Learning More in Quito

Monday, February 4^th

Quito

When traveling to another country, it is important for many to experience the subtleties and depth of the culture, be it the food, the music, the landscape, or perhaps the history.  Last night, with most of the USA (and others perhaps) doing their best to either watch or avoid the Superbowl in New Orleans, and Ecuador apparently largely oblivious to the event, we were introduced to a vital part of Ecuadorian culture, Cuarenta. Instructions from online read, “When making a caída, a special flourish is employed. The card is sometimes "snapped" down on top of the captured card with great vigor and from well above the surface of the table. Then, both cards are taken as usual. This is a purely friendly, but nonetheless rib-poking, gesture.”

Cuarenta (forty) is an Ecuadorian card game that is unlike any other I have played, and involves a few intricate scoring rules.  Last night, Orlando (our home-stay host) taught us the basics.  Tonight he is bringing in another family member to really test our mettle. We will certainly practice the “special flourishes.”

Meanwhile, we have spent most of the last three days acclimatizing to our situation here, and enjoying the fact that we do not have to spend every day preparing to leave our home.  Emma, alas did get sick on Saturday with a throw-up bug and stomach pain, but that only lasted a couple of days.  Now she is back to her smiley self, looking forwards to starting some dance classes at a gym next door with Anita, the 16 year-old daughter who lives here.  At $2.00 a pop, it sounds like a deal.  Nan and I may even try some Salsa lessons.

Things that are different: Milk in a bag.

I took my first solo walk through part of Quito on Saturday, a two hour sojourn up to the top of El Panecillo, a hill overlooking the center of the city with a 40 meter high aluminium statue of the Virgen de Quito.  It is a long climb up many steps, and only afterwards did I read the reports that some parts of the steps at the bottom of the hill are notorious for tourist muggings.  I was following a couple of nuns so maybe they kept me safe. Next time we will take the bus.  Quito, at a little under 10,000 feet is the second highest capital city in the world after La Paz in Bolivia.  My lungs certainly felt it, and were grateful for reaching the top.  The view reveals the shape of Quito – a long, narrow city sandwiched between the higher mountains on either side. Needless to say, the downhill portion was substantially easier and the two hour walk was well worth the effort.

Not a good place to lose a ball when playing football like this kid.

Approaching the top....gasp!

A cloudy day, but still a spectacular view.