Recap 5: Unexpected Blessings in Guayaquil and Cuenca

Ecuador has been very good to me these past 40 days! The travel part of my trip is about to end, and the real adventure of finding a job and settling in to a new place is about to begin. I am truly grateful for the experiences I have had with my friends, and I'm excited to start phase 2 of my journey. Here's what I've been up lately:

Guayaquil: A huge, humid, and busy Metropolis

I was only able to spend a few days in Guayaquil: the biggest city in Ecuador. My friend Andres
Rodriguez offered to have me stay with him and his family. Even though Guayaquil is considered unsafe, I was always at peace next to Andres. He's just a peaceful, calm person in general, and his parents were incredibly sweet hosts!  

Las Peñas y El Malecón

There is a famous neighborhood in Guayaquil called Las Peñas. I knew I wanted to visit this area of town because of all the pictures I had seen of it. It has bright colored houses all grouped together on a tall hill towards the northern center of Guayaquil. Andres took me to see Las Peñas and the boardwalk below one evening. We had a great time meandering around- walking up some 400 steps to the top of Las Penas hill, seeing a great view of the city at night, and checking out some amazing monuments on the boardwalk!

La Playa Salinas: An unexpected blessing! 

As soon as I got to Guayaquil, Andres and his parents quickly explained that they have a house in Salinas and that if I wanted, I could join them at their beach house! Of course I said yes. Besides only being a block away from the ocean, the best part of the house was the wide balcony where we set up hammocks. There's nothing more relaxing than being in a hammock swaying from the ocean breeze. True to the experience, while in Salinas, I ate 2 delicious seafood meals: one with crab and rice, and another with fish and rice. 

Even better than the food and the hammocks was the surprise waiting for us as we headed to the beach. After about 1 one minute of arriving, vendors came up to us explaining that they were having tours to see the whales. My excitement could not be contained! After about an hour of  swimming in the ocean, we grabbed life jackets, hopped up into a small speed boat, and headed out into the deep blue. Not 30 minutes off shore, humpback whales were putting on quite a show. Every 5 minutes or so, another one would slap it's long fin on the water, flip it's tail, or twirl out of the water! I felt so incredibly blessed to see them in their habitat making their long journey south. It was an incredible experience! One bucket list dream complete!  

El Mall del Sol

My timing to see the whales was spot on. It wasn't so great when it came to seeing friends in Guayaquil. Many had work or family plans. However, I was able to grab lunch with my friends Monica and Rocio my last day in town. It was lovely to catch up with them. I'm glad they could spare a couple hours to hang out with me. Love you girls!  

Cuenca

Many friends had said that I would love Cuenca for it's architecture and culture. They were right! It's a beautiful city with red roofs and deep blue flowing rivers. For the first part of my week in Cuenca, I stayed with Jose and Veronica. They were incredibly good to me, and at the same time, they gave me a lot of freedom to be my independent self. Sometimes I feel like they're way too cool to be friends with me, but still they accept me. I'm very grateful for their friendship! The second part of my week- I was blessed to stay with Pati and her 2 year-old daughter Fabiana. Pati is such a sweet friend and she insisted that I stay an extra day longer than I had planned. I just couldn't say no to her.

Turi: During the day and at night

Cuenca has a famous lookout called Turi. My first day in Cuenca, Jose took me to Turi so I could see the whole city during the day. It was a spectacular view. Later on in the week, another friend-Andres Peralti took me to Turi at night. Both times it was breathtaking. I especially loved reflecting on our stage of life with Andres. As we sat on the edge of the Turi lookout, we lost track of time chatting about the struggles and simple joys of being single in our twenties. Andres is always good for a deep conversation.  

El Centro Historico y El Rio

One of my favorite things about hanging out in Cuenca, was my free afternoons. Before Jose would head off to work, he would drop me off in the Historical Center of town. There I had about 4 hours to check out the churches, enjoy lunch, draw by the river, read, and just walk around. After so many busy days during this trip, simply sitting and thanking God for the wonderful fact that I'm in Ecuador was very special to me.  

