Dia Cinco en Ecuador

Finally, got a real good night's sleep. Between the noises inside and out, combined with the unfamiliar bed, sleep has been a reluctant guest. But last night either exhaustion or fewer noises or both combined to let me sleep through the night for the first time since arriving. I awoke to find Leslie sitting up in bed making preparations for her next session. She had been as quiet as a mouse and I was grateful. We hopped up and headed downstairs for the usual breakfast of croissants, scrambled eggs and cafe con leche. They don't have a very creative kitchen but it is gratis and it's good, so why complain?

The older Jorge picked us up. All seemed forgiven regarding Leslie's innocent slight yesterday. In fact part of our conversation, in Spanish, on the way to the capilla was about how fast paced life seems to be. Everyone is in so much of a hurry they don't take time for the truly important things in life such as family and having fun! Work, work, work isn't so important. Jorge's point is well taken.

We arrived at the convention center and Jorge walked us over to a courtyard where a celebration of some sort was about to begin. Tables of local foods were laid out and a band of guitars, drums, pan pipes and wooden flutes were about to begin playing. Eugenio suddenly appeared and motioned for us to come down the stairs and join him. Costumed locals strolled around and Eugenio handed us paper plates and we got into line where the food was being handed out. Three grupos de Ecuador were represented. The three represented the roots of the Ecuadorian people. First, the Indigenous group were the the people of the mountains. Somewhat akin to our Native Americans. The second group were the African-Ecuadorians who represent the African influence and finally the group that represents the melding of these groups. The food was all small samples of food indigenous to each group. I was able to sample my first Cuy (guinea pig) which tasted much like rabbit. There wasn't much meat on the bone. You had to work at it but it was okay. We also sampled a variety of empenandas and a delicious African dish that had rice, fish and shrimp in it. It was the best of the samples. Lastly, we were offered a cup of a fermented corn beverage. It was fine but I think a rather acquired taste. We were told about another beverage made of yucca which is chewed until a mouthful of the extracted liquid is literally spit into a pot. This process is repeated until enough "spit" has been gathered and then the liquid is fermented and drunk. A real acquired taste I would guess. It was a delightful hour or so but we needed to leave to set up for class.

We wondered how many would show up for class considering the fiesta taking place down the hallway and what a buen dia it had turned out to be. Today Leslie finally got a pianist for her class which was to take some of the stress off of her trying to teach in Spanish, allow her to move around the room and offer suggestions and advice AND play the piano. Impossible but she had done it for two days so far. The pianist turned out to be quite accomplished. Funny that all we have really seen of the city so far has been from the window of the car that has taken us to and from the class. Our mornings have been reserved for Leslie to make necessary adjustments, plan and rehearse in her mind (in Spanish) what she would do in class that day. The students are so far behind what she was lead to believe they were capable of and each day she must adjust her lesson to what they were able to accomplish the day before. It has just taken every waking minute for her to plan and execute each day's lesson. It's fine.

This weekend we will spend time roaming the museums and other attractions we have read about, some of which are within an easy walk of our hotel. Dinner this evening was at the same spot as last night--Orquidea Restaurant, but this time we took a walk to get there. Turned out to be only about 3-4 blocks away. Dinner started with a small plate with 3 small empanadas, each a different flavor and with different ingredients. Then the main which was spaghetti carbonara. Disappointing. Dessert was a very unimaginitive flan. We did have a delicious fruit juice with our meal. After dinner Jorge left the table and didn't return until we found him in the hotel above the restaurant. He had taken a tour and so we were all invited as well. The rooms were all differently designed and beautiful. Rates were $150 per night and well worth it! We thought of maybe staying their instead of the old town hotel we booked when we return from the Galapagos.

We walked back to hotel together in the dark which made me nervous since we had been warned not to walk in Quito after dark. But we did fine. It probably helped that there were four of us. Sleep, when we got to our room was difficult at best. The dog at the Casa de Musica next door barked nearly all night, plus the traffic noise was especially bad for some reason. We have had enough, so at breakfast the next morning we asked to be moved.

