We are enjoying our new neighborhood next to the eucalyptus forest of Parque Metropolitano, and the view of the Pichincha volcano to the west. We still miss having Cheeseboard pizza across the street, but the burger and gyros shacks next door almost make up for it. Almost.
Crazy clear morning reveals Corazón and the Ilinizas to the south
Morning snow on Volcán Pichincha
After borrowing a friend's drill over the weekend (gracias Ari!), we were able to hang some artwork and tone down the hotel-white of the walls. We're still collecting furniture, and the guest room needs some attention, but we'll have motivation for that once a visitor is on the calendar. Book your stay soon!
Cocktail hour sunset from our balcony
Finding time to travel always puts us back in our element, so we were happy to cash in a five-day weekend for día de muertos. We drove around the Quilotoa loop in the mountains south of Quito, enjoying day hikes, spectacular views, local craft galleries, and a curious village fiesta that mixed a downhill mountain bike competition with an indigenous dance festival.
Laguna Quilotoa
check out those leather chaps!
There were many locals looking for rides on the remote mountain roads, so we made room, made friends, and broke a personal record with 7 people in the jeepcito (8 if you count the full-term fetus).
This is a Vitara with 2 people in it. Just imagine the fun with 8!
We hiked down into the crater of Laguna Quilotoa to camp on the beach, and enjoyed complete solitude and a break from the city noise...until right around sunset. That's when an enormous Quiteño family, arriving late as is customary and in droves as is customary, proceeded to hike in, survey the expansive landscape and set up their camp 20 feet from ours. Seriously?! They were up late drinking and talking, as is also customary, until the grouchy gringos told them not-so-politely to please shut up. I guess on holiday weekends you have to travel more than a few hours to really get away from the city.
Morning view from camp
On the home front, Devin's job is going well, though it has taken some adjustment--working full-time, preparing lesson plans for four courses, and managing the attitudes of Quito's most affluent teenagers can take some getting used to. He supports the burgeoning bici-culture in Quito by riding his bike to work, and does his best to break the mold by leaving prep work and grading in the classroom. Things have quickly gotten busy with extra activities like Spanish classes, a school rafting trip to the Amazon, a math conference in Atlanta, and evening courses for his master's degree. He starts coaching the swim team next week, so there won't be much down time for this busybody til Christmas break. Oh, and he bakes. The English muffins are a big time favorite!
Sunday in the centro histórico--roads closed for bikes!
Life has been more reasonably paced on Oriana's end--three weeks of family time in the States, a couple of contract projects, volunteering with a children's literacy program, lots of networking and job searching, attending university seminars and scoping academic programs, checking out film festivals, happy hours, and regular trips to the farmer's market. She practices her Spanish and stick shift city driving whenever possible, and has become a pro at boarding a moving bus. She gets a bit antsy at times, but overall, life is good.
Pilsner: it hydrates
In other news, we've been doing our best to keep up with Ecuadorian politics. The police strike at the end of September caused a fair bit of confusion, as well as some rare international press coverage. Things have calmed down for now, but there are definitely mixed opinions about President Correa and how he should address big ticket issues like corruption, social and economic inequity, indigenous rights, environmental protection. Like Obama, he ran on a platform of change, and like Obama, he hasn't been so successful in implementing it. Sometimes the inefficiency of democracy is astonishing. Here's wishing Jerry Brown mucha suerte from afar.
más fotos...
Old town Quito, named the first UNESCO world heritage site in 1978, is the largest colonial center in the Americas. Visiting this part of the city transports you to another world, especially when you live in the modern, international, and mostly affluent northern section of town, which sometimes feels like more like San Francisco than Ecuador--much more conservative, but with a similar four-outfits-in-one-day type of climate.
Cerro Rumiñahui, Cotopaxi National Park
Cotopaxi looms on our drive to Quilotoa
Zumbahua market
Riding the brakes
Burros make a buck hauling bikes up to the top of the course
Kids make a buck hauling bikes too!
Los danzantes
Dancers wait for the final bike jump
Sheepchase!