Las Ruinas and Amaru Zoo

Some of the more "touristy"activities I did in Cuenca were visiting the Pumapungo ruins and the Amaru Zoo. Seeing what little is left of old temples and ancient native american civilizations is always humbling. The Pumapungo ruins were truly ruins meaning that there was very little left of their once thriving civilization. It only took about 20 minutes to explore the area. It wasn't exactly thrilling to check out, but maybe it's better that way- to take in the somber reality that the conquistadors destroyed what these people had.

The Amaru Zoo was definitely a highlight of Cuenca for me. Jose barely made it on time to work just so I could explore this Zoo. Thanks man! Not only did it have many kinds of rescued animals, it was also placed on a hill so that we were required to do quite a bit of hiking as we explored. Unlike any other zoo experience I've had, we arrived at just the right time to see a large family group of lions who were awake and playful. Just a few feet away from these magnificent creatures, I was ecstatic to see them up close! They are, after all, my favorite land animals.  

Hanging with Pati, Fabiana, and Lorena 

Pati has her hands full being a single mom and a full time teacher. She is truly a devoted mother to Fabiana. That little girl is so loved! Unlike some of my other friends who are moms- Pati also lives by herself. I felt blessed that she would make room for me in her hectic world. Since Pati had so much going on already, she passed the torch to another dear friend Lorena to come up with some fun plans for me in Cuenca. Lore did not disappoint! Lore used to be in the Scouts so she knows about all these neat places nearby Cuenca where people can go hiking and exploring. 

One morning Lore, Pati, Fabiana, and I headed out to Chapanahuasi. This is a tall but small mountain that just seems to shoot up into the sky while being surrounded with shorter hills. Many people head there for rappelling and rock climbing. We didn't have the gear this time, but I don't doubt that Lore would do some climbing with me if we get another chance. This time, we settled for hiking to the top. The nearby town quickly shrunk in size. It was wonderful! When we headed back down, we had a mini-picnic. 

Lore and I also had a few more adventures. We went to another less-known lookout of Cuenca. She showed me the best place to get morocho and empanadas. We enjoyed pan de yucca and yogur in the afternoon. While walking around town, we spontaneously stumbled upon a group of break-dancers. It was like we got a little show just for us! Lastly, we went dancing together. Lore has got some moves! When I came to Cuenca, I wasn't sure I would even see Lorena. Now I feel like I know her so much better, and I'm very happy to be considered her friend. 

There you have it- the last of my recap posts! Yesterday, I arrived in Loja: the last destination city of my trip. Aside from seeing friends, the job search, church search, and the apartment hunt have begun. With the help of my friends, I have two interviews set up for this week. Tomorrow I go to check out an apartment, and I'm expecting a call for a third interview. Prayers are especially needed right now for peace as I talk to possible future employers, and wisdom as I decide where to live and work.  

Week 4 Ecuador recap: Sometimes things don't go as planned

I hope you're enjoying reading about my adventures, and even if you're losing interest, I'm still thoroughly delighted to type out my experiences. I feel as though this blog is just as much for me as it is for you. And here we go...  For the past ten days or so, the plans I've made haven't always turned out like I thought, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. I've been in Ambato and Riobamba with a couple short trips to other places like: Baños, Guano, Chimborazo, and Alausí.

Making the most of Ambato and Baños

In Ambato I stayed with my lovely friend Cristina. She's an incredible woman who enjoys travel probably more than any one else I know. We were able to have quite a few good conversations about life, love, work, and India (Cristina got back from India about 3 months ago). I had a great time being with her and her family.

Parque Provincial de La Familia 

Father's day morning. Cristina took me to this park overlooking the city. One of my favorite things to do is walk around green areas, enjoy the fresh air, and soak in unhurried time outside. Cris and I took some fun pictures, checked out the awesome view of Ambato below, and savored some moments walking around the park. 

Chimborazo: 1st attempt didn't go so well... 

Around 50 minutes away from Ambato lies Chimborazo. At an elevation of 20, 561 feet (6, 267 meters) it is the highest mountain in the Americas. It used to be a volcano, but it is no longer active, and sweet Cristina wanted me to see this amazing mountain. Unfortunately, the day we were able to travel was a gray, rainy, cold, and cloudy. 