Dia Quatro en Quito, Ecuador

Had a bit of extra sleep last night. Leslie brought me breakfast in bed. Showered and sat out near the front desk waiting for our ride to the convention center. Myriam came in but instead of taking us at the agreed upon time she told us another, older Jorge would pick us up and take us to lunch. By the time he arrived we had less than an hour until Leslie's session was to begin. Our driver seemed to have specific directions to take us out to lunch. Leslie was equally insistent that she needed to get to the capilla no later than 20 minutes before her session in order to have time to prepare. This didn't seem to sit well with the driver who couldn't find the restaurant he was supposed to take us to anyway. The Jorge from Mexico talked him into stopping at the Fruiteria we had eaten at yesterday.

We quickly gobbled down another bowl of fruit salad and added an empanada verde which turned out to be very different from the one we had on Sunday with Myriam and Matteo.

Leslie and I hustled up the hill to the capilla with the feeling of our rushed lunch still sitting heavily on our tummies.

"Should I go ahead and start?" was Leslie's question to me when at 2:00 there were only 4 people in the room. "It depends on what statement you are trying to make," was my reply. So she began and slowly, a few at a time, students wandered in. It is 2:20 still only about half the class had arrived.
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This might be a good time for me to talk about my theory of time as it pertains to different parts of the planet. I have long held the opinion, and it is thoroughly based on anecdotal experiences I have had over 30+ years of traveling the world, that the closer you are to the equator, the less important time becomes. In Italy trains never run on time, museums are closed even when the sign on the door clearly states it should be. I have found the same to be true in Guinea, West Africa and Morocco. Now go to Germany, Scandinavia, the United States, Japan, all countries whose borders are a good distance from our equator.

I know, it is a generalization, but again, like I said, it seems more often true than not.

Is there something wrong with these other country's time "impaired" sensibilities? Well, it depends on your personal perspective doesn't it? No one in those slower paced countries seems to mind their "problem." They are generally as happy as anyone I've met in any other country I have visited whose "fortunate" geography has placed it furthest from the equator and as a result (if you buy my theory) operate on time nearly to the minute.

All of this, of course, drives us folks from the northern climes crazy. We feel guilty if we haven't started on time, as if we have not lived up to a promise. In fact we expect to be fired if we are negligent in our duty to time.

So what's the right answer? Hell if I know. I guess you go by the adage, when in Rome…!
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I spent a bit of time writing to friends on the wi-fi network this morning. Otherwise, I am sitting in my little corner here in the capilla writing and reading and being Leslie's gopher, mostly fetching water and taking photos for her office door back home.
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A personal observation of the choral situation here in Ecuador. There are a lot of talented singers in this country. But, like anyone, anywhere, they will only get as far as they are willing to work at their art. The apparent general disregard for pitch, learning to listen to each other, having directors who establish a higher standard of performance will all be necessary before any choir we’ve heard thus far will receive the respect they have the capacity to achieve. Walking into rehearsals a half hour, even over an hour late with total disregard to the director or the other members of the team, never bodes well for the future.

Our day was topped off with dinner at a lovely tapas and wine bar near our hotel called the Orquidea Restaurant. Eugenio hosted Jorge Cordoba who we have discovered is a world renowned composer. He is also a great story teller and a really down to earth guy. Also joining us was Zulyamir Lopezrios who is a voice teacher from Mexico City. She had passport issues that kept her from arriving until today. We enjoyed a lovely dinner that started with an incredible spinach soup topped with potato chips. The main was a delicious sea bass topped with a creamy remoulade sauce and accompanied by a spinach infused rice, fresh tomatoes and sliced hearts of palm. A postre or dessert of chocolate layers in a creamy pie finished the meal. We sat around sharing stories until about 8 when Eugenio drove us all back to the hotel.

Buenos noches to dia quatro of our adventure!

Dia Tres en Ecuador--Quito

Awoke to the usual coccophony of sounds--the telephone ringing at the front desk downstairs, the dog barking at everything that passes by, the traffic sounds of the city. My but I do appreciate the quiet of my little Bellingham. Today, however, new noises were added to the familiar ones. A grupo of American high school and college aged estudiantes were up and having breakfast. They were a loud group, having a good time, getting to know others of their own age, having come to Ecuador for some unknown common purpose. Still, couldn't someone teach them to be quieter? They have such difficulty with their self-awareness, talking at the top of their lungs in public places, laughing aloud drowning out the conversation you are attempting with your table mate.

