La Caseria Del Zorro
Quite a name right? Dont forget that ¨Caseria¨is actually, ¨Casereeeeeea¨since the ï¨carries a good old accent mark. So while last time I was here for a big party everyone was running around yelling ¨Viva Ibarra¨, this time ¨Viva la Casereeeeeeea!¨
So apparently 100 years ago someone decided that the closing ceremonies for Las Fiestas de Ibarra were uber lame. Said person thus decided to create an epic day of glamor, excitement, and heritage. In more plain words, an excuse for everyone to go out and get bombed for one last hurrah.
Basically the day starts with a huge parade through the streets of Ibarra with floats, people on horseback, and of course ¨Reinas.¨The reina culture in Ecuador is absoltuely outstanding. Everything from Banks, Supermarkets, Liquor Stores, to Mom and Pops´street meat vending station needs a quality reina. This year in honor of 400th aniversary of the foundation of Ibarra, the Reina of the city received a brand new car. Unreal. It´s a surreal multiplied version of little league baseball sponsors. ¨A next in the parade, it´s......Chico´s Bail Bonds´Reina. Wow isn´t she gorgeous?!?!?¨
Anyway so after all of the reinas comes the Zorro. Due to my inability to speak Spanish I had the hardest time figuring out who was going to appear. Someone first told me that there would be an animal fox, then I heard a man dressed up as a fox, but what I got actually was a very cool Anotonio Banderas look-a-like costume in ful fledged splendor. Whoever came up with Zorro´s outfit was an absolute genius. I would be hard pressed to find an outfit that could make people assume that the guy could simultaneously kick your ass, charm your mother, or steal your girlfriend. Very very cool. The last touch is so cool. It looks like a TDX swan song. Bobbing on the back of the Zorro´s horse is a beat up cotton sock that has been around since the first Caseria del Zorro. It even looked like past winners had etched their initials in the material. Awesome. Needless to say I am so pumped.
After the reinas and the floats come everyone else. I am not a huge fan of parades, but they love them here in Ecuador and who am I to argue. Hundreds of people on horseback come passing by. The highlights were the little kid junior division zorro and the action of horses pooping. I dont know if you all have ever witnessed this peculiar action, but it really is quite astounding. I mean the animals could be doing anything-neighing, running, pissing, banging, smooching, eating-literally anything and they would be oblivious to the alien spaceship door opening eruption of the feces. Yup you guessed it. I saw more than one horse poop on Saturday.
ANYWAY after the parade comes the cool part. All of the Ibarrians and their native gringo got into cabs and cars to head out to the top of the local mountain. Every city in the Sierras I have been to so far has a mountain with a statue on top. Ibarra´s statue is the one of the angels-I think Michael or maybe Gabriel. Can´t really remember at this point. The view from the mountain is surreal. You can see the entire city of Ibarra and the nearby lake called Yaguacoche, or Lake of Blood tears. Unbeliveable panaramic view of some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen.
The top of the mountain is the middle of the second stage of the parade. Basically the people on horseback trots after the Zorro to the top of the mountain and then down the other side to the Lake of Blood Tears. Watching the horses come up from the valley is awesome, but then watching them navigate downhill was ridiculous. Imagine a scene where 100 horses tip toe down a ridiculously steep incline surrounded by drunk Ecuadorians screaming and secretly hoping someone falls over. Ladies and Gentleman, Ecuadorian NASCAR. Every contestant gets a nice amiable applause when they touch the bottom of the hill safely, but let´s be honest. Everyone was talking about the fifteen your old who jumped off his horse, dodged six fatal hoof stamps in the six seconds, only to get back on his horse and tip his hat. Horses are also incredible animals. One of my Ecuadorian friends promised to show me the ropes one day and needless to say I am pumped. Caseria del Kanedog.
At the lake there is a Horserace Track. Even more unbelievable. Set on the haunches of the mountain range lies the laguna, and the race track is flanked by huge nascar stadiums. The view is beautiful and the people are all very rowdy. 25 ounce beers are being passed around for a dollar a piece in anticipation of the horse race.
First come the juniors division and then the big boys. Basically the Zorro is cut loose ten seconds before the other horses and then the melee ensues as everyone else tries to rip the swan song from the back of the horse to earn the honor to ride as next year´s Zorro and walk home with 1500 bucks. Not bad for an amateur horse race. Since a girls´haircut here is 2.50, I would say 1500 bucks is equivalent to a bajillion dollars.
The juniors division was won by a little lady zorro. People were pissed. I guess the Ecua Dads need to put the hurting on their sons a little bit or something. The chick looked stoked though. Caseria del Zorra next year for the tikes.
As for the main event I was thoroughly pleased. In front of our seats marked the spot where the Zorro was finally caught by his pursuer. I definitely was out of my seat and going crazy. The spectacle was so awesome. Ecuadorians love chanting and if I were on Horseback with a swan song in my hands walking off the track to chants of Zorro, I would be pretty pumped too. One of my ecua friends told me that some zorros never get caught and get to return next year. One even lasted for seven years or so. Pretty sweet right?
After the horserace comes the outdoor dome yourself party. I really wanted to check out the Zorro up close in personal but he didn´t bring his digs. Looked kind of chubby to be a Zorro, but so was Anthony Hopkins. The dancing was fun, their was native food provided, and I got to drink Ecaudorian fire water that tasted like anis.