The drive up was wonderfully curvy and followed right along the river which was pretty great. We kept climbing in elevation little by little, and the plant life slowly changed from lush green areas with fields of harvested plants to dryer lands with some shrubs here and there. As we traveled along, it continued to be cloudy and foggy. Eventually we started seeing wild Alpacas. I couldn't stop taking pictures. They were so wonderful to watch! At the same time, Cris and her uncle (who drove us) kept pointing to an area in the distance where I should have been able to see Chimborazo. Finally we entered the "gate" to Chimborazo and there was nothing to be seen. The entire area was cloud covered. We took a picture anyways, and I can still say that was my first time to see Alpacas! 

A completely cloud-covered Chimborazo

Alpacas made it worth it!!

Jen and Juan Carlos 

One of the tough things about staying only a few days in a city is that I don't always get to see everyone I know who lives there. Fortunately, Jen and Juan Carlos, who also live in Ambato, were able to spare some time to grab brunch with me. I hadn't realized how dedicated Jen is and how many puns Juan Carlos has up his sleeve. He kept cracking me up! It was a short time together, but still a memory we made together!

Ready to jump in the warm waters

Can you find me?

Aguas Termales in Baños

Baños is also not far from Ambato and it's a place of frequent visits from Cristina. She loves it there and it wasn't hard to see why. We were only able to stay there for one night (at a hostal for 7.50 a piece) and one morning, so we filled up our time as much as we could! The town is called Baños because of the hot springs; so of course, we spent an hour relaxing in the naturally warm waters of one pool. By far the coolest part of this pool was the waterfall only feet away. 

El Columpio del Fin del Mundo: Not exactly what I had pictured...

"The swing at the end of the world" also known as "the swing at the tree house" or just "the swing" in Baños is famous world wide.  I couldn't go to Baños and not go on this swing. It would be WRONG. Knowing this, Cristina and I headed up the winding road to see this swing, but just like with Chimborazo it was a gray, wet, dreary day. And also like Chimborazo, as I sat on the swing I could not see anything but gray misty clouds covering the mountainside. Cristina and I still had fun, and it's absolutely one of those "total failure" memories that make you smile afterwards. We both decided that this is the perfect excuse to come back another day, and I hope to do just that.

Riobamba and all the fun I had when we traveled elsewhere 

When I mentioned to different friends that I would be visiting Riobamba, most were somewhat confused and asked questions like, "what are you going to do there?" It's not exactly known for tourism or exciting attractions. But my dear friend Jenniffer lives in Riobamba, so it was a non-negotiable city to visit. Like me, Jenniffer is a single Christian language teacher so there are plenty of ways we relate to each other. We have pretty different personalities, but that doesn't matter- we're sisters in Christ, and it was great to spend some time with her!

An Ecuadorian Wedding 

Jenniffer lives in the church that she serves. The downstairs holds all the services while the upstairs has rooms and the terrace has a kitchen. This week I also lived in La Iglesia Vision de Dios building. A special part of living here was that I got to experience Daniel and Rosita´s wedding that happened on Saturday.  Two people I had never met before welcomed me into their wedding without question. I watched as they put up decorations, listened to the sermon preached, participated in all the songs during the ceremony, ate delicious food (so much food!!!), was given a seat at the wedding party table, and the father of the groom gave me one of the wedding cake toppers to remember them by.  I felt out of place, but they didn´t see it that way. This is what being in the family of God looks like! Talk about blessed!

The amazing wedding cake!! 

Guano: Cholas and el Péndulo 

I'm that small person in blue!

After service on Sunday morning, Cecelia (another Godly woman who lives in the church with Jenniffer) drove Jenniffer and me to Guano. This town is about 40 minutes or so from Riobamba and draws in the tourists. Guano is known for its cholas and leather. I did not end up buying anything leather, but I did get to eat cholas. Cholas are a kind of sweet bread. Inside the bread bun is this caramel, brown sugar, and sweetened fruit that melts in your mouth. It's a challenge to eat just one. After grabbing lunch and some cholas, Cecelia suggested we walk up to this lookout area where you can see all of Guano. I was game. After walking up many flights of stairs and checking out a couple really neat rock formations (an Indian head and a fish), I looked over and there was this intense swing which hung over the cliff's edge. The pendulum was calling my name. I paid a small fee and leapt off the edge! It was an awesome adrenaline rush. Jenniffer called me crazy after, but I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Chimborazo: 2nd attempt- "We did it!!! Wait.. We're not done???"  

