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Yesterday (Sunday), when we got back from our ruins exploration at about 10:30 a.m., we had the taxi drop us off at Plaza De Armas so that we could start exploring the town.  In a bit of serendipity, we just happened to get there as a parade was about to start.  There was a grandstand set up, already filled with dignitaries, including military, and someone was making a speech.  There isn’t a lot of room here for a very large parade.  The Plaza itself is probably about the equivalent of three average city blocks (U.S.) by one city block. Even if it went completely around the square, we didn’t think it would take very long.  Were we ever wrong.  I don’t know how they had anyone to watch the parade because everyone seemed to be in it.  They only marched up one side of the Plaza, so it was a short route.  And the crowd got larger as the parade continued, because those that finished marching watched the other marchers.  Although most of the marching groups seemed to represent schools or trades, there were dancers in traditional costumes every once in a while.  We stood on the sidelines for almost an hour, but the sun was getting too hot, so we found one of the many balconied restaurants surrounding the plaza, got ourselves a balcony and had lunch as we watched the parade continue.  And continue and continue.  We took over an hour to eat lunch, just taking our time, and the parade showed no sign of ending — we could see it continuing to form at the other end of the plaza.  By the time we left the plaza, it had been going on for two and a half hours (I’m not making this up) and was still going strong.

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