December 31st 2014
I wake up at 5:45 and pack my soaked and stinky backpack full of soaked and stinky clothes and silently take my leave of Casa de Cecilia (Dorms 9 USD), slipping out into the eery predawn light along side the hostel’s two dogs. They bud me a nervous goodbye as I head into town to catch the 6:30 bus back to Quito. Again this one is barely a third full and buying my ticket early seems stupid.
As I wait for the bus to be ready in the station a friendly wiener dog hops up and plays with me until it’s time to go. The ride passes easily enough and this time I’m ready, snapping a picture of the Mitad del Mundo monument marking the equator from the bus. Of course for those in the know the French actually built the monument in the wrong place, and now it’s one museum with another much smaller one on the actual Equator nearby. Having crossed the equator several times in the Galapagos I don’t feel the need to disembark and explore and before you know it I’m back on the packed metro bus bound for somewhere close to hostel Minka. I feel embarrassed the whole way, as, despite my best effort, my belongings smell pretty awful, and even though I’m clean I definitely get a few dirty gringo looks, but their usually followed by seemingly understanding smiles. I want to scream it’s not me! It’s my bag and my shoes.! But in the end I decide that would only make matters worse.
The route back is a little different and I end up climbing off near the Mercado Central and walking the ten minutes to Minka where I quickly switch bags and shoes, leaving the spoiled ones outside to dry as best they can. Anyone got any solutions for a stinky bag? It’s still not pristine.
From the hostel I take another metro bus to Mundo Mac where I reclaim my newly functioning macbook air a grin on my face. On the way back to the bus stop I end up walking by an impromptu street stall selling wigs, effigies, masques and fireworks. What more could a man want?
After some bargaining I walk out with awesome fireworks, a neon purple wig and a mask full of character and an Osama effigy for 12 USD. This is going to be one hell of a new years eve.
I climb back on to the bus and am greeted by grins at the Gringo who’s quite clearly embracing the Quito new year traditions. Honestly, in that moment I had no idea how fully that would end up being.
As I climb off the metro bus at the right stop this time I’m greeted by a few young men dressed as women in the street, who are very touchy, and I’m instantly returned to Thailand and it’s countless lady boys. The difference? Here it’s one day a year, and the looks not quite so realistic.
I head back to Minka and run into an Italian and Uruguayan friend who get me to buy in on a communal dinner for the hostel. The real sense of friendship and community is part of what makes Minka hostel a great choice if you’re staying in Quito. Relaxing in bed I accidentally end up taking a two hour nap with Osama Bin Laden. But hey, what can I say? He tired me out. And dude’s damn good at spooning.
I wake up and work on a T.V. show I’m writing with a friend entitled, “What Are Friends For” We’re six episodes in and I’m starting to get excited about it, so hopefully they’ll be more news on that writing front in 2015.
Finally at about 7:30 we shut down the writing, I don my beautiful wig and head upstairs to be social. Before long I’m told we’re heading outside and meet my fellows in arms, Marius from Germany, and Dimitri from Ukraine, both wearing full dresses along with wigs. My full bodied frame made finding a dress all but impossible, but my origins from the theatre world kick in and soon a rainbow checkered fleece blanket is wrapped tightly around my curvaceous form as a strapless dress. Here’s the whole look:
I’m not sure what we’re doing exactly but I take Osama out with me and before long we’re are dancing in the streets, stopping traffic and asking for money. The Quito tradition for new years and I must admit, it’s one I found very easy to get on board with. After all, it’s been a bit too long since I made a complete fool out of myself. And I mean that last bit in the best possible way.
Marius is Luke warm to the dancing (wait no, because Luke is very warm to the dancing, so he is more reserved and removed from it) but Dimitri and I go full throttle, channeling our inner ballerina’s/ club girls and putting on a show. I’m sure some of these pictures will come back to haunt me but just remember, I’m only blending in with the local culture, really throwing myself into Ecuador and all it has to offer as any good traveller should. Plus, in the end we made 13 dollars, which in Quito goes quite always. Also, don’t I make a sexy woman?
But it isn’t the money that makes it a truly amazing new years eve. It’s the people. From Sandra, Mishelle and the rest of the hostel staff at Minka who hold up a rope of ties to block traffic and provide the music for our dancing, to the other guests who occasionally jump in and also document the hell out of the whole thing, to the people in the cars who explode with joy and laughter at seeing two gringo’s shake all that their momma’s gave them for pocket change, embracing the Ano Nuevo traditions of Ecuador, to my partner in crime Dimitri who’s enthusiasm and commitment make it okay for me to go all out. People take pictures, give us hugs, try to drag us into their cars, and just about everything else.
The men try to hold back laughs as we wave and blow kisses as they hand us money. We smile our most seductive smiles and in sultry shy whispers tell them “gracias Papito!”
We eat dinner up in the hostel Common area around 10 and then head back out onto the street for still more dancing, as well as to burn the effigies. As with most theatre making use of your set and props improves any show and this second round of dancing sees me getting personal with a traffic light pole, and using the tied together ties in all sorts of weird sexually provocative ways. Basically lots of fun. (If I can find someone to give me their pictures I’ll add more to the entry. You know you want them!)
When midnight comes burning Osama hurts a little, but the euphoric joy of everyone around me as one by one we leap over the bonfire of effigies, and group hug each other bouncing up and down wishing each other an amazing 2015 makes up for the deep sense of loss which comes from losing a friend and possible casual sex partner.
In fact, I’m euphoric more or less the whole night, dancing like I’ve never danced before. Finally using those three years of university Dance. Here’s the new year shot poorly I’m my Ipod as both my camera’s had no battery’s left.
Around 2 am people head out to a discotek, but I’ve expended all my energy and besides Manchester United play at 7:30 and how could I miss that? So I head to bed and wish them all a happy new year.
I end up lying in bed awake a long time thinking about all the wonderful things I’ve seen and done in 2014. Find those musings here. I also can’t help but laugh as I think back to my two new years eves abroad, both so incredibly different and yet equally memorable.
January 31st 2013 saw me in Varanasi India, one of my favourite places in my entire world. There, the tourists mixed with locals as we sat on a roof overlooking the Ganges river, playing games but also sharing deep discussions about women’s struggle in India and other deep philosophical topics, like love. The deepest of them all. That night I met great friends, Indian, Spanish, Australian, and otherwise. We connected as people and stayed up way too late, talking, laughing, and thinking. It was meaningful, enjoyable and almost spiritual.
This year, well. It was something else. Not less, just different. I’ll leave you with this video to explain it.