By the way in case you were wondering caseria means ¨The hunting¨. Thanks so much for reading.
-Kane
So apparently 100 years ago someone decided that the closing ceremonies for Las Fiestas de Ibarra were uber lame. Said person thus decided to create an epic day of glamor, excitement, and heritage. In more plain words, an excuse for everyone to go out and get bombed for one last hurrah.
Basically the day starts with a huge parade through the streets of Ibarra with floats, people on horseback, and of course ¨Reinas.¨The reina culture in Ecuador is absoltuely outstanding. Everything from Banks, Supermarkets, Liquor Stores, to Mom and Pops´street meat vending station needs a quality reina. This year in honor of 400th aniversary of the foundation of Ibarra, the Reina of the city received a brand new car. Unreal. It´s a surreal multiplied version of little league baseball sponsors. ¨A next in the parade, it´s......Chico´s Bail Bonds´Reina. Wow isn´t she gorgeous?!?!?¨
Anyway so after all of the reinas comes the Zorro. Due to my inability to speak Spanish I had the hardest time figuring out who was going to appear. Someone first told me that there would be an animal fox, then I heard a man dressed up as a fox, but what I got actually was a very cool Anotonio Banderas look-a-like costume in ful fledged splendor. Whoever came up with Zorro´s outfit was an absolute genius. I would be hard pressed to find an outfit that could make people assume that the guy could simultaneously kick your ass, charm your mother, or steal your girlfriend. Very very cool. The last touch is so cool. It looks like a TDX swan song. Bobbing on the back of the Zorro´s horse is a beat up cotton sock that has been around since the first Caseria del Zorro. It even looked like past winners had etched their initials in the material. Awesome. Needless to say I am so pumped.
After the reinas and the floats come everyone else. I am not a huge fan of parades, but they love them here in Ecuador and who am I to argue. Hundreds of people on horseback come passing by. The highlights were the little kid junior division zorro and the action of horses pooping. I dont know if you all have ever witnessed this peculiar action, but it really is quite astounding. I mean the animals could be doing anything-neighing, running, pissing, banging, smooching, eating-literally anything and they would be oblivious to the alien spaceship door opening eruption of the feces. Yup you guessed it. I saw more than one horse poop on Saturday.
ANYWAY after the parade comes the cool part. All of the Ibarrians and their native gringo got into cabs and cars to head out to the top of the local mountain. Every city in the Sierras I have been to so far has a mountain with a statue on top. Ibarra´s statue is the one of the angels-I think Michael or maybe Gabriel. Can´t really remember at this point. The view from the mountain is surreal. You can see the entire city of Ibarra and the nearby lake called Yaguacoche, or Lake of Blood tears. Unbeliveable panaramic view of some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen.
The top of the mountain is the middle of the second stage of the parade. Basically the people on horseback trots after the Zorro to the top of the mountain and then down the other side to the Lake of Blood Tears. Watching the horses come up from the valley is awesome, but then watching them navigate downhill was ridiculous. Imagine a scene where 100 horses tip toe down a ridiculously steep incline surrounded by drunk Ecuadorians screaming and secretly hoping someone falls over. Ladies and Gentleman, Ecuadorian NASCAR. Every contestant gets a nice amiable applause when they touch the bottom of the hill safely, but let´s be honest. Everyone was talking about the fifteen your old who jumped off his horse, dodged six fatal hoof stamps in the six seconds, only to get back on his horse and tip his hat. Horses are also incredible animals. One of my Ecuadorian friends promised to show me the ropes one day and needless to say I am pumped. Caseria del Kanedog.
At the lake there is a Horserace Track. Even more unbelievable. Set on the haunches of the mountain range lies the laguna, and the race track is flanked by huge nascar stadiums. The view is beautiful and the people are all very rowdy. 25 ounce beers are being passed around for a dollar a piece in anticipation of the horse race.
First come the juniors division and then the big boys. Basically the Zorro is cut loose ten seconds before the other horses and then the melee ensues as everyone else tries to rip the swan song from the back of the horse to earn the honor to ride as next year´s Zorro and walk home with 1500 bucks. Not bad for an amateur horse race. Since a girls´haircut here is 2.50, I would say 1500 bucks is equivalent to a bajillion dollars.
The juniors division was won by a little lady zorro. People were pissed. I guess the Ecua Dads need to put the hurting on their sons a little bit or something. The chick looked stoked though. Caseria del Zorra next year for the tikes.
As for the main event I was thoroughly pleased. In front of our seats marked the spot where the Zorro was finally caught by his pursuer. I definitely was out of my seat and going crazy. The spectacle was so awesome. Ecuadorians love chanting and if I were on Horseback with a swan song in my hands walking off the track to chants of Zorro, I would be pretty pumped too. One of my ecua friends told me that some zorros never get caught and get to return next year. One even lasted for seven years or so. Pretty sweet right?
After the horserace comes the outdoor dome yourself party. I really wanted to check out the Zorro up close in personal but he didn´t bring his digs. Looked kind of chubby to be a Zorro, but so was Anthony Hopkins. The dancing was fun, their was native food provided, and I got to drink Ecaudorian fire water that tasted like anis.
By the way in case you were wondering caseria means ¨The hunting¨. Thanks so much for reading.
-Kane
posted by ecuadortraveler at 12:33 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home