2013-03-29 Good Friday

【Aiden in English】

        Today was Holy Friday, and we stayed in Quito, Ecuador's capital city.

        At 9,350 feet/2,800 meters above sea level with a latitude of 0 ° 15  'S, Quito was the highest and only capital on the Equator in the world.

        After I put on a new set of clothes, Mom and I went down for breakfast. Our hotel was Patio Andaluz, and I wasn't surprised we couldn't pronounce it in Spanish. The breakfast mostly consisted of toast with ham, aged cheddar, French-Swiss, creamy Havarti, Dutch Gouda, American cereals, plantain chips, local fruits, fresh soursop (guanabana) juice/little orange (naranjilla) juice/banana passion fruit (taxo) juice, and authentic coffee. It was quite a simple meal for me.

        Later, our room's phone rang, signaling that our private tour guide had arrived. He looked very friendly and introduced himself as Juan Carlos Guerra. Juan Carlos sounded extremely popular, from the president to the ordinary people in Ecuador. Before I knew it, we were bumping on the streets up and down hills in the historical center of Quito. 

        We drove up a small hill to El Panecillo, where an enormous statue of the Virgin of Quito, an angel, stood on a snake she had killed. In Quito, the snake was believed to symbolize evil and was said to encourage people to do bad things. Mom and I could see the whole city, from the historic old town to the modern districts, with just a turn of our heads. The proliferation of churches, convents, and monasteries earned Quito the nickname "The Cloister of America," which led to its declaration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Even more impressive was that we could observe 16 active stratovolcanoes from the summit if the sky was clear enough. Only two showed up today, i.e., Pichincha and Cotopaxi, in the Andes mountains.

        After we took all the panoramic pictures Mom needed, we headed straight for the fascinating Calle La Ronda. During the late 16th and early 20^th centuries, La Ronda was home to several notable musicians, poets, historians, and other prominent figures in Quito's history. This neighborhood inspired poetry and some of the most romantic traditional music. It was a unique street for us to get a feeling of conventional life in colonial Quito. Within just two blocks of cobblestone streets, numerous small stores, bakeries, antique shops, and authentic Ecuadorian restaurants were located. Once in a while, we would come across various cultural activities and play universal games on the street, such as hopscotch, hula hoops, or aiming sticks.

        Mom looked desperate for some reason. When I asked, she said she wanted to see the Catholic Procession that happened only on Good Friday every year. Thousands of Catholics participated in the traditional Easter ceremony commemorating Jesus' resurrection. As we arrived at the Carondelet Palace in Independence Square, a large crowd of residents gathered around the streets. After we met, we were joined by Juan Carlos's wife, their 8-year-old daughter, a 10-year-old nephew, and a 6-year-old niece. It seemed as if we had caught up with the vast religious parade. Trumpets were blaring, and drums were being hit. Most people dressed in purple or blue with long sleeves covered their faces with high hoods. Some carried crosses, while others chanted as they marched from the Church and Convent of San Francisco. The hooded penitents were seeking purification. The procession ran through the main streets of Quito for 3-4 hours and ended with reading the liturgy in the convent. The Church and Convent of San Francisco were the oldest in Quito (1536-1580) and one of America's most prominent religious architecture complexes. The façade was said to have a style similar to that of El Escorial in Spain.

        Quito's ice cream, Ecuadorian water ice made in a copper paila, and plantain chips looked so tempting in the street. We proceeded along Garcia Moreno Street and passed through the Cathedral of Quito, characterized by its late Gothic arches, Moorish ceilings, and Baroque main altar. Soon, we found ourselves at the doorway of our hotel, facing the Basilica of the National Vow (1892-1988), which symbolized the most enormous neo-Gothic Basilica in the Americas. Mom paid cash and thanked Juan Carlos for being a good tour guide.

