La garcita en Carnaval

Walking a long a street in ´la ciudad blanca´, Popoyán, I saw an older man walking a dummy in a wheel chair. I got closer and indeed this man was protesting (Colombian health reform to be exact) and I wanted a photo. He agreed without a smile, and right as I was about to shoot a women entered the picture, posed and smiled. After about 10 minutes of light conversation on imperialism with the protestor, El Gato, the women yelled from a café, ¨you`re still talking to that gringo?¨. Realizing my interest in social issues, she invited us for some jugos and gave us a quick but very passionate campaign pitch for the independent political movement MIRA. It turns out that she, Diana, is running for an international seat in the Andean Parliament (Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador hold seats). Apparently flattered by my interest in her personal story, she took me to campaign headquarters and then on the campaign trail with her that night!

Being introduced as ¨un amigo de los EEUU¨ all night, I was given a brief insiders view into the movement. The photo is of Diana (behind me...also, notice me pretending to get the joke), the MIRA team and I embarking for the first event. I later shared a ride with national senate and congress candidates and at the last stop, they introduced me to the small crowd and wanted me to give a speech! What! Conscious of my legal responsibility to stay out of Colombian politics, I said in english ¨thank you very much¨and then translated. One quick little ¨que viva MIRA!¨ would have brought the house down! But I remained diplomatic, and accordingly recieved no line of high fives on my way out, although I was light jogging and my hand was up and ready. Needless to say, that first picture up there was the beginning of a really great experience. I´m excited to learn more about independent political movements in Latin America and specifically keep up with MIRA developments.

Left Popoyán headed to Quito, Ecuador. Notable moments of the trip was being searched very thoroughly by Ecuadorian Narcs and being sprayed at with silly string foam type stuff by a passenger in a passing car near the bus stop. Immediately I´m defensive and indignant, but then someone lifts my spirits by telling me it´s a tradition of........Carnaval! Funny how that works, from ¨how rude!¨to ¨yes this is totally acceptable and I cannot wait to nail people!¨in a matter of seconds.

I am officially not pledging support to any cities for being my favorite from now on, as Quito has made a very, very strong case. This picture is on top of one of the hills in the valley where Quito is located. The top of this particular hill has recently (2004) been converted into a park and protected natural reserve. It was so nice to escape the fumes and breath in the fresh air. I take tours in spanish wherever I can, and on an individual tour my guide told me of the ´garcita´, a migratory bird that had just flown in for the night and left the following day. I think it´s the only time it comes all year. Although I really wanted her to call me ´garcita,´she gracefully declined. At any rate, I thought it was a good comparison. Last great thing to mention about this park is that it was designed to be accessible to ALL Ecuadorians, regardless of socio-economic status, disability, etc.

Quito was really great: went to some great museums, walked the beautiful and very large historic center and saw another soccer game (great but not nearly as exciting as the Nacional game). Lastly, the picture above with Quito in the background, in the foreground shows a very mini carnaval celebration. These school kids are on a field trip, and the clown in the center shooting the foam stuff is presumably their teacher. Let´s hope so.














I was told that the best Carnaval celebration in Ecuador happens in Guaranda, so that´s where I went. Judging from the bus window, Guaranda is located in the altiplano and is definitely in the Andes. Their celebration contained the four elements of generating collective joy: music and dancing, drinking, a procession and masking (thank you Barbara Ehrenreich). The masking part was most interesting because for me it came in the way of some sort of powder, spray foam and lots of water (via squart guns and water baloons, mostly). Naively thinking that if I wasn´t armed, I´d be spared...I walked through the packed plazas and was instantly covered. I decided to defend myself and others. I became a vigilante, protecting the vulnerable.

As you can see above, I purchased a small water pistol ($1). All random attacks that I saw were met with the dead eye accuracy of my strategically discreet water gun. Sure, various people made fun of it´s size, but I had the last laugh. Actually, on at least one occasion an alliance of 6 to 9 year olds hammered me. Everyone was in on this fun, and it was really funny to see a stoic faced women in traditional indigenous dress squirt someone with a little foam and then flee seconds later absolutely covered in it.

It was hard to relax at first, thinking about the potential dangers in a crowd of many thousands. But after a while, it seemed that everyone I encountered was in really wonderful spirits. There was a totally joyous and positive energy that was alive. I was skeptical at first, but it was there. We need more of this collective joy!

Carnaval was so much fun, but it would have been even more fun with friends and family. Miss you all!












(The morning after...near one of the plazas in Guaranda where Carnaval was wild)