Hosteria El Troje Quito

... was er voor de tweede dag op rij een optocht. Deze keer met de fanfares, marjonettes, ... van de verschillende scholen uit de omgeving. Blijkbaar is het hier voor alle studenten een verplicht vak op school. Toen ik rond 20.00uur naar de nieuwe stad vertrok om met Kathie en Lydia iets te gaan drinken was de optocht nog steeds bezig...

... which will provide them with money. They are not provided with the luxery to follow thier dreams and live out their passions. I feel I have a great responsibility, to follow mine calling and passions, and in doing so do all I can to help those around me.

Despite the setbacks the Ecadorians may face, they have more hope, compassion, and passion for live. I had the opporutnity to go over to teacher's house last week. She and her husband ...

... tot aan het busje om van daaruit met de mountainbike 14 km af te dalen. De weg was vrij bulterig, steil en af en toe slipperig, maar het was toch leuk :-). Daarna zijn we terug gekeerd naar Quito om samen te gaan eten met enkele mensen die ook de jungle-tocht hadden gedaan...

Hasta luego!

English version:

Hola amigas y amigos

After our jungle tour we returned to Quito, to go to the Cotopaxi vulcano after a well deserved ...

... br>
Hola todos!

After a long and tiring flight, we arrived Quito save and well. Our first days we have spent very quietly, as we had some diffiulties with the altitude and jetlag. During those days, we only visited the old centre of Quito. As there wasn't that much to see and we weren't feeling 100% safe, we returned to our hostel quiet quickly... Tomorrow we're going to stand in the middle of the earth in El Mitad del mundo. Our ...

... from the region, such as how the Shuar created shrunken heads, and how the kings were buried in massive womb-like tombs, often with their wives and children, who were buried alive! She showed us a mud hut made of agave plant and the blood and excrement of animals so it was earthquake proof, a big worm, fish and boas in glass containers and a massive anaconda skin, as well as some live guinea pigs, which she joked were for dinner. It was a really interesting place and we were glad we ...

... from his body. This involves being dressed in white, standing in the freezing river whilst a ‘priest’ wearing an open white shirt with a Germany football top underneath, spits liquid at him, rubs him with eggs and greenery and speaks some mumbo jumbo to the god of the waterfall. This goes on for hours. We stayed for some while because Chasqui assured us that the poor chump would be pushed under the waterfall but we got bored so we left.

So, another week has passed ...

... everything.

We are sticking close to home this week for two reasons. We have the kids are enrolled in Vacation Bible School at the church which we have ádopted´during our stay here in Mitad. It´s packed everyday with over 150 kids and the energy is electric. We feel God is showing us something very special and unique when we see how He moves in different countries and cultures.

The second reason is that we are renewing ...

... out of a pocket or up their sleeve and wave that in our face instead. No. We were offered everythig from the mundane; water and juice, to the unrecognisable; bags of meat, bags of little brown balls... We were tempted by a basket of what looked like bread and melted cheese. Turned out to be the chewiest cheese ever, unless it was something else. Also were tempted by some deep fried balls, they turned out to be sweet potato and cheese, but the ...

... people. Some people point up the way, as I walk I see about 10 officers surrounding the hooligans, handcuffed and all. ?Donde es mochella¿. Hundreds of people point up the road, as I walk some man hands me my backpack. All my stuff is in there including my camera! I´m happy, but no translator. The police tell me to ride with them to the police station.

As I pull up about 50 officers are there watching an officer dog show ...

... long overalls and bedroom slippers, Caleb also made funny comments about Ecuador and society in general. He was very interested to know about where I came from and what living in South Africa was like. We chatted for a long time and before we knew it, most of the pub had emptied and me, Caleb, his friend and Ben and some of his colleagues decided to move on elsewhere. We wanted to look for someplace in La Mariscal to go ...