Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Grupo Game
The hostel/pension is a funky little place. The people that are here have been staying here for about a year. A few German guys are doing their year of service and Thibaut, french, works with Daniel. Two french girls just showed up and will be here for a month doing volunteer work.
The place has it's ups and downs. They have a sweet woman, Iness, who comes and cleans monday through friday so the place is really clean. Pato, is another helper that does repairs around the place and lets people in who are new, etc. Katy runs the place and she's pretty great, friendly, funny, crazy and wants everyone to have a good time and will go out of her way to make sure it happens.
The place has its quirks; the beautiful parque wood floor - which has loose boards and in some place sections missing. The on demand water heater - one bathroom for all and if your taking a shower and someone using the kitchen sink or washing machine it affects the temperature and flow strenght. There's nothing like getting in to take a nice hot shower and have the water go to a trickle of ice chunks. And in general one bathroom for 7 people can be a little frustrating in the morning. It took me a few days to get used to the little garbage by the toilet. I've experienced it before but forgot and for those of you who have been to other countries with bad plumbing you know of what I speak, for those who have not..... Cities that are old and don't have good plumbing can't take more then human waste down the pipes. :) You actually get used to it. At least the trash can gets cleaned out everyday.
Daniel and I are had a room with a lovely view, twin bed, little side table, some weird shelf thingy we put our cloths on and a bunk bed that we use to put random stuff on. The sun comes up at 6am and shines through a big window. It's either the sun that we rise to in the morning or our neighbors rooster. Which might make me a meat eater if he continues to crow at any time of night he feels like. We have the room to our selves in the upstairs area. There is a single room upstairs where Thibaut lives and another room next to ours where 2 german kids are staying. In the hallway upstairs is a long couch to hang out on and two computers on computer tables.
You go down stairs to the bathroom or kitchen. It took a few days before I didn't need a nap every time I went to the bathroom. But I did get a work out going downstairs for a glass of water, use the bathroom, something to eat, use the bathroom, clean my dishes, use the bathroom.
Downstairs is a big size kitchen with a patio off the back and a big living room/dining room. Of course the kitchen is where everyone hangs out. I think that is universal.
We were here for about a week when the people in the room next to use moved out. Anna, german, went home and Nick went with the other 2 german guys to the amazon and wasn't sure of his return. So when I noticed the room empty and the prize it offered I jumped. I ran down to Katy and asked her if Daniel and I could move into the other room. She said sure but it would have to be today because the french girls were coming tonight.
There were 2 sets of bunk beds in this other room and Katy insisted we move our bigger bed in. I figured we could just push the bunk beds together but Katy knew we would be here a long time and wanted us to be comfortable.
Well I'm not sure how they got all the beds into the rooms with narrow doors in the first place but it took Me, Katy, Iness and Fanny, my spanish teacher over an hour to attempt to fit them out the door, take partially apart, maneuver, exchange and put back together 2 beds. Then I had to move all our belongings overs.
Was it worth it you ask. Hell yes! Why you ask.
When something you are used to as convenient becomes inconvenient it then becomes the most wonderous of things.
We now have our own private bathroom. oh yes, there were a few oohs when people realized the room had been vacant and I snatched it in a heart beat with no remorse.
We now live in a room with the same lovely room, far enough away that I don't have to kill the rooster, our big bed, 2 dressers to put our cloths in, a love seat to chill in and a spare bunk bed to put stuff on. And oh yes the best part, our own bathroom; toilet, sink and shower. I've even figured out times of the day to have a long hot shower uninterrupted by temperature or pressure.
I'm sure Daniel and I could have found a better place with no quirks but I never would have meet or continue to meet so many nice and interesting people if we did. And not have as many interesting stories.
Life is made up of the crazy annoying things you later laugh at and tell funny stories about and things you once took for granted that you truly appreciate.
I think life would be very boring without loose parque floor boards and a group of people from different countries crammed in a kitchen on a different continent from their own, sharing a meal together.
The place has it's ups and downs. They have a sweet woman, Iness, who comes and cleans monday through friday so the place is really clean. Pato, is another helper that does repairs around the place and lets people in who are new, etc. Katy runs the place and she's pretty great, friendly, funny, crazy and wants everyone to have a good time and will go out of her way to make sure it happens.
The place has its quirks; the beautiful parque wood floor - which has loose boards and in some place sections missing. The on demand water heater - one bathroom for all and if your taking a shower and someone using the kitchen sink or washing machine it affects the temperature and flow strenght. There's nothing like getting in to take a nice hot shower and have the water go to a trickle of ice chunks. And in general one bathroom for 7 people can be a little frustrating in the morning. It took me a few days to get used to the little garbage by the toilet. I've experienced it before but forgot and for those of you who have been to other countries with bad plumbing you know of what I speak, for those who have not..... Cities that are old and don't have good plumbing can't take more then human waste down the pipes. :) You actually get used to it. At least the trash can gets cleaned out everyday.