Like the pendulum in Guano, some days I wake up and have no idea what is going to happen when we get to where we are going. On Monday afternoon, another old Go Teacher friend who also lives in Riobamba- Jaime Silva- decided that I could not continue my travels without another trip to Chimborazo. He took Jenniffer and me to see Chimborazo mountain. Unlike my first attempt to see Chimborazo, Monday was a bright sunny day. We had the perfect conditions to actually see the mountain. As we drove closer, I assumed we would stop at the gate like last time, stand in awe, and then return home. Jaime had something else in mind.

We past through the gates and there Chimborazo stood- tall and snow capped, but we didn't stop. Jaime kept driving up this windy, dirty and bumpy road. We reached a cabin-like building and got out. Once again I was thinking: Wow! This is amazing! So after a few minutes we'll head back right? Then Jaime says, "Ok vamos!" and he begins walking up this path toward the mountain. I was pretty excited to hike up, but also wished I had known that was the plan all along. At that elevation, breathing can prove difficult, so Jenniffer and I needed to rest every 30 steps or so. Jaime, although he was the heaviest of the three of us, had walked up Chimborazo many times before so he was used to it. Eventually we made it to a second cabin-like building, and once again I thought we were done. We made it!! The view at 5000 meters or 16404 feet was spectacular!! We were higher than most of the clouds, and I was pleased with our effort. However, once again Jaime was like "alright so let's keep going." We only went about 100 meters higher before the sun was beginning to set and we needed to walk back down. Thanks Jaime for pushing us and for creating a lasting memory for all of us! After everything, we decided that after I get accustomed to exercising at high altitudes, we'll go back and tackle hiking all the way to the top!

Alausí: El tren del nariz del diablo 

My last full day in Riobamba, Jenniffer and I decided to take a bus to Alausì so we could take a legitimate train around the mountains to an area called: The Nose of the Devil. I was incredibly happy to have Jenniffer with me. The train wound down and up the mountain side with great views of a river below. Once we reached "The Nose," we were greated with a show of wonderful dancers dressed in traditional garb moving to the folkloric music. We even joined them dancing after a while.

The most special part of this trip for me was when Jenniffer and I dipped our
hands into the crystal clear water of the river. We were determined to touch the river. So, while other visitors were grabbing coffee and lunch at a nearby bar, we explored the land to find a path down to the river. It was awesome! I was reminded of the little adventures I would have with my mom and my brother when we were younger. I´m sure they would have loved it there with me! My whole family would have liked the experience.

So there you have it: the last ten days of my adventure.

In about 1 hour, I will be grabbing a bus to Guayaquil. It´s supposed to be more dangerous there, so I would love prayers for my safety and protection. My friend Andres will be looking out for me and I trust him. I am also changing climates completely. Riobamba is probably the coldest city that I´ve visited so far. At night I slept with 5 blankets covering me, and that´s not an exageration. Guayaquil, on the other hand, is humid and hot. Some say it´s hotter than Esmeraldas. Please pray for a quick transition and a positive attitude no matter how many bug bites I get or how much I sweat.

Thanks again for reading this and supporting me prayerfully. I have about 2 weeks left in my journey, and then the job search begins. I´ll do my best to keep you updated!

11 more things I'm learning about Ecuador

It's day 25 in Ecuador for me!! I've visited 8 cities now (not counting those cities I passed by on bus), and I have about 5 more to go. I'm picking up on how things work here in Ecuador little by little. Here's 11 more things I'm learning about Ecuador!!! 11 because I'm feeling rebellious- deal with it. :)

1. Food Fact 1: Eat less and less as the day goes on  

Disclaimer: Not every Ecuadorian eats exactly the same way so know that I'm speaking in general about this one.

Typical lunch

Ecuadorian Tortilla for a Snack

In my opinion, Ecuadorians have got this food thing figured out!! Most start off the day with a medium to large breakfast between 6 and 8 a.m. (A medium meal would be an almost full plate and large would be a full plate almost overflowing with food.) Around 10 or 11 a.m some "toman un cafecito." It's time for some coffee or maybe a cappuccino and an empanada, tortilla, or a piece of fresh bread.  This is just right because lunch isn't served until 1:30, 2 or sometimes even 3. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day. Almost every day of my 25 days here in Ecuador, I have barely finished lunch because it's always so much food. Then around 4 or 5 in the day, it's time for a small snack. Something like a smoothie, ice cream cone, or crackers will do. Lastly between 6 and 8:30 the day is wrapped up with coffee and another piece of bread or a couple empanadas.  

