Feliz Dia De La Mamá

Dia de La Madre is in full swing beginning Friday.  Cuecans really know how to throw their mom a party.  There are red roses everywhere.

My Spanish teacher fills us in on Ecuadorian traditions.  Moms here not only get flowers, gifts and family parties, they are also serenaded.  Friday evening we hear Mariachis singing to a table of rather serious abuelas in a restaurant we are passing by.

A few blocks later these appreciative moms are also being sung to by these teens.

No one here could forget Mother’s Day.  

On Saturday a group of five of us from the Spanish school hire a driver and van for a trip to some well known small towns in the mountains near Cuenca.  Ben and I met the driver, René, as he was our taxi driver from the Supermaxi.  He was a good driver (Ben liked that he flipped off a reckless driver) and a good salesman for his van services.  We went to Sig Sig, Chordeleg and Guaclaceo, all towns know for various local crafts.

The road is slow and windy and we have lots of chugging trucks to pass, but the countryside is gorgeous.

Our first stop is a guitar maker.  He is outside spraying lacquer with a kerchief over his face.

He has been making guitars for 45 years. 

He shows us the tiny layered wood pieces he makes as the basis for his inlay designs.

None of us are guitar players so no sales take place.

The towns all have a craft specialty and they all have attractive old plazas, but none of us are avid shoppers.  It’s nice though to have a leisurely day and see the mountains.  I stop in this bakery to admire the colorful cakes.  Notice the theme!

This mother is always on a pedestal!

Saturday morning Ben sneaks off to the flower market by the cathedral and gets me these lovely roses.  There’s good reason he’s the father of my children.

Sunday morning we head downhill for the 40 minute walk to church. Last minute shopppers are toting large flower arrangements and gifts for their mothers and we notice that many are getting TVs or washing machines for Mother’s Day.

Buses of soccer fans are arriving for the big match this afternoon.  We have arranged with our school friend, Heather, for her to buy our tickets early.  The stadium is on the way to the church and she sees us and runs to catch up.  She is wearing a Cuenca jersey she has bought on the street for $7.  Ben and I decide we need them too.

We get to church early enough to chat and find people just as friendly as before. The kids sing a song for all the moms and give all of us red roses.  The.minister gives a good sermon on the theme of “Forgiveness” and shares a very entertaining story of his start as a 60’s campus radical agnostic who went to seminary to avoid the draft.  Seminary changed him.

We swing by the stadium on the way home and are quite surprised to see police on armored horses and a lot of security.  We buy our jerseys - two for $12.

We are really glad we splurged on the $20 tickets for the covered section.  It will pour rain on this game.  The cheap seats are completely exposed and chock full of wild and crazy fans.  The Cuenca fans at our end of the field never let up their cheering and horns.  At the far opposite end, hundreds of Guayaquil fans in yellow are just as passionate and noisy.  Policia are everywhere.  There are riot police down near the field.

The first half of the game Cuenca dominates and has many shots on the goal, but their shooting is not their strong suit and the Guayaquil goalie is huge. No one scores.  The second half, Cuenca is losing ground and the game is turning mean with a a few yellow cards and two red cards - for each side.  With just minutes left, Guayaquil scores a goal and their fans go crazy while the Cuenca fans fume.  With only a minute to go, a melee breaks out on the field between the teams.  It is way down the field from us so we dont’t know exactly what has happened.  However, even before this, the riot police move into position guarding each end zone - presumably from fams leaping on the field for justice.  Now as the fight ensues, police and officials rush out towards the fight.  We decide it is probably a good time to exit the stadium ahead of the emotional fans.

It’s been quite a Mother’s Day!  Earlier each of our kiddos have called on WhatsApp to chat :) I think next year they should consider a serenade...