Times in Quito

Hey everyone,

I know it´s been a while, I´m sorry, it´s been very busy.

Spanish lessons are going very well, my teacher is really good, and even took me and Michelle and her teacher into the city to walk around and see the historic sites. It´s such an amazingly awesome historical city that you can spend a long time there.

Then, Friday night, we hopped the trolley and then the bus and went out to Otavalo.

Otavalo is a mostly indigenous city in Ecuador that is best known for its world-famous artesania market. Sure enough, it deserves its world famous status. The market happens every day in the central town square, but on Saturdays, the market spills out for blocks in every direction, with people selling everything from handmade alpaca hats to jewelry to musical instruments.

Lots of fun practical things were bought (Including a llama sweater with hood), and I redeemed my Graduation present- Michelle bought me a guitar and a case for when we´re traveling. This guitar is very nice and was probably the least expensive guitar we found- yet it still sounded better than most other ones I´ve tried. It sounds fantastic!

We then went to a bar to check out some live musica foklo´rica. The band was really awesome, and the energy of such music reminds me a little bit of punk rock, if you can believe that.

We came back to Quito on Sunday, and resumed normal activities on Monday. Unfortunately, Michelle got sick that day. She´s better now, but we suspect it may have been food poisoning from the gringo restaurant downstairs. It figures...after all, they put the toppings UNDER the cheese...AMERICAN cheese...on the pizza...the one bloody gringo place we go to....

We went to the doctor on Tuesday, she got some medication, and she´ll be fine...she´s already better and even smiley :)

Anywho, we learned today that we might be going out to Bua by next Wednesday. It would be wonderful if this is the case.

The homestay is going pretty well, good for practicing Spanish, and for the occasional foray into trashy American TV. Rarely, but it´s there. Also, it´s good for the food. She´s a really good cook, and even lets us cook our own breakfast, but we´ve concluded that she doesn´t fully comprehend "vegetarian"- She´s offered us sausage at least once, and I found a piece of what appeared to be chicken gristle or something meat-like in my soup last night. That being said, we´ve actually eaten quite well, and I have few culinary complaints. I have concluded that a fantastic addition to a breakfast is a croissant with either this milk/vanilla/caramel type spread or jelly, with a banana. This is especially fantastic, because the only thing I need for lunch is a bag of peanuts...I feel as if I am turning into an elephant considering the amount of mani´ or cacahuates that I eat these days.

Anyway, I think that´s about all I have for this addition of...

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF EVERYWHEREEEEEEEEE (cue really bad dramatic music)