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.

Our room in the hostel is plane but nice and has a great view.

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.

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.

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.

The Count Down

20 more days and we will be in Ecuador.

We've sublet our apartment and are getting last minute things taken care of.

I've been having a difficult time focusing on my art work and think it's due to going away soon. I have plenty of time to take care of things but my mind keeps wondering and I haven't felt like being in the studio, which is unusual. But I need to buckle down and do some work before I go. There's another hummingbird painting I want to do and finish my "Links" piece of North America, it would be great to complete these before I leave.
It will be interesting to see how this trip influences my art work.
One goal when I am there is to do one painting a day. It might be to much but that will be the goal.

So 20 more days of the see saw.... everyday ho hum / oh my gosh I'm going to Ecuador!

Dates Are Set

The dates are set! We will be leaving June 15th and returning September 18th.
Wow!
I still can't believe it. It's such an amazing opportunity.
We haven't found anyone to sublet our place or my art studio yet but hopefully we will. We have a few lists going on; what to bring, things to do before we leave...... but it's all coming together bit by bit.
I'm reading up on the history of Ecuador, I've got a travel book, a wildlife book and now binoculars (thanks to the parents) to check out all 134 species of hummingbirds.

I'm getting my art supplies together. I will bring water color and gouache with me since it's the easiest to bring. I like the water color blocks and tried to make one myself. I even got the peelable glue that goes around the edge, which is hot pink in color :)
But after buying the paper, cutting it down and gluing, I think it's about the same to just go buy it in a store.
Which means everyone will be getting hand made recycled paper pads with hot pink glue for the holidays.

oh- and something even more exciting then 134 species of hummingbirds, if you can believe it.... is that in the city of Guayaquil and the Quito Zoo they have the squash penny machines.
I know, I can't freaking believe it.
For those of you who don't know I collect the pennies that you put in the machine for 50 cents and get a squashed penny with the location on it. The criteria is that I actually go to the place, so please don't start sending me squashed pennies even though now you might think of me every time you see one.

Vaccinations

I'm not used to getting vaccinations for travel but when you read the outcome of what can happen I was excited to get them. Even if my insurance didn't cover it.

What we needed:
Hep A (second shot in 6 months)
Hep B (will have 2 before I leave and 1, 6 months after that)
Tetnus (which I was due for anyway)
Yellow Fever (nasty if you get it from rude masquitos)
Typhoid (Daniel had a rare allergic reaction to it, his face swelled up. I was fine.)
Malaria pills (only taken when we head into the jungle)

So we are all shot up and ready to go. Now we just have to hear when we are going, where we will be staying, and get our plane tickets.

Adios

History of Ecuador

I thought of writing a paragraph about the history of Ecuador and Quito (the capitol) where we will be staying but instead here is the link to wikipedia's history of it :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecuador
I'm sure it will be more informative then what I could write.

In the mean time we still don't have a date for when we go. Most likely the 2nd week in June. Still don't know where we are staying but we've looked at a couple of sites and can get a fully furnished 3 bedroom with everything included for around $500 a month (we might not come back).
I go from forgetting that we are going - to giggling and squealing to myself that we are going to Ecuador for a few months. It's pretty freakin' exciting.

I have been listening to my language tapes, of course not as much as I should be. And will definitely take classes when I'm there.
I almost have all my vaccinations.
I'm still figuring out what art supplies to bring. But definitely my camera and I'm going to get a zoom lens for the trip (when I get my tax return). So I can take pictures of all those fabulous hummingbirds.
eeehhh ...... hehehehe!!!!!