Now, on weekends, I've gone out with friends where we ate a big meal at a nice restaurant in the evening, but we usually walked around or went dancing after. 

This is an incredibly logical set up of meals throughout the day!

Sopa con espinacas y queso

2. Food Fact 2: Soup and rice anyone?? 

Another common occurrence with food in Ecuador is that they love their soup and rice! Almost every lunch includes soup before the main course, and it is not at all dependent on the weather. In Esmeraldas, we had soup for lunch. I was already sweating before the steaming hot bowl was passed to me. It doesn't matter- soup is healthy so soup is eaten. Sometimes I'm full from the soup before we even begin the main course which of course always has rice. Sometimes half the plate is rice! The food here is truly delicious and fresh, but these are two things I will probably eat less of on my own when I cook for myself.

3. Leggings= perfectly acceptable 

In general, I feel as though leggings are not completely acceptable in the States. I can wear leggings if I have a long shirt or a dress over them, but in Ecuador it's a different story. Here leggings are just another kind of pants, and I'm a fan of that. They are incredibly comfortable, and I look good in them! hahaha

4. Street and bus vendors= sometimes awesome & sometimes annoying  

As I've taken the bus more and more- I've started to expect vendors to jump on and sell their goods. They usually pitch their sell for a few minutes then make their way up and down the aisle. Sometimes it's annoying because I'm not all that interested in hearing their speech. In those times, I can play the "clueless gringa" card and act like I don't understand what they are asking. Other times, it's proven nice. If I'm a little hungry, I'll buy some peanuts or if I'm thirsty, I'll buy bottled water.

Some of the most interesting "sells" I've experienced are musicians. They'll jump up on the bus or walk into the restaurant and begin to play, sing, or sometimes rap. After a song or two, they will wave a hand in front of you asking you to pay them for their performance. So far I have not been moved to thank them for their interruption. I suppose some day if I meet someone truly talented, I might give them a dollar or two.  

5. Water service: Use it while you have it! 

Some places in Ecuador do not have consistent running water. So those who live there, save water for the days when they won't have running water. They keep big big jugs available and fill them with water from the faucet or even rain water sometimes. Again I'm impressed by the ingenuity of it all. I took a cup shower one day and it was refreshing!

6. Centers of town are like long strip malls 

The best way I can explain city centers here in Ecuador is to compare them to strip malls in the U.S. If I need something and I may not know of a specific shop to go to, I can just walk around a few city blocks and I'll find what I need. There are tons of one room stores here- stores with clothes, office supplies, furniture, fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, ice-cream, hair salons, pretty much anything you need or want. It's wonderful to me.

7.  Bills versus Cards

Before coming here, I switched credit cards to a card that doesn't charge international fees. This is still useful for getting money out of an ATM for example, but other than that- I have not used my credit card once. They use cash here not cards. And sometimes it's even difficult to break a 20. Small store owners might lose your business just because they can't give you change if you only have a 20. I ended up buying a "monedero" for every day use.

8. Backpacks in stores

In many bigger stores with more rooms or a wider space: backpacks are not allowed. In those stores, there is usually a guard. He or she will require your backpack to be handed over and kept in a locker while you shop. Sometimes a ticket or token is given until all the purchases have been made. This is an incredibly smart way to prevent theft!

9. Laundry: Do it at least 2 days early 

There are 3 ways to get laundry done here in Ecuador. 1. Take it to a laundry service who will wash and dry it for you for a fair price. 2. Wash laundry in a machine and set it out to dry. 3. Wash laundry by hand and set it out to dry. I have yet to meet anyone who has a dryer. So far I've done #2 and #3 at my friend's houses. This means that clothes are set out on clothes' lines, and it usually takes 2 or sometimes 3 days to dry completely. The reason it might take more time to dry is because it frequently rains here. Praise God I haven't gone without clean clothes. Now I know to wash it little by little so I have dry clothes in time.

