So today I walked up to work and no one was there. I am not sure where everyone was, but it worked out well for me that they were not there. Since I did not have to work, I was able to meet Matt and the kids in Quito to watch the changing of the guards in front of the President's place. We got there right before 10 since we thought it happened at 10. There was a ceremony for some international coalition, and we thought that was it, but then all kinds of chairs were set up in front of the palace and there were a lot of people up there. We decided maybe the changing was not until 11 so we went up to check it out. We sat on a short wall and just sort of waited around. At 11 we were greatly rewarded for our patience and for getting there early. There was marching, chanting, singing, a big band, drums, a flag raising, guards on horses, the exchange of a sword and we saw the president. It was truly wonderful to see. The kids loved it, but I think Matt and I loved it even more. We had the best seats in the house and literally could touch the guards in front of us. We are so glad we got to be a part of this experience. It was also a beautiful day, which made it even better. Enjoy the pictures.
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| The first ceremony |
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| Some natives and you can't see the shine on the shawl, but it was beautiful |
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| New hat |
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| The president |
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| The man in front of me |
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| Exchanging the sword |
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| Marching around the plaza |
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| Raising the flag |
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| The band |
What a cool ceremony! Such culture. I bet you will miss that a lot. And the carpenter and Jose. You can call me on the way to work instead!,
ReplyDeleteYes we will truly miss the culture right up the street from us, but it was wonderful to be a part of for these five months.
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