A quick glimpse of the parks of Riobamba
Thursday, October 26th, 2006
Certainly the most striking thing about Riobamba is its parks and historical buildings, which often accompany one another, and litter the historical Primera Constituyente street. Although very impressive and beautiful from a distance, a closer inspection gives the impression that these places are past their prime. While I stand a decent chance of running into visiting foreigners within these parks, there are no Notre-Dame-like crowds of tourists to inspire exceptional caretaking of sites. At least for the churches, there are religious motivations for upkeep, but the parks have found an unexpected niche in this town.
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Aaron Baldassare