10. Can I get some yummy fruity juice please? 

Colada Morada Deliciosa

I love love love the juice here in Ecuador! About once or twice a day juice is served. At one of my friend's houses, we went into her small backyard, picked a babaco fruit from the tree, pealed it, sliced it up, put it in the blender with water and sugar and wallah: sweet refreshing juice!! Not only is the juice amazing- they have fruits here in Ecuador that do not exist in the U.S. Some of them are: Babaco, Guanabana (I love saying this fruit), Naranjilla, Tomate del arbol, and probably a few more than I'm not thinking of right now. Thank you God for fruit!

11. The key to the latin curvy booty

This one is just for fun! If you haven't noticed, many Latinas have great curves. After these days of being here in Ecuador, I think I've figured out some reasons behind their amazing curves. Yes yes genes are a part of it, but there are other factors. 1. Jeans can do a lot to help. There are certain jeans here that don't have pockets in the rear with certain dyes that really show off the curves in the right spot. 2. Los tacones: many are not afraid of heels that give greater shape to their legs. 3. Most importantly...the key to the curve.... THE STAIRS. There are stairs in almost every building here in Ecuador. Walking up and down the stairs is the secret people!!! That's how they have these amazing curves!!! You better believe I'm going to work on it! 

Well, I hope that made you smile. If you're curious about any part of my trip or things I'm learning here, just post a comment, and I'll respond! 

Much love, 

Melody 

Week 3 recap: Making more memories!

These weeks are just flying by! It's surprising how much a person can do in one day when you don't have to work and your friends plan your days for you. :)

My third week in Ecuador,  I visited Esmeraldas and Quito (one more time) before beginning my journey south.

The Journey to Esmeraldas

Last Sunday, I traveled from Quito (a high altitude, somewhat chilly, somewhat sunny, big city) to Esmeraldas (a hot humid coastal city) by bus. It was about a 6 hour ride, but this time I was with my friend Xiomara. It was nice to have someone else to travel with. A lot of people sleep on these kinds of buses, including Xiomara, but with the changing temperatures, the consistent jerking, and most of all- the anticipation of seeing a new place, I still haven't been able to truly fall asleep.

About an hour away from the city of Esmeraldas, I felt the humidity and temperature change. Looking out the window I began to see worlds of green. Huge green tropical plants passed by. It looked almost like jungle. Beautiful and warm.

Once we arrived, the sweating began. The drastic change in temperature was a lot for me. Each night in Esmeraldas I slept in a t-shirt and shorts without any sheets, and each morning I woke up sweating. This is truly the only thing I struggled with in Esmeraldas, and by the last day I was getting used to it. Of course it was 100% worth it to spend time with Xiomix.

Things I did in Esmeraldas:

Teaching 

Xiomara and her director invited me to join them in teaching a few classes. It was fun to plan lessons with Xiomara and meet university students who care about English and some others who are going to be English teachers very soon. Even though I've only been teaching for 2 years, it was pretty great to reflect and share some of my experiences with future teachers. 

Walking on the "board walk" and Salchipapas

My second night in Esmeraldas, Xiomara took me and her wonderful son Alex to the Esmeraldas beach. It was already dark so we walked around this sidewalk area looking out at the waves. The breeze from the ocean was refreshing. 

The same night we ate the most amazing thing. Salchipapas. Salchipapas is a wonderfully crafted bowl of everything required for a heart attack: fried sausages, french fries, a creamy white mystery sauce, and a few other ingredients I didn't quite recognize. It was by far the best thing I've eaten in Ecuador, and I almost passed it up until Xiomara convinced me to seize the moment. Thanks girl! 

Playa Atacames

The afternoon I walked on the beach with my sweet friend was the most wonderful, peaceful, and tranquil experience. In all my planning for Ecuador, this was a moment that exceeded all my hopes. We talked, but we also enjoyed moments in silence enjoying the feeling of the water rushing over our feet. Also, because we went on a weekday afternoon the beach was basically ours. This made it even more special. As a girl from Kansas- so far from any beach- it was an amazing time.  I would go back in a heartbeat!

Hanging with Alex 

I fell in love with Xiomara's son. We played together and he often explained new things to me about Esmeraldas.  He's very sharp, bright, kind and talented. Alex can also rap like nobody's business. I definitely improved my listening skills hanging with him. He has a great future ahead of him. I hope I get to see him again soon.

