Corpus Cristi de Cuenca

Cuenca loves to party and the more sugar the better.  60 days after Easter Corpus Cristi commences for 7 days, though we have been told Cuencans stretch it to 10.  It a Catholic holiday commanded by the Spanish in 1684 to supplant the Incan holiday of Inti Raymi.  We were astounded how in one afternoon leafy Plaza Calderon, the heart of Cuenca, was now encircled by stall after stall of dulces - candies and pastries of all types - 120 stalls total! 

The ladies spend a lot of time shooing bees away from the dulces.  People have little plastic baskets into which to place their selected treats.  We have only looked so far, but before the 7 (or 10) days are up we are going to buy a selection and then go home and brush our teeth.

Corpus Cristi starts with Mass at 8 pm.  A big crowd waits outside patiently for Mass to end and the fireworks to begin.  

There is plenty going on in the adjacent plaza and on the sidewalks to entertain people.  Games of chance with small prizes draw small crowds to cheer on the winners.

Vendors sell balloons, lighted swirly things, chips and lollipops.

These ladies sell espumilla, a egg white/sugar/fruit meringue concoction, on street corners all over the city.  It looks like ice cream and is served in cones, but it is unrefrigerated and never melts.  I can’t help but imagine what a breeding ground it could be for bacteria in the warm air, but locals love it.  Perhaps all that sugar acts as a preservative :)

We have watched for over an hour as workers hoist contraptions loaded with fireworks up to the top of the cathedral, into 2 window openings and right over the main doorway.  Finally, at 9:30 the worshippers flood out of the cathedral, the giant turquoise and gold doors swing shut, the firemen take their positions and the fireworks begin.  The words “Gloria al Santisimo” appear in gold with spurts of red and white fireworks.  Each window has a huge contraption that spins sending sparks everywhere. 

A rain of fireworks falls down over the front of the cathedral to oohs and aahs.  Finally, the big crescendo is blast after blast of fireworks over the Church, filling the night sky with color.

We had been warned by our Spanish teacher to be very careful of pickpockets etc. while at the event, so we take only one phone and little money.  No problems at all, but we head home soon after.  We hear revelers all night long from our windows far above the plaza.  We figure it may be best not to be downtown too late at night.

Speaking of celebrations, I was very touched Thursday to get to school and find these flowers on my school desk.  The teachers threw a little party for four of us with June birthdays!

Sheryl, left of me, and I share the exact same birthdate.  Our fellow students and the teachers sing us “Feliz Cumpliaños a Ti”.

Cake! All four of us feel quite special with all the attention :) 

Going to Spanish school has been such a good experience for us.  It gives structure to our days and slowly our communication abilities are improving.  We talk about Spanish a lot, I try to have conversations when possible (Ben is not there yet), we went a free class that happens each Wednesday, and will go when we can.  I am now happily binge-watching a telenova on Netflix :) 

Noah y Noelle llegan la próxima semana!  Estoy emocionado!

Translation: (Noah and Noelle arrive next week!  I’m excited!)