All continues well in our South American metropolis. We’ve established a lovely little beachhead here at our hotel: friendly, cozy, quiet, pleasant (photo). I have made friends with the restaurant staff; they go off menu to make bland pasta and deliver hot chocolate to the room for the gringa girls. Today, they invited me to join in the noontime card game; I bought the table beers and learned to play the traditional Quito game of 40. I’ll teach you all when I return.
In addition to OLD, Quito is quite HIGH! Yesterday, a friend of my friend Skip’s met us and took us up the Teleferiqo (gondola) from downtown (9,000 ft) to 13,000 (photos, do the math on 4100m). After a few minutes, the clouds cleared and Pichincha Volcano appeared at 16,500 (photo) – the highest mountain I’ve ever seen, higher than anything in the lower 48. This held the record for several hours until I saw Cotopaxi from Ed’s apartment – 19,500! That’s in the neighborhood of Denali. Yahoo!
Afterwards, Ed and Pilar hosted us in their home for pizza and visiting; their kids are 7 and 4. The 3 Little Pigs was a big hit on the couch (photo). Thanks for a great day you guys!
Today was our last day in the big town. We checked out mass at a giant Spanish colonial church on the Plaza Grande: full-on gilding and Rococo interior. Wow. Then a huge park in the center of the city where folks were out in force enjoying soccer, volleyball, basketball, biking in the sunshine. Lovely. Some ice cream for the girls, all in good spirits.
Otavalo tomorrow! Paul
And a few words from the girls:
Althea Says:
It was a great ride on the gondola yesterday, and our friends were very nice and their part of Quito was beautiful. We go to Otovalo tomorrow, and I'm hoping it will be a little more homey. We will See the school and maybe meet some friends! :-)Hoping it all goes well,
Althea
I am just kind of feeling weird about coming to Quito and then leaving Quito it is kind of a big change. it will be interesting to see what is like in Otavalo.
Rosie
1 comment:
What fun to read of your adventures even farther south of the border than I am. I toured one of those amazing gilt churches in Guanajuato(Mexico) in September. I am going to Oaxaca from Jan 7-21 with friends I met here who are currently (sort of)living in Colorado. He was a coffee taster/buyer for Starbuck's and then Allegro-- retired at about age50 and is now about 53! Keep the pictures coming and especially the reactions of Althea and Rosie.
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