Angasmarca Knows How to Throw a Party

Angasmarca is an unremarkable town. There are no pre-Incan ruins, no Spanish colonial buildings, no handicrafts markets. Just a concrete little farming town with a small concrete plaza separated from any passing tourists by difficult dirt roads over almost impenetrable mountains.

But we rode into Angasmarca on the town’s birthday – the 31st annual celebration of its founding – and the people here are obviously very proud of their town and very happy to celebrate. Our path was blocked in every street and we stopped by the town plaza to see what was happening. It seemed that every school, church, civic organization, and indigenous culture had its own group parading for the rest of the town; marching, singing, and dancing and being applauded from a sea of leather faces and big straw hats.

As usual, we were initially ignored but very soon the curious kids and more adventurous adults came over to chat and a conversation started about who we were and why we were in their inaccessible town this lovely Sunday afternoon. Then came the photographs, and well wishes, and welcomes, and giggles, and a general breaking down of barriers that happens every time we stay long enough.

As we were getting ready to leave there appeared a couple of groups of people dressed in their cultural colors carrying palm fronds and each led by a man in a typical knitted mask with holes for eyes and mouth. Suddenly we were surrounded; pulled in by the masked leader with a rope in the form of a snake. First Fonz and Bill, then Pablo on his bike, then me when I tried to extract us from the celebration to hit the road. Obviously it was considered rude to leave before they had finished their song but we had to leave. This is no place to be riding at night.

Finally the police officer, with his ancient revolver, helped us steer away the people so we could ride and not hurt anyone. Angasmarca we will be back on your next birthday.