        When I was ready for lunch, my stomach rumbled like distant thunder, which I didn't realize it could do. I had a local appetizer of Mini Corn Tamalitos stuffed with chicken and vegetables, served on a bed of leaves with special Ecuadorian hot sauce, "Aji," and an entree of Fritada Quintana, made with pork sirloin, a potato patty, avocado, toasted kernel corn, and fried sweet banana. Pork sirloin was cooked as hard as the toasted kernel corn. Mom ordered the Easter special Ecuadorian Lenten chowder, Fanesca, a stew made of 12 different kinds of tender grains, beans, and dry codfish. The number of grains and beans symbolized the 12 apostles and the 12 tribes of Israel. Codfish represented Christ and the way his message nourished the Christian community. The soup tasted delicious; it was no wonder Ecuador was known for its soups! People put all sorts of soups on their tables every single day.

        As Mom decided to explore the local Mass late afternoon, we set off to see the most beautiful church in Latin America - the Church of the Society of Jesus on our own. Besides the seats, everything was decorated with gold, reflecting light every few seconds inside. It exhibited magnificent foliage, vines, fruits, birds, and caryatids. We were entranced by the splendor that met our eyes as we entered the church. Since we did not understand anything in Spanish or Latin, we left the church in a French style when the archbishop prayed in the middle of his Mass.

        In the US, we have never experienced the religious spirit with such faithful natives on Good Friday as Ecuadorians. Now, we are blessed to do it once in our lives.

【紅霞譯】

        今天星期五是耶穌受難日，我們來到厄瓜多爾“赤道”首都基多“第五”，碰巧與當地民眾一起歡度佳節。

        基多海拔9,350英尺／2,800米，南緯0度15秒，在世界上不僅算作地勢最高的首都，而且還是獨居赤道的國府。

        早起我穿好衣裝，立即和媽媽一起到樓下吃早飯，我們酒店叫安達盧西亞“安步”天井，因為不會西班牙語，所以總也叫不地道它的發音。這裡早餐主要供應烤麵包、火腿、黃油乾酪、蜂窩奶酪、丹麥半軟乳酪、荷蘭乾酪、美式麥片、芭蕉干、應時水果、新鮮刺果荔枝／小柑柚／香蕉西番蓮汁以及正宗咖啡，我簡單吃些東西應付了事。

        不一會兒屋內電話鈴聲響起，事先預約的私人導遊胡安·卡洛斯·格拉“神慈·自由人·士兵”正在酒店大廳等候我們，他看上去非常和善，其名字風靡厄瓜多爾全國，上至總統、下至百姓，“胡安·卡洛斯”多如牛毛。書歸正傳，轉眼間我們便出征在上坡下坡高低起伏的古城街道上。

        我們登上帕內西約“小塊麵包”山，眼前出現巨幅“基多聖母”塑像，她面容慈祥腳踩莽蛇，勇於為民除害，在基多人眼中蛇代表邪惡專做壞事。站在山頂放眼遠眺，整個首都盡收眼底，厄瓜多爾印第安民族歷史悠久，直至16世紀西班牙依靠宗教思想統治當地民眾300年，基多經歷了若干社會變革，再加上火山爆發、地震災害等自然磨難，土著部落在徹底擯棄印加帝國影響的基礎上不斷吸收兼容西方意識，結果教堂林立，歌特式、摩爾式、巴洛克式等建築風起雲湧，全方位矗立在古城各個角落。時至今日，本土傳統與殖民文化交織並重，教堂、修道院、修女觀幾乎完好無恙，最大程度保持了歷史原貌，古城遺風仍然不減當年，基多贏得了“美洲寺院”之盛譽，正因如此早在1978年間，世界科教文組織將基多歷史名城納入《世界遺產名錄》。更令人激動的是倘若天氣晴朗，基多周圍安第斯山脈中16座層狀活火山定將歷歷在目，只是我們來的時候僅看到兩座著名火山——皮欽查“兩座火山”峰和科托帕希“頸月”峰。

        等媽媽拍完所需全景相片之後，我們下山直取古城最浪漫的“圓街”，自16世紀晚期至20世紀初期，基多地區不少志趣相投的音樂家、詩人、史學家以及其他重要人物喜歡聚集於該地抒發情懷激揚文字，因此成就了許多厄瓜多爾詩歌創作和民族音樂，儘管這條鵝卵石鋪就的弄堂總長不過兩段街口，但卻以鄰家客居特有的方式向遊客展示不同風格的本土文化，雜貨鋪、糕點房、古董店和小吃餐館緊鑼密鼓，我們走東家串西家，逛得不亦樂乎，每隔幾步路遠我們都會停下腳步玩一玩全球流行的跳房子、呼拉圈、套圈等街頭遊藝項目。

