Carnival in Puerto Quito

(It took Joke 3 months of prodding to make me write this post)

Carnival is a big deal in South America (think Rio de Janeiro) but we celebrated Ecuadorian-style: playing twister with 100 other people in a bus full of smoke, careering around bends with hundred meter drops to one side. Faith is strong in Ecuador as drivers clearly believe in an afterlife (the kind that doesn't involve hot fires and pointy objects). The road was paved but that's a mixed blessing since the bus can build up speed. Whenever we stopped in a small village to pick up new passengers (and play twister) the children would throw water balloons at us. Unfortunately not enough to put out the fire and after 4 hours of torture the bus breathed its last. Thankfully the next bus was slightly less 'dañando'.


When you have to start the Wikipedia page yourself for the town you're visiting then you know you're travelling a little off the beaten track. Puerto Quito, between the coast and Quito, is surrounded by jungle, banana plantations and has it's own party beach beside the river. The carnival celebrations are pretty intense with thousands of people throwing water and paint at each other. Joke proved to be an attractive target much to her displeasure ;-)

All in all it was a fun, adventurous long weekend with our Ecuadorian friends but we were glad to get back safe to Quito, our stomachs were still 'celebrating' carnival for a few more days.