We arrived back in Quito on November 2nd, which is the Day of the Dead which is public holiday and a big family celebration. Everyone goes to visit their departed family in the graveyard and decorate the graves, perhaps have a picnic and leave some food for them. We went to a grave yard in a small town on the outskirts of Quito, the atmosphere was very festive and we appeared to be the only tourists.
Some of our group were a little uncomfortable about appearing like looky loos, but actually it was not a sombre occasion quite the reverse it was positively festive. There was even a rock band playing in the cemetery. The square in front of the church was full of vendors selling flowers and other things with which to decorate your family gravesite.
Our guide told us we had to try the traditional drink and bread that are only served on this day in Ecuador. The drink was colada morada made from blueberry, blackberry and other fruit in blue corn flour base.
My husband and I shared this, I was worried that it would be too sweet, but in fact it was not bad and served warm and full of fruit. What was served with this was guaguas de pan which is a bread in the shape of a baby. At least this is how the guide described it, I had trouble eating "babies" so I prefer to think of it as in the shape of a doll.
This turned out to be made of a sweet dough and tasted similar to brioche and was filled with a fruit filling, that looked like jam, but was not that sweet.
By this time it was past lunch time and I had seen a stall with a whole roasted pig on it, and I do so love whole roast pig,so I went over to check it out. By the time I got there the pig was almost gone.
But for $3.00 I got a hunk of pork and a nice piece of the crisp skin, mashed potatoes hot sauce and some green salad.
I did not eat the lettuce as everyone had warned me not to eat salad and peeled fruit and vegetables, but what could go wrong with eating roast pork and potatoes. Well nothing as it turned out, contrary to some on the groups dire predictions I was fine, and that was a very delicious piece of pork crackling.
Some of our group were a little uncomfortable about appearing like looky loos, but actually it was not a sombre occasion quite the reverse it was positively festive. There was even a rock band playing in the cemetery. The square in front of the church was full of vendors selling flowers and other things with which to decorate your family gravesite.
My husband and I shared this, I was worried that it would be too sweet, but in fact it was not bad and served warm and full of fruit. What was served with this was guaguas de pan which is a bread in the shape of a baby. At least this is how the guide described it, I had trouble eating "babies" so I prefer to think of it as in the shape of a doll.
This turned out to be made of a sweet dough and tasted similar to brioche and was filled with a fruit filling, that looked like jam, but was not that sweet.
By this time it was past lunch time and I had seen a stall with a whole roasted pig on it, and I do so love whole roast pig,so I went over to check it out. By the time I got there the pig was almost gone.
But for $3.00 I got a hunk of pork and a nice piece of the crisp skin, mashed potatoes hot sauce and some green salad.
I did not eat the lettuce as everyone had warned me not to eat salad and peeled fruit and vegetables, but what could go wrong with eating roast pork and potatoes. Well nothing as it turned out, contrary to some on the groups dire predictions I was fine, and that was a very delicious piece of pork crackling.
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