        沒過多久媽媽看上去有點焦慮，我問她緣由，得知她想去看一年一度的天主教信徒為紀念耶穌受難而舉行的盛大傳統遊行，於是我們抓緊時間趕往地處獨立廣場上的總統府，在那裡我們不但正好與遊行隊伍會合，而且還巧遇導遊的太太、八歲女兒、十歲外甥和六歲外甥女。喇叭吹鼓聲起，有的身着紫色或藍色長袍，頭戴圓筒高帽，臉面遮擋得嚴嚴實實，還有的肩扛“耶穌神力無限”十字架，深表虔誠信主之心，盡展悔改罪過之意，他們從方濟各教堂出發，圍繞古城一周，歷時3～4個鐘頭，最後再回到方濟各修道院念經唱詩。方濟各教堂及修道院建於1536─1580年，既是基多最古老，同時又是美洲最大的宗教建築群，據說其正門效仿西班牙馬德里郊外的埃斯科里亞爾“爐渣”修道院設計而成。

        我們與路邊販賣基多冰激凌、厄瓜多爾刨冰、南美芭蕉片的小攤小吃擦肩而過，沿加西亞·莫雷諾“年輕·黝黑”(厄瓜多爾政治家)街緊隨人流進入基多大教堂參觀，晚期歌特式拱門、摩爾式房頂、巴洛克式主祭壇橫貫建築主體，由此出門朝全美洲最大的全國誓言大教堂方向走去，不知不覺回到酒店下榻，媽媽付完現金並衷心感謝這位導遊熱情周到的服務。

        午餐時分，我肚子叫得咕咕慘烈，猶如雷聲轟鳴，自己從未意識到腸胃內臟竟會鬼哭狼嚎！我頭台點的“玉米粽子”，雞肉蔬菜餡通常蘸土著辣醬，主餐上了“油炸豬腩”配土豆餅、鱷梨片、烤老玉米粒和油炸芭蕉塊，豬腩硬得實在嚼不爛，可以對決拼盤上的老玉米豆；媽媽則根據厄瓜多爾復活節正宗食譜要來“齋汁”聖周春湯，它由12種不同穀物和鱈魚乾煮成的雜燴，而12種穀物代表耶穌12門徒和以色列12支派，鱈魚則代表聖主耶穌以及由他栽培的基督信徒。聖周春湯喝起來味道不錯，難怪厄瓜多爾是一個翡聲國際譽滿全球的泱泱“湯”國，本土居民每天都要喝湯。

        傍晚臨近媽媽決定參加節日彌撒，我們立刻動身前往拉丁美洲最為富麗堂皇的教堂──耶穌會教堂，除了長凳座位之外教堂內到處鑲金鍍金，打造得金碧輝煌；燈光下，金樹葉、金藤枝、金鳥禽和金女像柱光芒四射，耀眼奪目。我們一進入主殿大堂，立刻被它的神彩聖明所迷住，可惜因為完全聽不懂西班牙語甚至拉丁文，我們只好中途退堂。

        在美國我們從來沒有親眼目睹像南美天主信徒如此虔誠慶祝耶穌新生，因此格外慶幸今生通過朝拜盛況了解基多文化背景，真正認識厄瓜多爾人。

Quito, the Middle of the World (基多·世界中心)

Breakfast @ Hotel Patio Andaluz

(安步天井酒店·早餐 03-29-2013)

Courtyard @ Hotel Patio Andaluz

(安達盧西亞天井酒店·廳堂 03-29-2013)

Mini Tamales, Fanesca, & Fritada Quitena @ Hotel Patio Andaluz

(安達盧西亞天井酒店·迷你玉米粉蒸肉、聖周春湯與油炸豬腩 03-29-2013)

Bar @ Hotel Patio Andaluz

(安達盧西亞天井酒店·酒吧 03-29-2013)

Restaurant @ Hotel Patio Andaluz

(安達盧西亞天井酒店·餐廳 03-29-2013)

Lounge @ Hotel Patio Andaluz

(安達盧西亞天井酒店·休息室 03-29-2013)