The Journey Back to Quito

Only after a few days that flew by in Esmeraldas, it was time to head back to Quito. My bus ride back began hectically. Xiomara's family took me to the bus station and I just missed the bus by seconds. The next bus wouldn't leave until about 4 hours later. We talked to the "ticket master" who told us she would call the driver. Xiomara's dad explained what his truck looked liked, and the driver was informed that we would be chasing the bus until it would stop for me. I was actually afraid for my life for a few minutes as we quickly took short cuts through the city to catch up to the bus. Xiomara's dad was determined. When we finally did catch up, there wasn't a good spot for the bus to stop so we drove in front of the bus for a good 15 minutes until it would stop for me. That was such a sweet thing that her family did for me. The scene when I got on the bus and turned around to say goodbye and thank you was just like out of a movie. We made it to the bus; I was relieved and grateful at the same time. 

The bus was pretty full so I grabbed a seat next to an older gentleman, and I made a new friend. Gabriel and I started talking. His birthday was the very next day and he told me he was turning 86. For a good hour or more, he shared stories about how he used to play drums in a folklorico band, and how he still loves music. Of course this came up because of my name. We even sang a few songs together to the amusement of some of the other passengers I'm sure. It was nice to have someone to chat with. There's always so much to learn from elder people and I enjoy hearing their stories. God bless Gabriel. 

Last things I did in Quito 

On Wednesday, I traveled back to Quito to visit my friend Esther for a few days. It never ceases to amaze me that my friends- no matter how busy their lives are- they make time for me. Esther works in a public high school with many many students, but she still planned activities for me to do with her. She's truly a sweetheart.

The high school where Esther works!! 

Hanging out with Andrea

My first night back in Quito, Esther was waiting for me at the train station with her friend Andrea. Since Andrea had free time while Esther was working, we got to know each other. She's a 21 year old who also shares a love for travel. I hope we'll hang out again- maybe do a little traveling together.

Historic Churches in Quito 

One thing I hadn't done in Quito yet was see some of the historic churches in the oldest area of the city. So of course, Andrea took me to see some of them. A lot of these Catholic churches have been converted into museums, and you have to pay to enter them. As I mentioned earlier, museums aren't as interesting to me as other activities, but we did enter one church. It truly was outstanding and ornate. The gold and the paintings were exquisite. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures inside.

One of my favorite things about the museum was that the inside garden had parrots. They were incredibly entertaining. One would copy Andrea and I. It responded to her "hola" and mimicked our laughs. The inner child in me loved this so much!

Batidos: Oh those smoothies!!! 

After checking out the churches, we were a little hungry so we stopped by this cafe. (By the way cafes are seriously the best here in Ecuador!) Andrea and I shared a fruit salad and smoothies. They were delicious!

La Ronda: Giving it another try 

If you read my first week recap blog, you know that I prefer La Plaza Foch, but this go around La Ronda was somewhat better. Less people stared, and we weren't trying to find a place to dance. (I think that was the main disappointment the first time I went to La Ronda.) We were just enjoying our time together and seeking a place to eat and listen to live music. It was different because of our purpose in going to La Ronda. Esther, Andrea, and I enjoyed a lovely dinner, we tried legitimate chocolates made from the cacao plant here in Ecuador, and listened to live music at a bar.

Rest: Travelling can wipe you out!!  

One of the important things I did in Quito at Esther's house was rest. I slept in, took frequent naps, and went to bed early most days. It was like all of sudden, all of the social interactions, the days full of fun activities, and all of the bus trips here and there caught up to me and I needed to sleep. I needed to have quiet time to myself. Praise the Lord I could do just that. 

Today I came from Ambato to Riobamba. I'm staying with my friend Jenniffer at her church. She literally lives at this church. The upstairs has rooms and the terrace has a kitchen. It's pretty cool! Pray that this week here in Riobamba will be refreshing to my soul. It's easy to be distracted from God's purpose and I'm hopeful this week will recenter me. I also want to be a blessing to Jenniffer and other believers here at Iglesia Vision. 

Thanks for reading this and I really appreciate your encouragement prayers and support.