned with fruit, vegetables, candy, and meat. Adults donned unbelievable costumes and chased each other around, and groups performed indigenous dances for the spectators as marching bands played behind them.

The parade was incredible and beautiful, and sometimes pretty bizarre (I saw a sheep with tootsie roll pops tied around it.) The Pase del Niño started in the morning and continued for most of the afternoon, and it’s a tradition that is very important in Cuenca. In fact, people prepare all year for this event. While December 25^th may be the big day back home in the USA, here it’s all about the 24^th and the huge procession of kids and families holding Baby Jesus dolls. And you know what? I think I enjoyed just as much, if not more, than the frantic, freezing holidays in the States.