A Mule, Two Girls, and a Mission

Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is a big deal in Ecuador. Since schools were out and the Tulane volunteers were traveling on Friday, we had a vacation day and closed the library. Krysta and I went into Quito on Friday morning to see the professional. This ceremony is very important to Ecuadorians, and many years of traditions has made the huge processional into what it is today.

The outfits may remind you of the KKK, but they are said to represent a hiding of one's sin. Individuals also carry crosses and wear crowns of thorns to reinact the events of the crucifixion. Thousands of people march from the San Francisco church to the Basillica and back barefoot. The trip is a couple of miles uphill, and the whole processional takes 4-6 hours. The event was really powerful, and I was moved to tears with such a visual reminder of the sacrifice Christ made.

Afterwards, we dined on the typical Easter dish, Fanesca. It was.... interesting. It is a creamy soup with an extensive ingredient list is:

Cream broth

Choclo

Beans

Chocho

Salted fish

Peas

Cooked white onions

Raw red and green bell peppers

Banana

Raw green onions

Habas

Fried sweet dough balls

Potato
Cheese

I'm sure I'm forgetting something.... Essentially, it is a soup with 12 grains in it (representing the 12 disciples) and some donuts that taste like fish. De-liscious.

After our meal, we traveled to Quilatoa. Quilatoa is a crater lake that is downright breathtaking. Krysta and I stayed in a quaint hostel and snuggled to keep each other warm (the altitude makes for a very cold night). One morning we took a 6-hour hike around the rim of the crater. Since our legs were so sore the next day, after hiking down to the lake and kayaking in the turqoise water, we opted to take a donkey back up. I can't adequately describe the beauty of the laguna, the wonderful company, or the relaxing yet fun-filled weekend. I hope the pictures do it justice. Happy Easter!