Capturing Riobamba

Whenever travelling in South America, my camera is never far from my fingertips. I have, therefore, amassed hundreds of photographs of church steeples and the Andes scraping the sky. Yet, while I love these images, they don't seem to epitomize South America because, quite simply, they always seem to lack people. Although I try to capture the people flooding the public squares and the marketplace, my camara never manages to capture the intangible magic and cultural friction that makes Ecuador such an interesting and excellent home.

Although my photographic inabilities have long plagued me, my struggles were particularly acute when I trekked to Riobamba last weekend. Riobamba (AKA Riobamba), one of the largest and coldest cities in Ecuador, lies 2750 meters in the air. t is surrounded by three snow-capped volcanos in spite of its proximity to the equator. It is, therefore, absolutely stunning.

Yet, its natural wonders are overshadowed by its cultural ones. It boasts a largely indigenous population, many of whom still adorn themselves with tradition clothing and panama hats. Many still speak Kichwa according to a friend living in the city. This creates an interesting juxtaposition with the signs of “modernity” or “westernization” also frequent in the city and it certainly made for many interesting and thought-provoking jaunts through the city although, unfortunately, I struggles to adequately capture the cultural clash on my camara.

Of all the places we visited, which include several churches and an artisan market, my favorite was undoubtedly the livestock market. It can best be described as absolute mayhem. Thousands of people packed into a small space which searching for the best deals on chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs (a Riobamban delicacy). Meanwhile, the vendors do whatever possible to attract potential buyers whether they do so be screaming or sidling up alongside the customers and whispering about their wares stored in large tweed sacks. They are quite talented; even I almost bought a live guinea pig after all for the discount price of $3.25.

Our trek through Riobamba not only enabled the Loja cluster of Omnibus 106 to discover a delightful Ecuadorian city, but it also allowed us to break up the trip home following reconnect. Every Peace Corps omnibus reunites after spending roughly three months at their sites to discuss their needs assessments and potential projects with fellow PCVs and their counterparts . Moreover, it's a chance to “reconnect” with old friends and laugh about the absurdity that is inherent to Peace Corps service (Absurdistan anyone?).

Following our brief stay in Riobamba, most of the 106ers from Loja relaxed in Cuenca and enjoyed the luxuries inherent to a city oriented around tourism. Es decir, we ate food containing vegetables and spices. Delightful. Before continuing onto our sites and beginning to work once again.