Editor’s note: It gives me so much pleasure to introduce you all to our newest writer here at The Royal Tour! I’ve known Shauna Kanel since university. She is well-traveled, thoughtful, and brilliant, and her love of cultural immersion plays really well with the sorts of stories we like to tell here. In her first article, she dives into an Ecuadorean holiday. To read more about Shauna and to see her other articles as they come out, click here to visit her index page.
My love affair with Latin America began long ago, and every day I spend there my passion for the land and the people deepens. I find the cultures to be so rich and deeply-rooted, so reverent and enthusiastically celebratory – and this is exactly what I found in Quito, Ecuador. My family and I were planning a SCUBA dive trip in the Galapagos Islands, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to arrive in Ecuador early so that I could participate in one of the country’s most important celebrations: an annual commemoration of ancestors called Dia de los Difuntos. Quito is a wonderful capital all on its own, but experiencing a holiday here was special.
Many cultures have annual celebrations of their ancestors. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a festive autumn holiday celebrated in Mexico on November 1st and 2nd. Born from native Mesoamerican traditions that were combined with the Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, Día de los Muertos is known for its vibrant celebrations, colorful calaveras (painted sugar skulls), elaborate costumes, and sweet orange pan de muerto, or “dead bread”.
This holiday has its own incarnation in Ecuador. Día de los Difuntos (meaning Day of the Deceased) is a national holiday observed on November 2nd to celebrate and remember those who are… well, deceased. Although churches around the country honor the many founders and patrons of this old city year-round, Día de los Difuntos is a spirited and vigorous celebration for the souls of dead relatives who are said to visit living family members on this day. People take great care to prepare special foods and treats to nourish those souls, giving them the strength to move through the afterlife. For at least three years after an ancestor’s passing, families will gather to connect with those recently-lost souls. In rural areas, a traditional meal is often enjoyed at the cemetery, or sometimes even on the graves of the celebrated relatives, whereas in modern cities, families usually enjoy their traditional meals at home. Food is then brought to the cemetery and left on the grave of each ancestor. This holiday is a family-
focused fiesta of remembrances and stories.
Now that we have reviewed the history and significance of the holiday, let’s talk about the parties! Although I was tempted to find a more rural, traditional community for the celebration, travel delays forced me to stay in Quito – and I’m so glad it worked out that way! Now let me go back and start from the beginning.
I flew into Quito late on Halloween night. I had pre-arranged a driver (which I highly recommend for late-night arrivals anywhere) who met me easily and off we went. Prior to travel, several people warned me about safety concerns in the old historic center of Quito, especially at night. I’m not a nervous solo traveler, but when multiple trusted sources warn me about the same specific issue, I listen. So I chose to stay in a hostel just outside of the historic city center. Upon arriving at the intersection with my lodging, we found the road closed for a Halloween party with costumes and loud music, but really it was the start of the Dia de los Difuntos celebrations.
My first morning in Quito, November 1st, I joined a fantastic and free city tour, which conveniently departed from a travel office on the ground floor of my hostel. I felt well-oriented and learned about the history of this old city. In the afternoon, I did some exploring on my own, then returned to my lodging in anticipation of the evening’s festivities.
The hostel where I was staying in Quito is located on a beautiful old road called Avenida José de Antepara, and that night it was again blocked off for a massive street party with music, food, performances, and mobs of people. Multiple generations of families came out together to celebrate. Grandmas and babies, parents and teens, people appeared to stay mostly in family groups, but it was the kind of tightly-packed celebration more common before the COVID-19 pandemic. The time-worn cobblestones are flanked by brightly-colored buildings. Ornate window and door frames were carved and painted, adding to the old-school charm of the spiraling wrought iron balconies and doors. Above the street-turned-pedestrian-mall, colorful flags and bright lights floated and bounced in the breeze. Flowers, crosses, and skull art adorned the alcoves and spaces between the building facades, forming “ofrendas”, or altars, at which visitors could honor their ancestors. This tradition is often seen in private houses, where ofrendas are decorated with images and keepsakes of deceased ancestors, but public altars allow everyone a chance to leave a flower, a candy, or a trinket in honor of someone they would like to honor and celebrate. And of course, these ofrendas were often the backdrop for group photos and selfies.
I moved through the crowd to the bottom of the street where giant skeletons on stilts greeted those entering the festivities. Grandmothers lined the streets selling hot drinks and sweets. Traditional foods specific to this time of year include Colada Morada, which reminded me of a warm fruit smoothie, mostly berry flavored and purple in color. It is quite soothing and filling, but the moderately thick texture may not appeal to everybody. GuaGua de Pan is a sweet, baby-shaped bread decorated with icing, which can vary significantly in size, flavor, and composition throughout the different regions of Ecuador. These specialties are sold at cafés and restaurants from October through the end of the Día de los Disfuntos celebrations.
