10 Favorite Things about Ecuador

10 Favorite Things

1. An abundance of flowers...especially the roses!
2. Unusual foods with questionable parts in my soup.
3. The indigenous with colorful ethnic clothing.
4. Animated, excited and interested Ecuadorians.
5. Romantic music and men with "hearts on their sleeve".
6. Jungle creatures and huge cascading waterfalls.
7. Everyday politeness and friendliness.
8. Inexpensive living and travelling.
9. No money exchange needed - they use the U.S. dollar.
10. Rooms for $5-$10 with waterfall views/cable TV.


10 Least Favorite Things

1. Bus drivers,(like gods),who control the toilet key.
2. High altitude, thin air, and only one alpaca blanket
3. Rice and potatoes, all at the same meal.
4. Potholed roads, with slow repairs.
5. Losing my way in Quito, smelling auto fumes.
6. Getting adapted to the altitude, huffing and puffing.
7. Laundry shops that stole my best underwear.
8. Bug bites that itched and drove me a bit nuts at night.
9. Bungalows perched on stilts in pitch black darkness.
10. Monkeys bandits who pounce on me and grab my glasses.

"The Last Supper" in Quito

Here is a little funky cafe nearby my hostal, where I ate my last supper for $1.50. Tilapia fish wrapped in a banana leaf,rice, potatoes, salad and a juice drink. Josephina, who served the food, was amazingly agreeable to my taking her picture. Then she giggled and bragged to the other staff that her picture would be famous in San Francisco. Later she joined me at my table quizzing me about my marital status and of how number of children I have. Of course, she was cute and suggested I take her with me to San Francisco. Not wanting to be a party pooper, I played the game and said, "yes of course(por supuesto) I'd take her with me".

Then, I cheated and had a little salsa-salad to mix into my rice.
Normally, I never eat salads, because of the health risks. And now (I should know better) I´m feeling some loose after results.
Popping Pepto Bismo tablets and making my teeth pink.

I depart early tomorrow a.m, my bag is packed.....the clock is ticking. To my surprise, there was hot Latin pornography on my T.V and I really didn't need the english subtitles to figure out what was going on.

Upon my return to San Francisco, I will come up with my favorite and least favorite things about Ecuador.

Much Love.......

2 Days left in Quito - Churches and Architecture

I´ve returned to Quito, the capital city for the finale of my trip and plan to depart to S.F. on June 10. To my delight it is not as cold here as it was 6 weeks ago. Still, I have 3 alpaca blankets on my bed.

On Sunday, I attended Mass and enjoyed the live music, the incense filled church, the ethnic dancing and then followed a crowded procession down the street. People were tossing rose petals at the carried gold statue of the indegenous Black Jesus. I tried to blend in....but basically from my last weeks in Ecuador, it is impossible.

I´m noticing the altitude change again,(back up to 9,400ft) with a little shortness of breath, a little annoying cough. Quito is filled with car and bus fumes, which makes matters worse. This time I have a hotel in Öld Quito¨the historical area, with narrow cobblestoned streets, lovely architecture and lively, spontaneous events on the streets and plazas.

Walking toward the Gothic Basilica del Voto Nacional