Another addition to the sounds of the dia was the arrival of the members of the Quito Symphony at their rehearsal space right next door to our hotel in a beautiful classical style building somewhat resembling our White House in miniature. Suddenly, the sounds of individual instrumentalists warming up, playing scales and passages of music wafted in through our windows.

At breakfast, as I mentioned, we were surrounded by a large group of young people visiting loudly. We were served croissants, scrambled eggs and coffee con leche. Our waitress had a difficult time giving us the milk and coffee in the combinations we wanted. She poured the hot milk from one pot so that it nearly filled the cup, then topped it with a tiny bit of coffee!! We had to ask for a refill and this time asked for media y media, leche y cafe. She didn't seem to understand, pouring the milk until we told her to stop, then she wanted to pour only a few drops of coffee in. We kept insisting on more and she poured a tiny bit more before stopping again and we'd make a sign to keep filling, back and forth it went until we finally got what we were asking for.

Back upstairs we showered and dressed for the day. We thought we had asked to be picked up at 10 am, but by 11, still no one had arrived. Hmmmmm?

It is another beautiful day. The weather is about like Bellingham. Highs in the 60's or 70's and lows in the 50's. If I could only breathe! The altitude plays tricks on you. At nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, headaches, difficulty breathing, even flu-like symptoms are not uncommon here. So far I have only suffered from the occasional need to stop and take in a few deep breathes in retaliation for my lungs inability to capture enough oxygen. It feels like I am suddenly drowning and can't quite reach the surface for air. Ever had that feeling? It's a bit scary, but then the oxygen begins to reach your blood and spread to your brain. The fear goes away finally and your desperate need for seemingly non-existent air subsides. Whew, I'm still in the land of the living!

Finally, at about 11, our ride showed up and we were off to the Central de Convencion. An old hospital, the campus of buildings are connected by covered walkways. The capilla or chapel is a simple but beautiful building with faux marble pillars, a floor with pale yellow tiles accented in each corner with a green triangle that overlapped with adjacent tiles creating a larger triangle. The ceiling is of wood lathing painted sky blue and dotted with gold stars and three painted rose window looking decorations. The alter of wood had touches of gold leaf here and there. A large cross above is surrounded by a gold leaf sun burst. Above the alter is a dome of the same wood and decorations as with the ceiling. The acoustics are very live making it difficult to hear rushed speech. It is a lovely space that would be fun to sing certain genres of music in. Jorge, the morning presenter, was from Mexico. When we walked into the capilla he was running the participants through scales insisting they sing in tune. He was having each section do it, having to stop sometimes several times and restart them until he got what he wanted. The participants all seemed to be working at a pretty basic level which is definitely driving his instruction and causing Leslie to do some serious, quick rethinking of her approach for the afternoon.

Lunch was a walk down the hill to the Fruitaria Monserrat, a cafeteria style place that specializes in fruits of all kinds, many of which are native to Equador or the surrounding countries. We ordered a beautiful, big bowl of layered fruits topped with whipped cream. Peaches, apples, pineapple, watermelon, papaya, grapes and strawberries filled the bowl. Deliciosamente!

Eugenio walked us back up the hill to the capilla in the convention center where we found it locked and Matteo, his son, was sent to look for the keeper of the keys who appeared after a while.

When we got in we started setting up for Leslie's session. The session began with her introducing herself (and me, us, our family and our life in Bellingham) and then she got them on their feet and moving. I won't go into any details about how it went (it went great!). Ask Leslie for all the details. Her session ended, we were whisked immediately off to the opening concert of the festival. It was held in a theater that looked on the outside like an ancient stone temple. Nine grupos were to perform starting at 7pm. We got home by 10:30 and immediately headed for bed.

Another buen dia!

