CHRISTMAS IN ECUADOR - CUENCA Christmas Parade "Pase Del Nino" 2013

FELIZ NAVIDAD FROM CUENCA 2013

This was our second Christmas season in Cuenca, and the "Pase Del Nino" parade, which is always celebrated on December 24th, was just as I remembered it from last year - Joyful, fun, and filled with hours of talented musicians and creatively colorfully costumed people parading along in their floats or by foot and celebrating their Catholic religious belief in honor of the Christ child and His birth.  This huge annual procession is a picture of Mary and Joseph and their journey to Bethlehem.  It is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in Ecuador, and there were many tourists from all over the world visiting the crowded streets to view this all-day celebration and parade, many enjoying it for the first time.

The parade began around 10 a.m. and the streets were lined with crowds of families, photographers, and many holiday visitors anticipating the procession.  Vendors walking up and down the crowded streets selling their wares, street food, beverages and ice cream.  It was one of the warmest days in Cuenca, and those in costumes were feeling the affects of this exceptionally hot and sunny day.  The skies couldn't have been more gorgeous, and the day couldn't have been more perfect weather-wise (for this photographer, that is).  Vendors selling umbrellas had a great day of sales from those who wanted protection from the bright burning sun rays.  Of course, I couldn't be happier with our weather here after living in rainy cloudy Eugene, Oregon for 40 years.  For me, bring on the rays.  I'm making up for all those years of cloudy skies.

Once again, I hope my photography will take you to this fabulous and fun day, and if you haven't been to Cuenca for Christmas, you must!  It's a holiday that is celebrated here with religious gusto and a true humility and reverence.  Yet, the music, dancing, singing, and colorful array of marching people and floats leaves one feeling happy and smiling all the day long.

Pictures Tell The Story!

It was a beautiful "blue sky" warm and sunny Christmas Eve day.....

.....and the streets were lined with crowds anticipating the celebration of Pase Del Nino.

Some were excited, some a bit bored!

Finally, the parade was here!

Umbrellas and "helado" kept the crowds cool and satisfied.

The floats were spectacular and bursting with color and adorned in flowers.......

......and an array of fruits and candies.

Talented musicans blared their instruments.....

....and beautiful dancers whirled through the streets.

Every group of dancers were adorned in beautiful hats and colorful traditional attire.

Their dancing passion caused the crowds to clap and chant, and photographers clicked away.

Street vendors pushed through the crowds with their wares.  Umbrella hats.....

......plastic blowup toys (gotta love the Nike shirt!!!).....

....and sugary cotton candy were popular with the crowds.

Even the dogs were overloaded with colorful bling and gadgets.

Families marching with their babies protected them from the hot Cuenca sun rays.

Colorful painted faces......

....and colorful religious banners made their way through the crowd-lined streets of Simon Bolivar.

So many beautiful people participated, from the aged....

....to the youthful.....

......to the beautiful babes!

 

Yes, photographing the children was the highlight of my Parade-day!

I LOVE Christmas in Cuenca!

Feliz Navidad!  Hope your Christmas was sunny, warm, and colorful too!