Day 4 in Ecuador
QUITO - CITY OF SURPRISES
We are now starting to settle into our new environment here in Quito. Let me give you a feel for our experience so far. Life in Quito with our homestay family feels little different to any loving household: as I write now sat at the kitchen table, Sophie is preparing dinner, Carlos is selecting south american songs on youtube and now singing has begun!
Quito appears a very big place, yet so far we have been able to walk to everywhere we need. Quito has a fascinating complexion of skyscrapers sandwiched next to old churches covered in ivy, hemmed in by its eastern and western sides by snow capped mountains. This gives the city a higgledy piggledy feel, with no way of telling what lies around the next corner. On our walk to the school we pass big international banks, a new skyscraper is under construction and there is a blue coloured fairy tale castle that would appear more at home in Disneyland. Our home for these 2 weeks lies adjacent to one of these skyscrapers, yet is a 3 storey building, with a very determined dog (yet friendly once you get to know him) overlooking the property from the roof
MINDO'S JUNGLE - JEEP RESCUES AND FRESH COFFEE
Our first 2 days in Quito were spent on a trip with other students from the school where we are studying (Simon Bolivar Spanish School http://www.simon-bolivar.com/). Within 4 hours of arriving on Ecuadorian soil we were on a bus winding our way out of the valley where Quito lies, through dry barren landscape, to be greeted by incredibly lush, green overgrown forests in the hills 2 hours northwest of the city - to the town of Mindo.
Mindo is a hype of activity for tourists - both from abroad and from within Ecuador. Amongst the cloud forests virtually all outdoor activities are available: flying down a zip wire above the rainforest canopy, white water rafting in inflated inner tubes of car tyres tied together and plunging into cool waters at the base of waterfalls. The locals seem to love being in the water - one man and his son taking up a spot in the middle of a fast flowing river to enjoy a cold, but natural jacuzzi.
My two highlights in Mindo:
On our way up the hill to the waterfall, we noticed a rather large jeep had lost its footing on the earthern road, and had its two right hand side wheels hanging off the edge of the steep hillside. On our return down the same route 3 hours later the jeep still remained precariously perched above the jungle incline, but was not roped up against a nearby tree. Our party descended to join the already fairly large crowd of people inspecting the vehicles situation. Our guide quickly took the initiative to save the jeep - spades and hands dug out the under carriage which had become embedded in the ground, a rope was tied from the rear of the bus to the front of the jeep, some of us held ropes to keep the jeep from moving sideways, and with some wheel spinning later the jeep was free! All the driver needed to do now was fill up with petrol! (so off he went with a jerry can in his hand on the 30 minute journey into town)
Back in the town of Mindo I came across a coffee plantation, that grew, toasts, grinds and sells its rich produce across Ecuador and the world. I was kindly given a tour of the process - and returned with a bag of an incredibly rich and rather strong coffee - which now resides in our room here in Quito and is my aid for waking up in the morning, just from the smell!
Our adventure continues: a week of Spanish lessons and some salsa classes
Tom
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