Dia dos en Ecuador

We have had quite day here in Ecuador. Just back from an excursion out to the Middle of the World monument. Myriam and her son Matteo drove us out to this place. It was quite a drive through neighborhoods of all sorts. Graffiti is a huge problem as it so often is in large cities but many times here it appears to be more art than graffiti. We toured around the grounds of the monument past artisan stalls, museums and finally to the huge towering monument itself with a huge globe of the earth atop it. What with our reactions to the altitude so far, we didn't attempt the climb to the top. It turns out that this huge place dedicated to all things equator is not actually "on" the equator at all. In the day when a group of French scientists came here to decide where the equator line was located, they had pretty crude, though quite accurate instruments, for the time. Turns out they were off by a few hundred yards.

No problem, the ingenious Ecuadorians built another site on what was thought a few years later, to be the actual site of the equator. Wrong again! Myriam next drove us over to that "real equator" site a few hundred yards away. Here you could pay $3 for the privilege of attempting to stand an egg on end, which is apparently only possible at the equator. We declined and headed back to the car for the drive back into Quito for lunch. So if neither site we visited was actually "AT" the equator, where is it? Well, to get there you had to pay $25 for a guide to take you on an uphill hike to the actual spot. We declined.

It wasn't all just a big rip off, though it was decidedly touristic. The monument park was filled with just as many locals as foreigners. We purchased a beautiful hammock from one of the artisans who Myriam happened to know and so we wound up getting a "much better deal" than what the salesperson was asking for in the beginning. We also bought two lovely birds made of clay and painted beautifully. Also, at the same shop we bought a wall hanging of a local scene sewn into a colorful design. You have to go. The Mitad del Mundo is worth an afternoon or morning visit.

Back in Quito we went to a local "hole-in-the-wall" and had a lunch of Cebiche, fresh seafood (in this case shrimp and conch) "cooked" in lime juice. So actually it never touched a hot pan but rather was cooked through the action of the acid in the juice. It was fabulous! With it we were given little baskets filled with popcorn, plantain chips and tostadas, a kind of partially popped corn that had a sort of Corn Pops cereal taste. Another surprise was the empanadas verdes made of plantain and filled with cheese. Fantastico!

Myriam next drove us to a rehearsal hall and took us backstage in one of Quito's concert halls. Her husband, Eugenio was running a rehearsal with his choir and a guest German choir on tour here. They moved into the concert hall after a while and sang to a sparse audience. They are eventually going to sing the pieces they rehearsed in a combined concert sometime after we leave for the Galapagos.

That evening we were hosted at Eugenio and Myriam's home for dinner and to meet other directors and presenters at the symposium. Unfortunately, the others were unable to get to Ecuador in time so dinner turned out to be just us and the family. We were driven to Eugenio and Myriam's beautiful home for dinner. We were ushered in with the words, mi casa es su casa, handed a glass of a terrific pilsner style Ecuadorian beer and sat down to talk while dinner was finishing.

Dinner consisted of cheese, corn on the cob, a large fava looking bean, which was followed by a bowl of roasted pork chunks, white hominy called mote, which was combined by each person with a tomato and red onion relish, and avocado slices. Delicious, simple and wonderful. The dinner was followed by a postre of a corn cake topped with a couple of raisins and baked in a locally grown leaf. Coffee accompanied the dessert. More conversation in their comfortably furnished living room before they drove us across town to our hotel. Es un buen dia! Buenos noches!

Dia uno: Arrivo en Ecuador

At the end of April 2011, Leslie was invited to be on the faculty of the 7th Choral Music Symposium and Festival in Quito, Ecuador. All her expenses would be paid and she would also receive an honorarium for her work there. The organizers were thrilled when she insisted she would be teaching in Spanish. She had about 2 months to learn how! From the time she finished her school year she set about spending 8 hours a day studying Spanish. We had a lot of planning to do along with her preparation for teaching five, four hour classes. A total of 20 hours of teaching in Spanish! As you will see, she was very successful not only in her goals for learning the language, but also in the impact she had on her students.

We went on line to the United States State Department website to check on the safety or going into a country like Ecuador and were shocked to read about the crime there. U.S. citizens were all but told not to go and if you do expect to be robbed at gun or knife point, mugged, ripped off, you name it. It scared the hell out of me. So I went to Ecuador with a lot of apprehension.

