Memorial Day – Cuenca Style
A sobering day.
While the U.S. marks another Memorial Day with respectful ceremonies honoring those who have paid the ultimate price in the name of our freedoms (along with yes, a 3 day holiday and hamburgers on the grill – yay!), here in Ecuador this time of year is marked by the festival of Corpus Christi.
Then again, it seems Ecuador has an infinite supply of such festivals – enough for several each week!
In any case, while I enjoyed sampling the sweets along with the nightly “castle” spectacles (30 foot tall bamboo frameworks covered in an intricately sychronized pyrotechnic display of whirling sparkly pinwheels), a small part of my heart remained subdued, and I decided to hold my own little “memorial” to honor those strangers that lived and died here in my adopted home.
On the eastern edge of El Centro lies Cuenca’s municipal cemetery (Cementerio Municipal Patrimonial}. I’ve long wanted to explore it but just never before managed to make the short walk east. But when I awoke this morning, it suddenly dawned on me – what better time to pay my respects to those who’ve gone before me, than this Memorial Day Monday in my native land?
Thus… I present to you on this sobering memorial day – a photo essay of the resting grounds for folks who once lived here in Cuenca, Ecuador.
A flower kiosk just outside the cemetery entrance
The entrance to the Cementerio Municipal Patrimonial in Cuenca Ecuador
It seems all the tombs are located above ground.
Each tomb has a weather-proof door that allows loved ones to add fresh flowers, etc.
Paying their respects…
A bit provocative for a tomb marker, but hey – this is Latin America after all!
A plane. An octopus? Must have crashed into the sea in WWII?
A family tending to their departed loved one.
The cemetery stretches quite far.
An antique Ecuadorian hearse
Freshly laid flowers on one of the graves
My own personal Memorial Day bouquet – 4 roses for $1!
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About the Author
Dyanne Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion,and I’ve always lived life “like-a-kid-in-a-candy-store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been: This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!
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Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion, and I’ve always lived life “like a kid in a candy store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been:
Holidays tend to sneak up when you live out of the US (if it weren’t for the emails advertising sales I’d never know!) but, then again, we seem to get many more holidays wherever we happen to be. Who cares about three-day weekends when there’s a celebration every week or two? What fun!
Indeed Anita, “3 day weekend”? Who cares, when you’re retired and EVERY 3 days is a holiday, yes? 😉