Daniel and I are had a room with a lovely view, twin bed, little side table, some weird shelf thingy we put our cloths on and a bunk bed that we use to put random stuff on. The sun comes up at 6am and shines through a big window. It's either the sun that we rise to in the morning or our neighbors rooster. Which might make me a meat eater if he continues to crow at any time of night he feels like. We have the room to our selves in the upstairs area. There is a single room upstairs where Thibaut lives and another room next to ours where 2 german kids are staying. In the hallway upstairs is a long couch to hang out on and two computers on computer tables.
You go down stairs to the bathroom or kitchen. It took a few days before I didn't need a nap every time I went to the bathroom. But I did get a work out going downstairs for a glass of water, use the bathroom, something to eat, use the bathroom, clean my dishes, use the bathroom.
Downstairs is a big size kitchen with a patio off the back and a big living room/dining room. Of course the kitchen is where everyone hangs out. I think that is universal.
We were here for about a week when the people in the room next to use moved out. Anna, german, went home and Nick went with the other 2 german guys to the amazon and wasn't sure of his return. So when I noticed the room empty and the prize it offered I jumped. I ran down to Katy and asked her if Daniel and I could move into the other room. She said sure but it would have to be today because the french girls were coming tonight.
There were 2 sets of bunk beds in this other room and Katy insisted we move our bigger bed in. I figured we could just push the bunk beds together but Katy knew we would be here a long time and wanted us to be comfortable.
Well I'm not sure how they got all the beds into the rooms with narrow doors in the first place but it took Me, Katy, Iness and Fanny, my spanish teacher over an hour to attempt to fit them out the door, take partially apart, maneuver, exchange and put back together 2 beds. Then I had to move all our belongings overs.
Was it worth it you ask. Hell yes! Why you ask.
When something you are used to as convenient becomes inconvenient it then becomes the most wonderous of things.
We now have our own private bathroom. oh yes, there were a few oohs when people realized the room had been vacant and I snatched it in a heart beat with no remorse.
We now live in a room with the same lovely room, far enough away that I don't have to kill the rooster, our big bed, 2 dressers to put our cloths in, a love seat to chill in and a spare bunk bed to put stuff on. And oh yes the best part, our own bathroom; toilet, sink and shower. I've even figured out times of the day to have a long hot shower uninterrupted by temperature or pressure.
I'm sure Daniel and I could have found a better place with no quirks but I never would have meet or continue to meet so many nice and interesting people if we did. And not have as many interesting stories.
Life is made up of the crazy annoying things you later laugh at and tell funny stories about and things you once took for granted that you truly appreciate.
I think life would be very boring without loose parque floor boards and a group of people from different countries crammed in a kitchen on a different continent from their own, sharing a meal together.
Pinchincha
Sunday a bunch of us went on a hike up Pichincha. An extinct volcano.You start by taking a teleferiqo, which is a cable car type gondola that takes you 4,050 meters up. Then you hike. and hike, and hike. It was a little cloudy that day so the view wasn't as great as it could be. On a clear day you can see the Andes.
At some point we turned back since it was starting to drizzle and stopped at a spot where they offer horseback riding along another trail. We didn't go horseback riding but the people also offered some food for a dollar so we stopped there to have lunch and avoid the rain in their lean too. There wasn't much for non meat eaters but there was amazing hot chocolate, which I had 2 cups of.
The extra height and altitude made it a nice work out. I only stopped a few time under the pretense I was taking a beautiful photographs.
Otavalo
Last weekend some people that I met here and I went to a town a few hours away called Otavalo.It's a small town that is known for it's Saturday market. We didn't get up early enough to catch the animal market from 4am-9am but we did make the rest of the market.
The market fills the street of this town with canopied stalls selling everything from sneakers and everyday where to the traditional crafts of the people of the area. Some people say the market has gotten touristy, which is true when you see a bunch arrive on tour buses after 12 but the things that they sell are also used by the people here and is a way to sell food from their farms.
I had been excited to go and buy, buy, buy. But I had realized that Moroccan markets had kind of put me off to markets. The vendors were definitely not as aggressive but you did have to bargain. Which I am just no good at. I was lucky to have Nazli who had grown up in Iran and was used to bargaining, so I told her what I wanted and she got it for me.
For lunch we met up with a few other people. The restaurant had a balcony where I took my few stealth pictures from. Even though the women wear these beautiful cloths and I think can be quite beautiful themselves, they don't like their picture being taken by strangers. Which I can't say I blame them. So I didn't take to many pictures.
