In Ecuador carnival is one huge foam/water/ketchup/eggs/whatever disgusting liquid you can find to throw on everyone else. Some places everything but foam is banned. Other places you are only allowed to use water. But you get it. Carnival might not be as you expected it.
Most people leave you alone if you are not armed with a can of foam to defense yourself, but not everyone is as thoughtful. I somehow avoided most of the trouble and were only foamed a couple of times.
Carnival culminates with la Fiesta de la Fruta y de las Flores (the festival of the fruit and the flowers) in Ambato. Which is more like what you are really thinking about carnival. Because you have parades and dancing and different events. Hearing about this, I decided to spend carnival in Ambato (even though I slept in Baños, because it was a lot cheaper!), and my roomie, Sofie, decided to join me.
When arriving in Ambato Saturday morning we ran in to a parade that I decided to follow, which resulted in the crowning of the queen of Ambato and the blessing of the fruit, the flowers and the bread.
During the day I also managed to see what I wanted of Ambato (A small museum about one of the three Juans of the city, a natural science museum displaying stuffed animals, an ecological walk at the river and the quinta of Juan Montalvo including a small botanical garden.)
When we visited the quinta we also ran in to a dance group performing traditional dances from the different regions of Ecuador.
The only thing we did Sunday before heading back was to watch the big parade that lasted almost 3 hours. This meant floats, dancing and music! Just as I had imagined Carnival before someone foamed me.
 |
| Ambato! |
 |
| Reina de Ambato parade |
 |
| Reina de Ambato Parade |
 |
| Reina de Ambato parade |
 |
| Reina de Ambata parade |
 |
| Reina de Ambato parade |
 |
| Crowning of Reina de Ambato Kroningen af Reina de Ambato |
 |
| Museum of natural science Museum for naturvidenskab |
 |
| Museum of natural science Museum for naturvidenskab |
 |
| Walk along the river in Ambato Gåtur langs floden i Ambato |
 |
| Traditional dancing from different provinces of Ecuador Traditionel dans fra de forskellige provinser i Ecuador |
 |
| Traditional dancing from different provinces of Ecuador Traditionel dans fra forskellige provinser i Ecuador |
 |
| The big parade Den store parade |
 |
| Dancing during the big parade Dans under den store parade |
 |
| More dancing Mere dans |
 |
| Another float Endnu en flåde |
 |
| Sometimes you felt like the dancers were wearing ridiculous clothing Og nogle gange føltes det som om at danserne var iført underlige kostumer |
 |
| One or two dancers danced in front, followed by a big group behind. En eller to dansere dansede forrest, efterfulgt af en hel gruppe dansere bagved. |
 |
| One of the most beautiful floats. En af de smukekste paradevogne. |
 |
| The dancing varied. Sometimes it was pairs dancing together, at other times it was only girls dancing. Dansen varrierede. Nogle gange var det par, der dansede sammen og andre gange bestod hele gruppen af piger. |
 |
| The dancers usually wore some kind of hat and had something in one of their hands. Danserne havde oftest en form for hat på og derudover bar noget i en af deres hænder. |
 |
| A reference to the Galapagos! En reference til Galapagos! |
 |
| All the colors on the floats came from flowers and fruits! |
 |
| A really beautiful float as well. Endnu en smuk paradevogn. |
 |
| In the end of the parade came groups of international folklore dancers Paraden sluttede af med grupper, der viste international folkedans frem |
 |
| Japan |
Hvis jeg siger karneval, hvad tænker du så? Formentligt dans hele natten, parader hver dag og dansende piger klædt kun i bikinier og fjer. Men sådan foregår karneval ikke i Ecuador!
I Ecuador er karneval ensbetydende med store mængder af skum/vand/ketchup/æg og alle de andre afskyelige væsker du kan finde og smide efter andre.
Nogle steder er det dog kun tilladt at bruge vand eller skum. Og for det meste lader folk dig være i fred, hvis du ikke selv har en kande skum til at forsvare dig med. Jeg undgik mere eller mindre skummet, bortset fra et par enkelte gange.
Karneval er samtidig med la Fiesta de la fruta y de las Flores (festivalen for frugten og blomsterne) i Ambato. Denne festival minder mere om det du normalt forbinder med karneval og derfor valgte jeg at tilbringe karnevalsweekenden her (selvom jeg sov i Baños, da det var billigere). Min roomie, Sofie, valgte at tage med mig.
Da vi ankom i Ambato lørdag morgen løb vi ind i en mindre parade, som jeg valgte at følge, hvilket resulterede i at jeg så kroningen af Ambatos dronning og velsignelsen af frugten, blomsterne og brødet.
I løbet af dagen formåede jeg også at få set alle de steder i Ambato, som jeg gerne ville se (et mindre museum om en af byens Juan'er, et naturvidenskabeligt museum, der udstillede udstoppede dyr, en gåtur langs floden og Juan Montalvos quinta og den tilhørende botaniske have.)
Da vi ankom til Juan Montalvos quinta, stødte vi også ind i en dansegruppe, der opførte traditionelle danse fra de forskellige provinser i Ecuador.
Det eneste vi gjorde søndag var at se den store parade, der varede næsten 3 timer. Dette betød flåder, dans og musik! Præcist som jeg havde forestillet mig at karneval ville være inden jeg blev ramt af den første omgang skum.
Ingen kommentarer:
Send en kommentar