EcuadorSabbatical

Too many hours scrubbing walls and carpets and sofas today. When I was finally satisfied, Maya celebrated with an ice cream at Corfu, and a walk around Carolina Park in the glorious sunshine. We took the Ecovia to Alameda Park, where Maya and I decided to try the paddle boats in artificial canal, and Maya did a remarkable job navigating and steering us along the route in the thirty minute allotted time. It was hard work! Maya was not thrilled to be back in the Centro Historico, complaining that she had seen all there was to see, and of course I had seen even more, but I wanted fresh air and a walk, and there is no better place to stroll than in the centre, where one always encounters something new and different. And today the church of Carmen Alto was open for the first time (I have walked by dozens of times and the grand doors are always closed. There is usually access to the convent where one can buy items produced by the nuns through a window next door to the church. When I saw the ...

Today was a glimpse into how the other side lives. Cumbaya, the valley next to Quito, attracts many of the successful Quiteños who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. There are gated communities with large homes with extensive grounds and swimming pools and tennis courts. Many of the expats live there, as do the well to do Ecuadorians. Cumbaya is quieter and safer and well heeled. There are fancier stores and gyms and malls and restaurants. A large private university attracts students and professors from other countries. There are private schools scattered all over. A tunnel separates Quito from Cumbaya, only a ten minute trip without traffic. I take the bus from the Rio Coca bus station, which takes a more circuitous route and avoids the 40 cent Peaje cost of the Guayasamin tunnel. The buses stop frequently but travel at great speed around the curves and hills to Cumbaya. From my apartment, there are only three Ecovia stops to get to a constantly flowing line of ...

I did not realize how cold it has been in Quito, so after a weekend at the beach, where it rains incessantly but the air and the water both in the ocean and from the sky is warm, it feels colder than ever. I have sent all my warm clothes away, so nothing that I have quite does the job. And I think it is warmer outside than it is in the apartment. Somehow our day never really got moving. Maya had lots of violin practice to catch up on, I tried to repack most of our stuff and weigh each suitcase to be sure I could get everything in the four 50 pound bags. I think I will make it but just. I have three boxes of things to be left with my friend Maria. I am not sure what I will do with the boxes, whether I will ever want anything in the boxes or whether at some point I will just ask her to throw everything out. But she has been kind enough to store them for me for now. The bonus for her is that she has two whole boxes of children's books, which she and Gabriel like to read together. When...

I was the only one who did not suffer last night. It was warm and the mosquitoes were busy. Maya was bitten all over, and had welts all over her face, arms and legs. Hernan, Maria and Gabriel were up all night itching. I slept nine hours -- after I spent some time cowering in fear after I heard what I thought were a series of gunshots. I thought we would be attacked at any moment and I decided there was little I could do other than covering Maya with my body. Maria heard the 'shots' as well and decided they were transformers popping. Evidently we were not attacked, except by insects. It was another miserable day, but that did not stop Maya and Gabriel from enjoying the surf. It was lightly drizzling as we watched the children swim, with Hernan, and then later with Maria. Hernan had decided that we would leave today, and no one objected. We packed up before lunch and headed north to Pedernales. I was hoping we would find a warmer sunnier place to swim, but that was not everyone...

Yesterday was unusual; today was more of the expected rain, mist and grey skies. My bathing suit was still wet from yesterday and from the humidity after the storm during the night, so I stayed in shorts and shirt and jacket while the children plunged into the surf, oblivious to the drizzle and insisting that the water was warmer than the ambient air. For Maya and Gabriel, a downpour would not have made a difference anyway. Maria and I walked along the beach to the north, where we encountered fishermen's shacks, caves, vultures and tide pools. We convinced the children to join us after they changed into warmer clothes, and they had their own adventure looking for oysters and mother of pearl. Maya wanted to know what she could expect to earn from her collection, and was not satisfied until I explained that after the shells had been incorporated into beautiful silver and gold jewellery, they would be worth much much more. The sky never stopped drizzling all day. We played pool, UNO, ...

Another effort at a beach vacation, although it is difficult for me to imagine one without sun. Maria and I had arranged to start our journey at 5 AM, so Maya and I were packed and ready to go before then, but Maria, Hernan, and Gabriel arrived at the house some time after 5:30 and we got onto the 'Oriental' by 6. The road to Santo Domingo was treacherous, but not too full of traffic. Hernan is a good driver, although fast and not averse to risk, so I purposefully closed my eyes and tried not to pay attention. So time passed quickly and it felt as if we were on the coast in no time. We drove to Pedernales, where we stopped at 'La Choza' on the Malecon, exactly the same restaurant where Eric, Maya and I had lunch on our way home from Canoa and watched the world cup game when Germany battered Australia at 4:0. We arrived in time to watch the second half of the game between Germany and Argentina, again with Germany winning at 4:0! Maria had chosen to stay at 'Punta Bl...

Canada Day was yesterday, but we decided to celebrate it today. Emilie, Sam, Maya and I did not get moving too early in the morning and were delayed at Boncaffee while we watched Brasil lose to Holland at the World Cup (can't beleive Brasil is out -- they were supposed to win!). By the time we got on the Ecovia to go downtown, it was too late to give Emily and Sam a proper tour of the old town. We got off at La Marin and walked to the Plaza Grande. I suggested they visit La Compania (the gold church) and San Fransisco church and museum, as well as Casa Alabada, and have lunch at the Archbishop's Palace at Hasta La Vuelta Señor. Then Maya and I made a mad dash to find a taxi, which then took forever to get to Cyrano's near the apartment to buy a cake for the celebration, change clothes hastily, and meet the ambassador's car next door for a ride to Cumbaya. Maria was hosting the event at her house for a small group of Canadian women and we all indulged in bagels and cre...