Corpus Christi

If you like sweets, come to Cuenca. Now.

This past week the city has been celebrating Corpus Christi. For those of you who are not familiar with that holiday (like me), Corpus Christi literally means the body of Christ. Apparently there is a golden piece of bread that is somewhere in town that is revered and is said to represent Jesus, based on the story of how he said that the bread was his body. Something like that.

But I haven't seen any bread. Just rows and rows of sweets. Lining the main square are dozens of tables that are filled with every sort of pastry, cake, cookie and candy that one can imagine. I don't really like sweets, I find them, well, too sweet. Also, as much as I like street food, so do the bees. They like sweets and I am not fond of eating food that had just been home to a dozen bees.

On Tuesday night Carlos and I wandered through the main square where he bought some sweets and I had one alfajor (a sandwich of vanilla cookies with dulce de leche in the center and rimmed with coconut). But after that we had some meat on a stick (no bees).

However, the highlight of the evening is the castillos. There are two or three each night. These are bamboo towers that have been decorated with tissue paper and fireworks. I know, tissue paper and fireworks do not sound like a very wise combination, but it works. The castillos are beautiful and smokey and loud. They are usually three of four different levels. The fireworks are set so they start at the bottom and work their way up to the top, where the most spectacular ones are. Also, at the same time other fireworks are being set off and tissue paper hot air balloons.

Makes for a beautiful night (except if it rains).

Note: I have no idea what is up with the fonts...will try fix soon.