Nintendo 3DS XL  @ Hotel Patio Andaluz

(安達盧西亞天井酒店·任天堂3DS XL遊戲 03-29-2013)

Virgin of Quito, Inspired by the Biblical Book of Revelation

(基多聖母雕像·靈感來自聖經《啟示錄》 03-29-2013)

El Panecillo w/ Virgin of Quito Sitting atop the Hill

(帕內西約山·山頂上坐落着基多聖母)

The Historic Center of Quito, Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978

(基多歷史中心·1978年被聯合國教科文組織納入《世界遺產名錄》)

Old Town, Founded in the 16^th Century on the Ruins of an Inca City, Standing @ an Altitude of 2,850 Meters/9,350 Ft

(老城·建於16世紀的印加古城遺址之上，海拔2,850米/9,350英尺)

Aerial View of Independence Plaza, the Heart of Quito's Historic Center

(鳥瞰獨立廣場·基多歷史中心的核心地帶)

Independence Plaza w/ a Statue of Lady Liberty, Symbolizing the Ideals of Freedom & Independence

(獨立廣場·矗立着自由女神像，象徵自由和獨立的理想 03-29-2013)

Aerial View of Basilica of the National Vow, the Largest Neo-Gothic Basilica in the Americas

(鳥瞰國家誓言大教堂·美洲最大的新哥特式聖殿)

Basilica of the National Vow, Featuring Sculpted Representations of Ecuadorian Animals Like Armadillos & Llamas, Adding a Unique Local Touch Instead of Traditional Gargoyles

(國家誓言大教堂·刻有犰狳和駱駝等厄瓜多爾動物的形象以增添獨特的當地風情，而非沿用傳統的石像鬼)

Basilica of the National Vow Viewed from Hotel Balcony

(從酒店涼台觀望國家誓言大教堂 03-29-2013)

Venezuela Street (委內瑞拉“小威尼斯”街 03-29-2013)

 Plaza San Francisco, Arguably the Largest in the Old City

(聖弗朗西斯廣場·老城最大的廣場)

Plaza de San Francisco, a Major Public Square in the Historic Center

(聖弗朗西斯科廣場·基多歷史中心的主要公共廣場 03-29-2013)

Domes of the Church of the Society of Jesus Viewed from  Plaza de San Francisco

(從聖弗朗西斯科廣場近觀耶穌會教堂穹頂 03-29-2013)

Church of La Compañía or Church of the Society of Jesus, the Temple of Solomon of South America

(耶穌會教堂·南美洲的所羅門“和平”聖殿)

Nave @ Church of the Society of Jesus as Golden Ember

(耶穌會教堂中殿·金色餘燼)

Church and Convent of St. Francis, the Oldest & Most Significant Religious Site in Ecuador 

(聖弗朗西斯“自由”教堂和修道院·厄瓜多爾最古老、最重要的宗教聖地)

Church & Convent of San Agustín, w/ the 1st Cry of Freedom

(聖奧古斯丁“高貴”教堂和修道院·由此響起民族自由的呼聲)

Bell Tower @ Church & Convent of San Agustín, Reaching a High of 22 Meters/70 Ft & Housing 2 Bronze Bells 

(聖奧古斯丁教堂和修道院·鐘樓高達22米/70英尺，內有兩口銅鐘)

Santa Clara Monastery, the Most Significant Female Abbey in the Town

(聖克拉拉“明亮”修道院·該市最重要的女修道院 03-29-2013)

Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito, Consecrated in 1545, the Senior-most Catholic Church in the Country 

(基多都市大教堂·祝聖於1545年，全國最古老的天主教堂)

Altar @ Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito

(基多都市大教堂·祭壇)

Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito w/ Its Mudéjar-Style Coffered Ceiling Featuring Intricate Geometric Patterns & a Significant Example of Spanish-Moorish Architectural Influence in the Americas 

(基多都市大教堂·擁有穆德哈爾“獲准留下”風格複雜幾何圖案的格子天花板，成為西班牙—摩爾式建築在美洲影響的典範)

Roof, Domes, & Lantern Roofs @ @ Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito

