A few pics of Quito and first weeks

• Rwathne's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Quito

Trip Start Sep 24, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Ongoing Next
Entry

  Quito, Ecuador
Saturday, October 25, 2008

After a month in Ecuador I am back in Quito for the weekend.  On my list of chores you can find the obvious and the more obvious.

- I get to talk to family and friends and write some of my thoughts
-Buy the much needed and unbelievably forgotten all important Spanish-English dictionary
-Finalize arrangements in Peru for Dec, Jan, and Feb...three blocks from miles of sandy beach in Lima
-Purchase tickets to one of the larger concerts to come through the area...all of which are Spanish artists...bonus
-And lastly watch some Sponge Bob and The Simpsons...very important for learning common everyday language.

A more serious note.

Leaving the city in late September I found myself consistently feeling two emotions tandemly running a race in my mind.  Each time anxiety took a turn as the lead, joy followed to surprise me in every turn in the road.  Advice given to me regarding my solo tourism in Ecuador always surrounded the treatment of possessions.  Paranoia can easily surpass reality with a flood of comments.

When taking the bus out of Quito I wouldnīt let the bus mate put my things underneath the vehicle in the luggage area.  This would have been a safe alternative to a four hour ride with my knees in my chest.  Catching the second bus, a ranchera, from Puerto Vicente <PVM> I had to put my bag out of sight on the top of the trolley-esk transport.  Sunday was Ecuadorīs mandatory Presidential election making for a packed bus.  Soon after leaving PVM the ranchera was loading people on the roof due to the lack of room.  Paranoia and anxiety set in with many teens moving about atop the vehicle.  After a serious amount of unnecessary preoccupation regarding the condition of my things I climbed to the roof to finish the three hour trip, bag insight.  My anxiety soon lifted finding my things untouched, joy soon followed.  Ecuadorīs capital sits in a high valley in the Andean mountains.  Cloud and rain forest cover the country as you descend.  Every turn following the switchbacks on the unpaved road presents a new spectacular vantage point of the valleys between small mountains.  The roof of the ranchera was unbelievable.  A light misty rain complimented the views that would otherwise be blocked by roadside foliage within the bus.

Life gives us opportunity to expose weakness through circumstance.  Anywhere you go there exist people who will take advantage of non-awareness.  Flashing possessions to some people on the street in Seattle will be just as effective to draw attention to yourself as it would here.  Taking cautious steps towards attentive life choices is effective no matter where you are in the world.  The rest can be summed up in luck and blessing.
In my short travels thus far I have found favor aside from my preoccupation and anxiety.  This gives me more confidence with every step that I am exactly where I need to be.

The ranchera stopped short of a shallow river, my directions lead me across and within a short distance up the road I found the entrance to Jaime and Mimiīs farm.  Their directions couldnīt have been more spot on.  My unfamiliar face was welcomed by Jaime, an unsure gringo who questioned my unexpected presence.  Soon after short probing of my arrival and recollection of our emails I was greeted with a smile.  The open structure that he and Mimi call home is a replication of the attitude they present to their volunteer guests.  Hammocks line their living room providing a comfortable view of entrances to the paths that weave through their property. 
New days brought tours of the orchards while collecting many of the 500 fruits that Jaime has planted.  I spent my afternoons of the first rain forest weeks buried in their collection of books as well as my own.  Hammocks are very inviting.

Just as comfort settled in my mind I decided to follow through with my original plan and take Jaime and Mimi up on their invitation to explore other living arrangements.  No more English.  Slightly nervous about the change, I found my Spanish proved well enough to show my appreciation to my host family for their bed and accommodation.  First moments brought smiles to all five of their faces as I talked in circles trying to find words to trigger clarity in conversation.

How to break down two and a half weeks in reasonable space.  Save stories...I canīt wait to attach pictures to words face to face.  My time since Jaime and Mimiīs farm has provided me with opportunities and events I can talk about for hours.

Santa Rosa is a community that canīt be found on a map or by a bus.  The twenty-five or so individuals have warmed themselves to me in ways that it takes years of relationship to develop in the states.  This may be a result of my lack of understanding when they speak, but I donīt believe so.  I have sat in on heated conversation of the desire to see their community on Ecuadorian maps, attended a meeting regarding the demands of their sole teacher in the midst of his previous unaccounted absence and consistent outcast nature within the pueblo, and also learned most of their names through their daily gossip.  My presence as an outside is not seen with stigmatic eyes...rather I am answered with patience and excitement as I question motives of their personal agendas. 

I had the fortunate opportunity on the day Rodrigo and his family took me in to assist in a minga.  When larger projects take place that have the ability to benefit the town, mingas are arranged on hard labor days.  Most people from the community will assist in the minga, men, women and children.  I the above case the minga was set in order to pour the cement foundation for a bridge leading into Santa Rosa.  Rodrigo, as the President <Mayor> of Santa Rosa has been lobbying for the government funded bridge for some time.  Creating a large cement wall in Ecuador requires the movement of many large rocks.  Rocks add the support needed to stabilize the eight foot wall instead of re-bar.  After about five hours and pouring sweat amongst a dry group of Ecuadorians, I had been introduced to the small town through assisting them in building their bridge.  Their hearts towards me since our day long working introduction have been more than open to my presence.  More importantly I got to be a part of a major reason rural community is so tightly woven.  Their idea of relationship is created through reciprocation and common need.  Combine this mentality with their work ethic and compare it  to what we the US are teaching our cell phone toting 12 year olds worried about individualism, and you have an interesting study. 

Most nights finish with rummy on the porch of the local store in the pueblo.  No one gets drunk, no fights break out, simple peace.  I have begun to teach them our versions of their games as well as a few others, go fish, 31 and WAR.  The other day I translated the most curious version of the Wizard of Oz with one of the kids practicing English.  Most conversations involve my asking what is this or that a lot, but points are understood.  Last week we made pizza.  Tranquility is a beautiful thing.  Its not sunny but once a week, and I am more than grateful for this...I can sweat while sitting down and having an otter pop esk snack. 

My stay here in Quito will be short.  Enough time to try to find a ticket spot in the mall, and be reminded of why I desire such tranquility.  But yet, I am still drawn, I love the city, the people.  The stars just arenīt the same when you add bright lights. 

Cheers all,  I miss you

Ryan

Post your own travel photos for friends and family Pictures

A little fauna	A simple man´s workshop	Brilliant Colors	Crazy Caterpillars
Dead rise up	First touch of rainforest quarters	Giant	Green Valleys
Highest point of the ballisca	Home sweet second farm	How can I help	How can I help 2
How far can you see	Huge plaza and Church	LAX during 6 hour layover	Mirrors are fun
My cabana	My nasty foot add an infection	Nearly a month no shaving	On the way to Quito 10/23
Panoramic views of Quito from Ballisca 1	Panoramic views of Quito from Ballisca 2	Panoramic views of Quito from Ballisca 3	Panoramic views of Quito from Ballisca 4
Park in Quito	Plaza fountain in front of Presidential Residence	Rodrigo	Rodrigo´s Mom´s shop
Save the seeds	Soo many taxis	Sunset from the porch	Two huge clock towers of the ballisca
Waterfall 1	Waterfall 2	You can see through its wings

Slideshow Print this entry Share

Previous Entry Next Entry