Hotel Plaza Internacional Quito

... thrilled with the fact that the bathroom smelt of bleach!!! It was the cleanest hotel yet that weŽve stayed in. It had a really good view over Quito with a roof terrace where breakfast was served. Breakfast was $1 dollar, but strictly 1 egg, 1 slice of bread, 1 coffee and some fruit. Nazi breakfast!!!

On our first day, we did lots of sightseeing in the Old Town, which is very pretty. Colonial with lots of plazas and historic ...

... from all over the place - india, australia, england, ecuador. Lots of great travel tip exchanging, or stealing in our case as we hadn't been anywhere as yet.
Finally, on Sunday, we finished our last lesson and bus-ed off to Latacunga, a town from which to begin the Quilotoa Loop. We spent the night at the Tiana hostel and on the trekking advice of the Ecuadorian owner Jose, left the next morning to Lisinlivi and the ...

... simple task, but when you don't speak the language and are unsure about the safety of taxis, it can be quite an adventure. We wandered up to the artesian market so that Market could get a scarf to brave the cold temperatures on Pichinchu. I was only paying half attention to her purchase, but I think that she was not really negotiating, but more likely misunderstanding the vendor. But her Alpaca scarf is very nice and it ...

... spent a very pleasant day wandering around, enjoying the old town sights. The basilica is a delight, with native animals taking the job of gargolyes, and some interesting stained glass. Can you see where they messed up the two panes? Also, we took a taxi up to the Panecillo (big hill) and took a wander through the Virgin of Quito.

Sunday we decided that weŽd had enough of the southern hemisphere ...

... 8220;La Joni” because everyone in the U.S. is named “Johnny.” I thought that was funny. There’s a reason for stereotypes because they’re partly true J

This is me crossing the street: “Now I’m gonna cross. Okay, let me wait for this car to pass. Okay, now! Wait, they’re going too fast. Oops, oops…Fine, let me wait for these people to cross so I can follow. Phew! Now I’m ...

... After the knife incident, I again see myself as a weary traveler. Unable to trust the people who inhabit the places I am seeing. I hate feeling like this, but deem it necessary. I will not let little incidents like this interrupt the feelings I have for Peruvians, or South Americans as a whole. The people from this great slice of our world have been more than gracious in receiving me into their land. I hope we Americans treat travelers, with a very ...

... was about to be reaped; as we checked into the Mercure Alameda hotel. We played our honeymoon card; pretending to the receptionist that we were newly married; and they bought it - upgrading us to the executive suites, fitted with all the mod-cons! As you can guess; we didn't venture much out of the hotel but to dabble at its casino and grab a bite. The hotel stay was the marker for our upgrade to an upper-class lifestyle, as we had the tour of the Galapagos Islands booked the next day...