Almost Home

Sadness abounds on the last full day in Ecuador.

Up and at ém at 9;00, to take cabs up to the cable car that runs to the top of Pichincha. We haggled some with the taxi drivers, who wouldn´t take us up that high without some extra money added to the fare (and our driver´s radiator splashed him with boiling water when we arrived, which made him pretty angry at us, though it got him no more money), and up the mountain after no wait in line whatsoever on what was really a pretty cloudy day. Ten minutes later, we were on a misty mountain top with spectacular views of the banks of mist right in front of us. The kids did some shopping at the stores in the observation building (shopping has been very big with this group), and then we walked on up the mountain a ways before descending again. It was fun, but we only got one small shot of a small section of Quito from up there. Ah well.

Down to the hotel in a van that specializes in transporting tourists from the top, at a buck a head, to wherever they want to go, and then we re-grouped and headed down to the touristy section of town so we could have some shopping options, and so Kaitlin and I could go see a doctor about some bug bites. We got some medication for them, and rejoined the group, which had made some purchases. Back on the trolley to the hotel.

Down-time until 5:50, when we walked up to the boroque church a few blocks away to hear Mass. As it started, the priest invited us (somewhat chidingly) up to the front, so we went; and during the Mass, he chided us again for not responding when they did the call-and-response. He was really kind of churlish, which we felt was odd, since we made up over half the attendees. I think he probably thought we were just there as tourists, to gawk and be disrespectful. But the Catholics in the group went up and had Communion, so by the end I think we had won him over.

From there we walked to the La Ronda neighborhood, the most beautifully restored old neighborhood in the city, to eat supper in the 309-year-old house where the adults had eaten the night before. The food was OK, and slow in coming, so the students weren´t as taken with the place as we had been, I don´t think, but we had a grand time on our last night here, all around the same table, which we really haven´t done much of on this trip. We got some views of the virgin statue atop the Panecillo, and then headed out to meet up with Guillermo, the friend the boys have made. (They actually called him on the waiter´s cell phone during dinner to tell him we´d be late, and he called them back at the same phone. Probably a little irritating to the waiter.)

After depositing our stuff at the hotel, most of us (Hannah was feeling a little under the weather) walked up to the Plaza del Teatro with Guillermo and his son and nephew to see an open-air concert. We stood around a long time waiting for the music, but we were entertained by Guillermo and family trying to coach Matt G on his Spanish pick-up lines. We listened to one terrible rock song, then went with Guillermo to a restaurante he knows with a fabulous view. It was breathtaking, but we were pretty tired, so we headed home, and had the culturally authentic experience of being frustrated at how Ecuadorians take as long as possible to walk from one place to another, savoring the company. Americans? They decide to go home, and they go. Some handshakes and photos, and to bed.

Tomorrow! It´s almost here! We´re sad and excited...Hasta manana!