We also decided to spend time in the Galapagos Islands so we researched, planned and made reservations for that part of the trip as well.

This is the journal of our adventure to Ecuador as it happened and I logged it each day. Along the way I also spend some time venting about aspects of the trip that weren't positive experiences for me and I include some suggestions and advice for those thinking of a trip to Ecuador. So if my rants get to be too much, just skip ahead. I have divided these op-ed sections with ++++++++++++ signs, so you'll know to either read on or skip ahead.

Well, here goes. Enjoy!



We drove from our home in Bellingham, Washington to Seattle and spent a couple of hours with our daughter and son-in-law, Kate and Nick, before Nick dropped us off at the Seatac airport. They will keep the car at their place while we are away. Kate stayed behind to prepare for friends who were to arrive for the weekend.

Our flight to Miami, the first leg of our journey, was scheduled for 10:45 PM. Yikes! Check in went quickly and so we decided to have dinner at Anthony's. We had a leisurely dinner and by the time we finished we had only about an hour before boarding.

Our flight took off on time which is about all I can say positive about the flight. We were aboard an Alaska Airlines flight which, as an attendant proudly mentioned over the loudspeaker, was recently proclaimed by JD Powers and Associates, for no less than the fourth year in a row, the best airline in America.

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I have something I'd like to say about this award. What criteria is J D Powers and Associates using to base the awarding of this honor? The best what? Leg room? Seat size? In-flight service? WHAT? Because if Alaska is supposed to represent the best in the industry, then I have a real problem with the industry!

This is an industry, as far as I am concerned, that is obviously listening to only one constituency, that being their stock-holders. Airline travel, even within my memory, used to be enjoyable. The seats were wider, yeah, I know I'm wider, too. There was more leg room. The in-flight food and entertainment were free. You brought your luggage to the check-in counter, it was weighed and then loaded on the plane. No more questions OR charges asked. There was always space for your carry-ons in the overhead bins and if you needed help to get it in the bin, there was always a friendly attendant who gladly helped you out. Magazines were passed out, a blanket and pillow were always available for the asking if they weren't already waiting for you in your seat. If you turned the help light on a smiling attendant was always johnny on the spot to help out.

Today, attendants are of little help at all when assistance is needed. I have even overheard attendants state that they will not help lift objects into the bins because they don't want to throw out their back. Sorry no blankets or pillows on this flight. Only international flights. Yeah we serve food but it'll cost you. You mean now I actually have to pay for the opportunity to eat lousy airline food? You are squeezed into a cabin like cattle with too little air circulation and if you attempt to get out of your seat to stretch your legs you are scolded and asked to please take your seat as the airline's rule is that you should stay in your seat with your seat belt fastened unless you need to use the bathroom.

Of course, that isn't a concern in the business cabin where only 2 seats take up the space of 3 in economy and where there is nearly twice the leg room of the coach cabin. No entertainment unless you want to pay $15 to watch or listen with horrible fidelity and screens difficult to see. Only one free bag. Anything more costs you, big time. I have seen fees as high as $50 for additional bags. No wonder it is nearly fisticuffs in the economy cabin when passengers board to find no space in the bins above their seat or anywhere else for that matter. As these humiliations mount passengers have become less tolerant and short tempered leading to arrests and some even banned from flying on an airline.

So what about passenger rights? Why not address the real reasons people are becoming so dissatisfied with flying? It may be one reason for the increase in train travel and why cruise ship lines are building new ships as fast as they can. People want to be treated, dare I say, like human beings and it doesn't take much to meet most folk's standards. Airlines simply aren't doing it and I for one go out of my way to spend my travel dollar where I know I am going to be treated right.