Daniel was unable to come with use because of work so one weekend we will go back. I am hoping to go for a day or two. Even though the big attraction is the Saturday market the surrounding area is beautiful with some mountains with good hiking and a huge lake, which supposedly a giant drowned in because it has no bottom.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
First Few Days
It's been a few days and I have aclamated to the altitude. The first few days I was very tired and just not feeling 100%. But now all is well, except for climbing up the hill to the hostel that still tires me out.
The woman who runs the hostel invited me out a few nights ago to have coffee with some of her friends. She knew I had been hanging out at the hostel alone since Daniel's been working late this week. I met a woman from Canada, Nazli and we have been hanging out and checking out Quito together. It's nice to have someone with you to explore and make asses of ourselves trying to communicate with outhers.
It has only been a few days but I'm starting to get more comfortable here. I still have issues with the language and still feel like a tourist but I can see in the near future I will feel at home.
There is a newer part of Quito that I checked out a little yesterday. It is more modern and has a lot of tourists there. It kind of feels like any other large city. The locals call it Gringolandia. Which I think is pretty funny.
I have been trying to do one sketch/painting a day but it is a little difficult. With class in the morning and then site seeing in the afternoon. I've done a few.
Quito seems like a really wonderful city. It's colorful, the different types of people from Ecuador, the old city has a small charming feel to it, the peaks of hills and mountains that nestle the city. I'm glad I came.
The woman who runs the hostel invited me out a few nights ago to have coffee with some of her friends. She knew I had been hanging out at the hostel alone since Daniel's been working late this week. I met a woman from Canada, Nazli and we have been hanging out and checking out Quito together. It's nice to have someone with you to explore and make asses of ourselves trying to communicate with outhers.
It has only been a few days but I'm starting to get more comfortable here. I still have issues with the language and still feel like a tourist but I can see in the near future I will feel at home.
I'm taking 2 hour Spanish lessons in the morning during the week. Hopefully by the end I can say a few things. Well I already know the most important ones; how to order a beer or coffee :)
Last night Nazli and I went and saw a traditional Andeas dance performance. It was so wonderful. The music was ethereal and the traditional dresses were so colorful.
Today Daniel, Nazli, Daniel's friend Alex and I walked around and saw a little fiesta in San Francisco Plaza. I believe it was another group of indigenous peoples from the Andeas.
There is a newer part of Quito that I checked out a little yesterday. It is more modern and has a lot of tourists there. It kind of feels like any other large city. The locals call it Gringolandia. Which I think is pretty funny.
I have been trying to do one sketch/painting a day but it is a little difficult. With class in the morning and then site seeing in the afternoon. I've done a few.
Quito seems like a really wonderful city. It's colorful, the different types of people from Ecuador, the old city has a small charming feel to it, the peaks of hills and mountains that nestle the city. I'm glad I came.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
First Day
After flying all day yesterday we got to the pension around 11:30pm. Between the excitement of travel, a small time change and a terrible matress I´m a little tired today. Not to mention I felt like passing out after walking up a flight of stairs with my laugage. The altitude definitely effects you.
After meeting with the woman who runs the pension we went out for a cup of coffee. Daniel and I walked a few blocks to one of the many squares in the old part of Quito. The streets and side walks are cobble stone and all one way streets. I say sidewalk but it can barely fit two people walking side by side. Since the city is in between two mountains the streets are hilly. So I´m getting my exercise.
I just had my first Spanish lesson. Today´s was only for an hour which was plenty but usually they will be 2 hours Monday through Friday, I think (Daniel negotiated with the pension in Spanish).
Even though it´s only 2:30 I´m ready for a nap.
Daniel had his first day of work today and should be back around 6. I will definitely have to entertain myself. Which I don´t think will be difficult and not after a few more Spanish lessons.
Well time for a nap, Adios for now.
After meeting with the woman who runs the pension we went out for a cup of coffee. Daniel and I walked a few blocks to one of the many squares in the old part of Quito. The streets and side walks are cobble stone and all one way streets. I say sidewalk but it can barely fit two people walking side by side. Since the city is in between two mountains the streets are hilly. So I´m getting my exercise.
I just had my first Spanish lesson. Today´s was only for an hour which was plenty but usually they will be 2 hours Monday through Friday, I think (Daniel negotiated with the pension in Spanish).
Even though it´s only 2:30 I´m ready for a nap.
Daniel had his first day of work today and should be back around 6. I will definitely have to entertain myself. Which I don´t think will be difficult and not after a few more Spanish lessons.
Well time for a nap, Adios for now.
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 15th
Our bags are packed. It's early and we are ready to go to the airport.
It feels like it has been a long time waiting for this moment. Yesterday the nerves hit.
Today I'm tired. I never sleep well the day before traveling.
It will be a day of flying and at the end I will be on another continent in a different time zone.
It feels like it has been a long time waiting for this moment. Yesterday the nerves hit.
Today I'm tired. I never sleep well the day before traveling.
It will be a day of flying and at the end I will be on another continent in a different time zone.
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