The large, bright, blue, yellow and red flag flies over the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Quito. Every Monday morning a ceremony complete with bands, horses, guards, and many onlookers, is performed to change the palace guards.

The Palace is a short walk from where I am staying and I get there early enough to get a good viewpoint for the 11 a .m. ceremony.

Ecuador became an independent country in 1830, when it succeeded from Columbia. Here, in Independence Square, is the Statue of Independence celebrating that victory. In the center of the plaza is a bronze and marble mounment celebrating Ecuador's Declaration of Independence against the Spanish conquerors.

This Plaza de la Independencia is the heart of the historic Old Town. It has memorial plaques, statues and beautiful garden areas in it.  

A Palace Guard mounted horse brigade enters the Plaza with a lot of fanfare and takes their places around the Statue in front of the Palace.

Once the horse brigade is all positioned and at attention, the palace band marches into the courtyard in front of the palace, where the ceremony will take place.

The President of Ecuador and the Vice-President, along with other notable politicians, stand on the upper Balcony of the Palace during the ceremony, waving at the crowd at the conclusion of the changing of the guards.

The current guards depart among much fanfare as the new guards march in to take their place for the next week.

After the ceremoney, I walked through parts of the Palace that were open to visitors.
 
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