Last few days in Quito

Intestinos

Hola from my family in Quito. They have been incredibly hospitable and enthusiastic about showing me around their city, although sometimes it is a little overwhelming (and expensive! the way it works here.. if you go to visit somewhere with your family you pay for all of them!) But I wouldn´t want to be staying anywhere else. Not much women´s lib here though - Mariana does everything while the men of the house are waited on hand and foot! It will be interesting to see if it´s the same when I stay with a different family in Cuenca. Quito has been fascinating though and there are so many things to do and see here - have just taken a cable car to the top of one of the nearer (inactive) volcanos and the view over the city is spectacular - it is actually so much bigger than it feels when you are actually living here. We have also been to the authentic site of the Equator where I successfuly balanced an egg on the head of a nail (photo opportunity) and was tutored in how to prepare the Eduadorian speciality dish of guinea pig or ´cuy´. Haven´t tried it yet but it has to be done. The barbecued cow´s intestines actually weren´t bad! Another Quichua speciality - photo above. Next week I am spending a week in the jungle, several hours´ boat ride down the Amazon from Coca, so will almost certainly not be updating the blog. More soon x

one of the family....

Yes ok ok have had a few people asking about said handsome chap that I happen to be staying with at the moment, but fear I have been building him up too much. Due to technical issues at this end the much-requested photo will have to wait until tomorrow but suffice to say that he´s 28 going on 10. In all the time I have been there he has not left his mother´s side, which I know will be disappointing for some. But not for me, as I have a new best friend Pablo who booked my Galapagos trip for me and has shared his life story. Very friendly yes, but thankfully not yet asking that I share his life aswell. Not much time to write but in brief.... Great week with my new family - they have taken me everywhere. Volcanoes (not active), the REAL ecuator this time, and every single church in Quito (at least it feels like it). They are really kind and (sometimes a bit too) keen to show me all that the city has to offer. It has been great for my Spanish, but I have decided that my trip to the Opera on Thursday to see Manuela y Bolivar will be without Pepe, Mariana and Santiago, and instead with school friends. They even want me to stay with the brother when I go to Cuenca... it may soon be time to make a clean break. Got to go now as schooltime has ended but more en la manana.

Gua Gua Pichincha (conquerered)

A new family

Right I don´t really have that many new photos to show (except for the one to the left of me stuffing my face with watermelon at fantastic artisan market - very restrained with the shopping so far but not for long) so instead I thought I´d impress everyone with a picture of the volcano I climbed last week (above). I was really hoping for another eruption while I am here - fortunately it´s far enough away from the city for Quito not to have to be evacuated and it would be amazing to see. If all else fails I´ll head to Banos which is where the volcano there erupted just last september... Since I last wrote I have a new family! I am staying with Mariano, Pepe and their handsome 28 year old son Santiago (photos will follow) and they haven´t stopped feeding me since I arrived. Every meal is three courses - usually a soup made from grain (surprisingly creamy and much more delicious than it sounds) followed by the main course - platanas (which look like but don´t taste like bananas - very sweet) are a speciality, with rice, salad and a couple of fried eggs perched on top. And then for dessert the obligatory ecuadorian icecream (well it would be rude not to...) And all day every day I am speaking Spanish. My school is a short walk down the road and although La Mariscal is not as pretty as the Colonial area (where I was staying before) it was definitely the right move because I can´t cheat and my Spanish is improving fast. The school also organises trips into the jungle where you can continue your lessons whilst learning about the indigenous tribes who live there and the natural habitat, so I am planning a five day trip in a couple of weeks, then hopefully hopefully fingers crossed a visit to the Galapagos islands! (if i haven´t run out of money). So much to do so little time.... That´s all for now I have a class so signing off. Adios x

Beautiful Quito

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