We recently had a fiesta, and I never really understood what that means, before I came here.   November 2nd was The Day of the Dead when you visit all your deceased relatives in the graveyard and take floral tributes.  All very well, but that was a Wednesday.  For the rest of th week, banks, schools an government offices were closed while everyone partied.

On the Friday late afternoon there was a big fair up on the hill, here, with many food stalls, selling stalls, everything from dolls to air conditioners, children's rides and competing sound systems blaring out various messages and music in the salsa mode.  There was even a dog show, not to find the best of breed, but a fashion show to see who was the best dressed pooch!



We stuck the noise for a couple of hours and had good, though separate suppers ( mine was a roast pork roll - hot, with salad) and Calvin had goat stew.  Much dancing and pop groups were forecast for later in the evening, and apparently this fair went on the whole weekend.

On the Monday, fondly thinking it was all over, we went into Santa Elena to go to the market.  Fat chance.  We never even managed to cross the road, as there was a procession, withbands, and dancers and floats and marching ( in costume)  Again we watched it for 2 hours and saw no sign that it would end soon (and there were no repeats) Everyone and his grandma's cat was there, from every school, every municipal office, every local political chapter, football supporters' clubs and the bee-keepers, firemen and police.  so you can see, the town just couldn't function that day at all.

Now I understand a little about fiesta as seen from South America.

Ecuadorean houses are nothing like our own. The average plot size is 25m x 10m on which they then put a house which is 18mx8m, so no room for a garden.  two metres of this house will be covered verandah from the supports of which are hammock hooks.  I do not know if there is a law making his obligatory, but I have yet to see a house without them, or the hammock.  I have two myself, one a full size job and the other a hammock chair.

Inside the house, there are no passages.  The living space is open plan with just a counter to divide off the kitchen from the dining and living spaces.  Doors off this area are to bedrooms and bathrooms.  Ecuadorean bathrooms are typically as small as you can ge them, more like those on a ship than anything else.

Our own house is a little different in that it is on a double plot 500sq.m and boasts walk in closets (Ecuadoreans have no built in areas at all)  Also, our ensuite bathroom is good and big and has a jacuzzi with all the bells and whistles, so a gringo house.  We also have a pantry/laundry area in the kitchen.