Culture Mashup

So, I found this moment to be an interesting one full of cultural surprises.  Kinda like peeling the layers off of an onion that's full of confetti, champagne, and song.

I'm in Cuenca, Ecuador.  

I'm sitting on the terraza of my hostel, Hostel Perla Cuencana. 

I'm drinking a Pilsener, which is the de facto national beer of Ecuador. 

I'm overlooking the city skyline, which contains a number of catedrals and terra cotta roofs.

In my ears is playing Three Six Mafia's "Late Night Tip."

I've donned my Ecuadorian national fútbol team jersey.  

It's Semana Santa, or Holy Week, in Cuenca and most of Ecuador.  

In the kitchen of the hostel simmers a soup that I've prepared.

I've decided to cook a soup called fanesca, which is only eaten on the Friday of Semana Santa.

I've altered the soup so that it's vegan.

Below me marches a procession carrying, amongst other things, dried bacalao (codfish) which will top bowls of fanesca city-wide.  

Anyway, thought this all somehow went together really well.  By the way, I will violate tradition and cook vegan fanesca for anyone who is hungry.  It's incredible.  Look it up, if you don't believe me.