New Year’s Eve in Ecuador: The Widows

I planned to post a special “Farewell to 2020” video tonight but … my Uruguayan friend who had custody left his computer in another city while he’s visiting a Colombian beach, so he can’t get it until next week, which is almost as good … you know how that goes.

The backup plan is from our holiday tour of northern Ecuador last year. A couple of days before New Year’s, we started running into makeshift roadblocks. The folks in charge approached us with a sad story. They had all been married to Señor 2019. Now that he was dying, they had no money for funeral expenses. Please could we chip in?

By December 31, the widows were everywhere.

Viyudas (widows) are an Ecuadorean tradition whereupon men dressed as women trick-or-treat for New Year’s Eve beer money. This group ran straight for my husband, Stephan, shrieking like he was a rock star. (He is.)

Stephan with the widows of 2019, Cotopaxil, Ecuador.

I don't for a moment regret the imminent demise of Señor 2020. This year has been filled with grief for so many of us. Thank you all for your support.

Big hugs to all survivors. Happy New Year!

Fair winds,

Christine

Do Tell!

What’s your favorite New Year’s travel memory?