Quito, Ecuador

The mark of Simon Bolivar is evident in many South American countries this time of year, not excluding Ecuador. Ninety-nine years ago, his liberation efforts succeeded in establishing Ecuador´s independence, celebrated on August 10 in grand fashion. Coincidentally, Sven also celebrates his independence, from the womb, on August 10. Either occasion provides ample reason to take to the streets, along with the thousands of Ecuadorians.

Old Town transformed from a churning automobile-exhaust soup into a cascading stream of dark-haired aggregate as the narrow streets became hallways between plazas. Each open space large enough to hold a handful of people became a stage for festivities ranging from tuba-tossing Latin beats to nightmare-inspired interpretive dance. As soon as one event was inaudible in transit along the cobbled streets, another beat was heard resounding off the Spanish-colonial façades. Fireworks punctuated the evening at intelligible intervals, shot from the surrounding hilltops with no regard for the early morning hours, but no complaints were heard, as all who were in earshot were eagerly participating in populating Old Town to well-beyond capacity.
Despite the seemingly prime setting for thievery or other debaucherous activity, everything went off with brilliant success, proving the unaccountability of second-hand stories that claim danger lurks on every street-corner. Until we find that nastiness, we´ll continue believing that people are people and we´re all inherently good. Ignorant? Idealist? Maybe, but better than being skeptical.