Arriving Safely

We enjoyed excellent service at the airports (even though our bags were overweight) and on the airplanes (where we accidentally left our folder of important papers in the seat back pocket which was rescued by the observant flight attendant). Even when we arrived in Quito at 11pm a nice man helped us move our 280 lbs of luggage into a reasonably priced taxi (granted, our tip bought him lunch for the next day). Our taxi driver dropped us off at Giovanni's house, and we let ourselves in with our key and then found our way through the dark to a familiar bedroom. The bedroom has a bathroom attached, complete with hot water and hole in the floor that leads a double life as both shower drain and flushable toilet. Thank goodness there is a normal toilet just down the hall.

Today we were welcomed by Giovanni, Mayra, and Silvia (the two girls who live here and attend highschool in the city) and another, younger Giovanni who is visiting from Italy. We were served a top-notch Italian lunch: spaghetti with bolognese sauce, salad, and red wine. Apparently I didn't make my way through the spaghetti fast enough, because Giovanni took my plate and decided it was time I moved on to the salad. Maybe he was afraid my slow eating meant I didn't like it, but I assure you the spaghetti was delicious! Of course, the meal wasn't complete without Giovanni demonstrating his immense talent for ingesting crazy foods, on this occasion a chili pepper. Such demonstrations also precede our great joy (or obligation, more accurately) of having the opportunity to sample the interesting cuisine for ourselves.

Brad and I spent the afternoon walking around Quito, and visiting some "old favorites." We walked though Parque El Eljido, near PUCE, to "Gringolandia," and enjoyed blackberry juice while watching Manchester United defeat Newcastle 3-0 (you're damn right we did). We also visited the South American Explorer's Club and inquired about transportation and banking.

It looks like acquiring a vehicle for a reasonable price is going to be more difficult than we anticipated, but banking should be fairly easy. We're planning to meet with some friends here in Quito this week, and will continue to inquire about the best option to suit our needs. If you know someone looking to offload a 4x4 vehicle in Ecuador, give us a shout.

After a fine dinner of potato and rabbit stew (complete with a rabbit eye staring up at Chelsea from the pot), we're quite ready for bed. What an interesting place! We hope all is well at home, and miss you all dearly. Buenas noches!