Mom and Warren in Quito!

(Written on Saturday in the hotel!)

This has been quite the exciting few days! Their plane arrived on time Wednesday at 8:30pm. I picked them up from the airport and we headed to the hotel. We are all staying together in the Hilton Colon which is a great hotel! I feel like I´m on vacation in Quito:) We dropped Warren off at the room becasue his shoulder was hurting him, he has a pinched nerve the poor guy! then Mom an dI went to a restaurant called Pobre Diable where we ate and were fortunate enough to hear Doc´Holiday and his jazz band who were down from the states. It was a great concert and the food was delicious!

The next Morning we had a great breakfast at the hotel and went off to tour the old city of Quito. We walked around the plaza de Independencia and visited the church Compania de Jesus. there was a mass going on so we were able to sit and liten and take in the atmosphere. From there we went to a church that was underconstruction so that was fun to see. We also were able to climb to the choir loft which was beautiful. There is also 2 corners of the functioning convent which was located across a courtyard where you can wisper to one corner and can be heard from the adjacent corner. It is said that it was used for confessions at one time. :)

From there we wne to La Basilica which is one of the highest standing churches in the area. We climbed many stairs:) and with the altitude it wasn´t easy! We climbed up the clock tower where half way up is a cute little restaurant which overlookds the ciyt. We ate humitas which is an Ecuadorian corn dish and scrumptious sandwiches. After we rested our wearly legs we started our descent.
Next on our agenda was to visit a vonvent where you can buy products made by the nuns there. the cool thing is that youa ren´t able to see the nuns so they have a revolving door where you put your money in and spin it. Then your product is sent out to you using the door. We didn´t buy anything but we saw it in action through other buyers:)
Then we grabbed a cab and went back to the hotel to pick up Warren before we went to dinner at a fun Ecuadorian restaurant where we sampled the cuisine. There was nice live music by an Ecuadorian guitarist. Then I introduced them to an Ecuadorian drink called Cnelazo in a part of town called La Mariscal. Then we had a nice walk back to the hotel and spent time there before bed.

The next day I had school so Mom and Warren took a cab out to the University to meet me after class. They were both impressed by the ride there with the mountainous backdrop, winding roads and Eucalyptus trees lining the roads. They were very impressed with the campus also, they though it was beautiful and they enjoyed seeing the elementary school down the road where I volunteer. the bus ride was quite the experience for them:) They got to see the kids swarm around and say hi, so they thought that was fun. Then back to Quito and to the market where we bought lots of goodies! It was very close to teh hotel and there were great deals! Mom was a great help with bargaining! She would always wnat to take them lower so I got good practice with my Spanish. For dinner we went to a resaurant called Colombus which was great and then home for the night!

Today, Saturday we ventured out to a new market which was conveniently located across the street! We saw it from our window in te morning and had to check it out! Right next to the market many local artists had set up their paintings along the side walk so we had a look. I fell in love with a piece by a man called Orellana, it is of the Oriente and the Andies. Mom an dWarren got it for me for my birthday present! What a great memory of Ecuador!! A cool thing about the hotel we stayed at was that there was a band called REBELDE staying there. They are a band from Mexico. So there were lots of groupies outside the hotel waiting for them to come out. We felt like rockstars anytime we left the hotel because we went through a big line of fans! I think they were disappointed to see it was only us however:) Mom and I went up the teleferiqo before dinner so she could overlook teh whole city. You ride up the side of the mountain in a cable car. I´m not sure Mom knew exactly what she was getting into however! A couple of times the car stopped and we both just about had heart attacks!:) It was tons of fun though and she says the view was worth it! For dinner we went to the top of another hotel which had a great view of the lights of the city. The food was delicious!!

That about raps things up, righ tnow we are just enjoying eachothers company in teh hotel and getting ready for bed. Their plane leaves at 830 tomorrow morning so we will be gettingup bright and early! I have loved having them here and will be sad to see them leave. I just have to keep telling myself that there is only one month left and then I will get to see everybody!!