Guayaquil won a battle with the Spanish and declared their independence from Spain 195 years ago today. They became known as the Free Province of Guayaquil, and would become a part of the country we know as Ecuador later on. For those of you looking for a calculator, that's October 9th, 1820! That's only forty-four years after our own American Revolution.
As I did my morning drift through Facebook I saw several posts about Guayaquil. There were some about the earthquake (which apparently is not a big deal there), and there were some about the celebration. The party was definitely getting the most press. Here's a photo of Ecuador's President, Rafael Correa, arriving for the parade.
And here's an Ecuadorean dragon, I presume.
Courtesy of Twitter Users
What parade would be complete without a few beautiful women?
Courtesy of Twitter Users
How about a brass band?
Courtesy of Twitter Users
I've
been told that Ecuador is a land of fiestas. It seems they celebrate
everything there, and no little earthquake is going to stop the fun. I'm
moving to an Ecuadorean beach town called Olon on the Pacific coast in
three weeks. It's a relatively quiet little town, but is only about five
miles away from the surfing and partying capital of the coast,
Montanita. I'm told that a $1.50 cab ride puts you in the middle of the
action, so I'm sure I'll be venturing over the hill that separates the
two towns on a regular basis.
As my travels to Ecuador unfold, I'll be sharing my experiences and photos. I hope you'll watch for them, and enjoy them as much as I plan to.
