Cucuruchos y Fanesca for Good Friday, Sentencing and Death of Jesus Christ.
Following the Via Crucis prayer in the morning, the religious community of Quito has only one thing on its mind: the great procession of Good Friday. The procession begins at midday to recall the hour which Pontius Pilate condemned Jesus to death. The hooded cucuruchos and the robed Verónicas are the traditional figures who accompany Jesús del Gran Poder (Jesus Almighty) and the Virgen Dolorosa (Virgin of Sorrows) on the procession. The cucuruchos symbolise the penitents who, dressed in purple, show their repentance and their will to change. There are also many penitents carrying crosses, or with their feet chained, or even with real thorns wrapped around their heads. The Verónicas recall the woman who came to Jesus as He carried the cross, and who wiped His face full of sweat and blood (the origin of the Shroud of Turin). In Quito , the Verónicas also wear purple, their faces hidden by black shrouds

My family decided to take Troy and Daren to see this incredible event and after we have Mami Chavi's famous Fanesca. Click the image on the right to see all the pictures.

Otavalo's beauty lies in its people, the indigenous Otavaleños. The Otavalo Market, which makes this market town famous, is undoubtedly one of the most important and spectacular markets in all of Latin America . My Mom, brothers Marcelo, Augusto, Efren, Francisco, sister Margot and their families join us in this trip to Otavalo, on the way back we stop in the Cabañas del Lago for a typical Ecuadorin lunch. Click the image on the right to see all the pictures.

Baños Situated in a valley of waterfalls and hot springs, Baños has become a mecca for international travelers seeking year-round temperate weather, a small town atmosphere, and a base for exploring the great Ecuadorian outdoors. Mami Chavi, Augusto Margoth Troy and myself got up early in the morning to do our journey into this magnificent place, located four hours by bus from Quito, Baños offers hot springs, horseback riding, trekking, rafting, climbing and mountain biking. It also offers easy access to Riobamba , the starting point of the exhilarating train journey down the Devil's Nose to the coast, and to Puyo, one of the gateways to the Amazon. Baños also serves as a popular site for studying Spanish -- a mellower and cheaper alternative to Quito . Click the image on the right to see all the pictures.

Quito , spread across a spectacular Andean valley and flanked by volcanic peaks, Quito 's setting alone is enough to strike you speechless. The historical center – or ‘old town,' as it's called – is a maze of colonial splendor, an Unesco World Heritage Site since 1978. Quito is currently flush with pride after 2006 marked the final installment of a massive restoration project that spruced up buildings and churches, brought historic theaters back to life and made the old town's formerly sketchy streets safe to explore once again. We arrived in Quito on 31 of March, stay at my Moms home and had a terrific time with her, my sisters, brothers, nieces nephews and relatives. Click the image on the right to see all the pictures.