Country Article / Postcards

Fiestas de Quito

Date: 11/30/2006

I moved to Quito from New York two years ago. The intriguing mix of indigenous and Spanish cultures here greatly appeals to me, and I love the continuous mild weather. And the parties.

Tuesday kicked off the Fiestas de Quito, an annual celebration of the founding of the city by the Spanish, with nine days of bullfights, flamenco performances, and general partying. I spent the afternoon with my friend Lili in Quito’s Plaza de Toros.

While it has been uncharacteristically rainy the past few weeks, those of us in the bullring wearing the traditional Panama hats (so called thanks to their popularity with workers during the construction of the Panama Canal; in Ecuador these hats are called sombreros de paja toquilla) were blessed with sunny weather.

After the corrida (bullfight) we enjoyed an excellent meal at the Spanish restaurant La Taberna de Ascensión, one of several restaurants in Quito that could hold its own with the best restaurants of any major city in the States.

Tonight I’m going to the spectacularly restored colonial Teatro Sucre, to watch a flamenco show from Spain. With performances nearly every night of the week, Teatro Sucre hosts a wide range of artists: the Orchestra of Andean Instruments, Ecuadorian opera singers paying homage to local hero Simon Bolivar, and internationally renowned singers, orchestras, dancers, and theater groups.

The Teatro Sucre reopened its doors in 2004, as one small part of the $41 million government investment in the restoration of the historic center. It’s paying off, and Quito now boasts not only one of the largest historic centers in South America, but also one of the prettiest. The streets are pedestrian-only on Sundays, and wandering through them is one of my favorite weekend activities.

Amy E. Robertson
For International Living

[Don't miss out. Get your free IL Postcards subscription today.]

P.S. The Fiestas de Quito are not the only parties in town this week. Sunday, left-wing candidate Rafael Correa beat his rival, billionaire businessman Alvaro Noboa, in the presidential elections. Quito is one of Correa’s strongholds, so celebrations were jubilant. If you’re thinking about moving to Ecuador, should the new political landscape worry you? No. Ecuador always has a new political landscape (eight presidents in 10 years) and its impact on foreigners living here is marginal at best.