Canelazo is another warm, seasonal Ecuadorian beverage. Created in the 16th century to help combat the cold of the Ecuadorian Andes, canelazo is a festive drink that brings people together, warming body and soul with its heat and spice. At its core, this delicious and heartwarming libation is a combination of cinnamon water and sugar (preferably panela), usually served with sugar cane alcohol (aguardiente), and sometimes with naranjilla (a tropical fruit) juice. It is as easy to drink as it is to find. I often saw it served in large bottles or pitchers to be shared, but crafty and fancy variations exist. I popped into a small cafe and ordered a canelazo for myself, bringing the tall glass with me on another walk through the party.
On the main stage, a 6-person band played traditional and popular tunes. Hundreds of people clapped, sang, cheered, and danced with their families. All generations gathered around baby buggies, protecting the children and holding space for the elderly to wiggle and dance. As I moved down the cobblestones, I passed performers on small stages, dressed in costumes, telling stories with props and flair. I stopped to listen to a few of them; they recounted histories of famous persons and saints, stories of fate and intrigue. Crowds would form and dissolve around them; the people gasp, nod, and engage with the performers, learning or remembering important lessons from their shared histories. Exhausted by the crowds and the excitement of the evening, I returned to my lodging long before the festivities had ended; the sounds of music and conversation sent me off to sleep.
The following day I woke up early to cloudy skies, but still enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the rooftop restaurant of my hostel. As the clouds rose and dispersed, I jumped in a taxi to check out the “TelefériQo”, a gondola (“teleférico” in Spanish) that brings visitors up the mountains for magnificent views of Quito. The ride was beautiful. I took my time enjoying the views at the top, and then I traveled back to the hostel by taxi.
In order to meet my father and brother who were arriving that evening, I needed to move to a hotel in the historic center, where they would join me later. I only remark upon this to say that the taxi could barely move. It took almost 45 minutes to go one mile because the city was exploding with people who had come in for the fiestas of Día de los Difuntos. All around the historic center of Quito, festive decor and art, food vendors, musicians, church services, artists, and vendors contributed to high spirits all around. Día de los Difuntos kicks off the “holiday season”, which will continue right through to Christmas and New Years.
I was glad to have moved lodgings because it meant I could safely walk to my destination for the second night of holiday celebrations: Calle La Ronda. This charming city artery is one of the oldest streets in Quito. To find “La Ronda” walk four blocks southwest of Plaza Grande until you meet a dead end and see a bridge to your left. This ancient cobblestone street once hosted artists, poets, and musicians, whose lives and lodgings are remembered in placards along the street. One of the oldest thoroughfares in Ecuador, La Ronda is now a popular area for nightlife, and that night it had been made a pedestrian-only zone.
The energy floated up from the festivities, spilling the sounds of celebration and music into the surrounding parks and plazas. I passed under the bridge, absorbed into the crowd under the colorful flags and lights zig-zagging above the walkways. I checked out what foods were on offer from the street vendors. Grilled skewers of meat smelled delicious. Hot plantains with cheese caught my eye. But it was the choclo con queso that I stopped for. I bought a hot ear of big, starchy corn on the cob (these kernels are less sweet and more starchy than the sweet corn most tend to think of). It was smothered in spices, cheese, cream sauce, and some minced meat (optional).
Street vendors gave way to bars, cafes, and restaurants showcasing their delicacies: humedas, quimbolitos, and “empanadas de viento”. Windy empanadas? Empanadas of wind? Of course I had to try this treat! They seem to come in many sizes, so I found a restaurant that made small ones. These sweet and salty empanadas puff up when fried, thus the name. The dough yields a fluffy yet crunchy snack with a sweet coating of powdered sugar, and melty, gooey cheese inside. They reminded me of cheesy beignets.
After two exciting and memorable nights celebrating Dia de los Difuntos in Quito, I floated back to my hotel to rest up for the next stage of my trip. Participating in these deeply-rooted and meaningful celebrations was one of the highlights of my travels in Ecuador, and an experience that will stay with me for a long time.
Editor’s note: reader Lorraine C., who resides in Quito, wanted to add a bit of context. She says that the party aspect Shauna experienced is not traditional, and is an effort by the current mayor to add life to the old city. I have no way to verify any of this, and can only say that even if Shauna’s experience was not as traditional as we might believe, it was authentic, reflecting the “now” in Quito.
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