(基多都市大教堂·屋頂、圓頂和燈籠屋頂 03-29-2013)

Numismatic Museum of the Central Bank of Ecuador, Former Central Bank of Ecuador, Built in 1927

(厄瓜多爾中央銀行錢幣博物館·建於1927年的前厄瓜多爾中央銀行)

Jesus in the Great Power (萬能的耶穌)

Jesus in the Great Power Procession on Good Friday

 (耶穌受難日·萬能的耶穌遊行 03-29-2013)

Cucuruchos, Men in Purple Tunics to Represent Penitence 

(庫庫魯喬斯“身穿紫色長袍的男子”·象徵着懺悔)

Women in Verónicas,  Representing the Woman to Wipe Jesus' Face w/ a Cloth as He Carried His Cross, Accompanied the Image of Jesus the Almighty 

(身穿維羅尼卡“真實形象”的女子·象徵着在耶穌背負十字架時用布擦拭他臉龐的女子陪伴着全能耶穌的聖像）

“O Lord, you are so good and kind, so ready to forgive; so full of mercy for all who ask your aid.”–Psalm 86:5“ 

(主啊，你如此善良，如此樂於寬恕；對所有向你求助的人，你都充滿憐憫。”——詩篇 86:5)

Carondelet Palace & Hotel Plaza Grande

(卡隆德萊特“小鈴鐺”宮與大廣場酒店 03-29-2013)

Carondelet Palace Serves as the Seat of Government & Official Residence of the President of Ecuador

(卡隆德萊特宮·厄瓜多爾共和國政府所在地和總統官邸 03-29-2013)

Meet Tour Guide Family @ Carondelet Palace

(卡隆德萊特宮·與導遊一家 03-29-2013)

Carondelet Palace_Guard Dressed in Traditional Ceremonial Costume  During a Presidential Parade in Plaza de la Independencia

(卡隆德萊特宮·衛兵身着傳統禮服參加獨立廣場的總統遊行 03-29-2013)

Courtyard of Carondelet Palace

(卡隆德萊特宮·庭院 03-29-2013)

Historic Old City Viewed from Carondelet Palace

(從卡隆德萊特宮觀看歷史古城 03-29-2013)

Archbishop's Palace, Exemplifing the Unique "Art School of Quito" w/ a Blend of Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish, & Indigenous Artistic Influences 

(大主教宮·體現獨特的“基多藝術學校”風格，融合西班牙、意大利、摩爾、佛蘭芒和土著藝術的影響)

Archway of Calle La Ronda

(隆達“圓”街·拱道 03-29-2013)

Calle La Ronda, the Most Famous Street in the Colonial Center of Quito 

(圓街·基多殖民中心最著名的街道 03-29-2013)

Calle La Ronda, Bohemian Barrio 

(圓街·波西米亞“放蕩不羈的藝術家“社區 03-29-2013)

Calle La Ronda, the Crown Jewels of Quiteño Culture 

(圓街·基多本土文化的珍寶 03-29-2013)

Hula Hoop on Calle La Ronda (圓街·呼啦圈 03-29-2013)

Harpsichord w/ Double Keyboard, Symbolizing Resurrection 

(雙鍵盤大鍵琴·象徵重生 03-29-2013)

Street Vendor of Plantain Chips (街頭攤販·兜售芭蕉片)

Street Vendor of Ecuadorian Ice (街頭攤販·兜售厄瓜多爾刨冰)

Street Vendor of Ecuadorian Icecream

(街頭攤販·推銷厄瓜多爾冰激凌)

Patisserie (糕點)

Cemetery of San Diego, the Final Resting Place for Many Famous Figures from Ecuador's Past, Including Presidents, Poets, & Military Leaders 

(聖地亞哥“後繼者”公墓·厄瓜多爾許多著名人物的安息之地，其中包括總統、詩人和軍事領導人)

Modern Quito (基多新城)

Pichincha, a Stratovolcano in Ecuador

(皮欽查山·厄瓜多爾的層狀火山)

19,347-ft/5,897-m Stratovolcano Cotopaxi

(19,347英尺/5,897米科托帕希火山)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

Ecuador(出遊厄瓜多爾)

South America(漂流南美洲)

小學四年級(4th Grade)