Burning the old year in Cuenca
Trip Start
Aug 21, 2008
1
40
59
Trip End
Ongoing
Cuenca, Ecuador
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
In Cuenca, effigies are made of old clothes stuffed with newspaper and adorned with a mask. These are known as the "Año Viejos" or Old Years, and are burnt at midnight on New Year´s Eve. The idea is to leave any negativity or problems behind in the old year and start afresh. I was hoping to find a George Bush mask but to no avail, so we bought the most ugliest masks we could find to wear on the night.
We met up a couple of Canadians and Australians to see in the New Year and after a few beers were ready to party. Fireworks were sod on the streets for peanuts so we had a few laughs with them. I somehow managed to hit an old guy behing me whilst ´flicking´ shots of fireworks up the street. I felt a bit bad until Sophia, the Ozzie girl informed me she had just been groped by him....talk about Karma!
At 12 o clock all the effigies were set on fire and the crazy backpackers danced around the bonfire to the sounds of Raggton whilst the locals watched on....I thought WE had come to Cuenca to come watch the LOCALS...not the other way around.
The next morning, we headed to Peru crossing at reputably the most dangerous border but with security in numbers. 4 guys and 2 girls crossed at Tumbes on the back of a pickup truck (free) with no problems whatsoever except everyone trying to rip us off for taxi rides and money exchange on the other side (including the police!). Fortunately we were all clued up and didn´t get too swizzled...and made our way to Mancora...a Peruvian Beach party town.
To our amazement there was hardly any accomodation and spent a good 90 mins searching only to pay $20 for a very basic room. Knackered... we sought out food but everywhere was still heaving from New Years...bar upon bar pumping out the loudest party music in competition with each other. After a quick thai meal whilst having our ears abused with the sound of a car alarm constantly going of for 30 mins we decided that Mancora was a bit too party for us and decided to get out as quickly as possible for more sedate settings.
Mer and I spent the next day on the beach under a gazebo; chilling watching the world go by...(some great Kite-surfers), eating local fish and sampling every beer on offer. It was needed. That night at 11pm after a complete debacle with booking a bus outta town (bus bitch skimmed everyone for $2 each) we journeyed to Trujillo further South.
POSITIVES
- We didnt have to pay for the beach Gazeebo whilst we slowly got drunk.
- Sarina in Mancora (Peruvian Gourmet) was the best food I´d tasted in months although a little expensive at $20 each - SPLURGE! - worth it..
- The waves are good for beginner surfers
NEGATIVES
- Unless you are 20 or single (unfortunatley I am neither anymore), Mancora nightlife doesnt have a lot to offer...another party beach town ..nothing special...
- Use Chiclayo Bus Company as a last resort....tried to screw us and crap bus with no bed, toilet, food or water for ten hours...ugh
[Meridyth's POV: Not the most party-party new year´s eve ever... but definitely cool to see the burning dolls and being part of a huge bonfire. And it was nice to meet some fellow travelers, especially the Canadians. One looked pretty tough, so we figured he´d be good to protect us against any sketchy thieves on our border crossing... while the other was actually Guatemalan and knew the language. Perfect travel companions! Agreed about Mancora... the beach town is 10 years too young for me. Or maybe I´m too old for it. Regardless, so glad to be out of there. But that dinner at Sirena was amazing! Best tuna steaks ever... I still have shivers just thinking about it. :) ]