I fly only when I have no other reasonable option for getting where I need to go. So, Alaska Airlines, don't brag about being the best in an industry that already has few standards above that of a cattle car. You have nothing to be proud of other than the fact that few of your planes fall out of the sky. If you didn't notice, there was no applause from a soul when you made that announcement before our flight, though I'm sure your stock holders busted there buttons. That's my soap box rant about the airline industry. Excuse me but I needed that.
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Having said all that we did arrive in Miami on time albeit at 6 in the morning after a night of no sleep. We made our way to the concourse where our connecting flight to Quito aboard LAN airlines was to depart. Having about 7 hours to wait, we attempted to find a quiet spot at an empty gate area to stretch out on the floor and get a little shut eye.

Have you ever noticed that even at empty gates there is still the background noise of a TV blaring along with elevator music from additional speakers interrupted frequently by public address announcements? There is no quiet place in an airport. And the chairs. Ever notice that they have conveniently made sure they have arms on them so they can' t be slept on? So we fashioned a spot on the carpeted concrete floor... and slept. Well, I did anyway. I think Leslie used the time to study and prepare.

Before long though, the gate area began to fill up with passengers waiting a flight so nap time was over. We headed for our gate and soon boarded our flight. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! My goodness, we walked into an aircraft that was more spacious, wasn't packed to the gills, had room in our overhead bin, gracious attendants, free food and entertainment, and get this, a bag with a clean pillow and the loveliest fleece blanket. American airlines, are you listening? A little country like Peru can do this and at a cheaper cost than our flight across the U.S.? No, you're not listening are you? Viva Peru!

I slept for most of the 4 hour flight to Quito. Our arrival was dramatic as we banked over the mountains surrounding the city, seeming to barely clear the peaks that towered over a city which was itself nearly 10,000 feet above sea level. Worn around the edges the airport is scheduled to be replaced with a new facility in few years a safer distance from the city, but the economy has set back the project.

Myriam, the wife of the organizer of the music symposium, met us at the exit after we had passed through customs without any trouble. It was good to see a smiling face holding that sign reading "Leslie" in big block letters. She whisked us off to our hotel. We decided on a pick up time for the next day and then went up to our room and slept through the night.

New Photos Posted!

Take a look at the right side margin and you'll notice a slideshow of photos taken while Leslie and I were in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. We are just back and my first priority was to get those photos loaded up. Done!

Now on to the journal I kept while away. I will post these as I get them edited and embed static photos that go along with the content of the blog entry. So stay tuned. I have some great stories to share of this fantastic trip, filled with adventures all over the country, where we made new friends, both Ecuadorian and others from all over the world and saw some amazing things.

Our main purpose for being in Ecuador was for Leslie to be on the faculty of the 7th Annual Choral Music Symposium in Quito. She was invited to teach students and teachers at the symposium about her method of teaching conducting and how she incorporates that into her choral rehearsals at Western Washington University here in Bellingham, Washington. I won't be going into much detail about that since that is far from my area of expertise. However, I will share our plentiful and colorful experiences while in that country for three weeks.

So, take a look at the photos for now and in the days ahead stop back by and read my thoughts about our time in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. You can subscribe to this blog over there on the right margin as well if you'd like to be notified when the next blog entry is posted. I write and share my thoughts on food, travel, photography, boating, and life in general. I'd also welcome your comments or rebuttal!

By the way, if you'd like to see the photos in a larger format, just double click on the slideshow and it should open up to a size that makes the experience more fun. I'll warn you, there are about 400 photos and that is after editing heavily! I just couldn't delete anymore. So quit if you get bored or enjoy the show!

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Coming Home!

This is a bass ackwards way of writing about our adventures in Ecuador, but we are packed and ready to fly home from Quito after nearly 3 weeks. I have had no access to a computer other than the Nook Color we took along which turned out to be pretty worthless when it came to accessing the web. I was able to use it to keep my journal and we took dozens of great photos so I will be reporting on the trip beginning when we arrive home on August 4th. The reports will be transcribed, edited as needed, then posted chronologically.

As a preview, you should know that the trip was fabulous. We spent 1 1/2 weeks in Quito initially while Leslie taught at the International Choral Music Festival here. She taught her daily classes (4 hours a day) in Spanish! Then we always spent the rest of the day with new friends and students where it was necessary for her to speak Spanish as well. My Spanish even improved out of necessity, but it was pretty intense!

Part of these days were also spent traveling to the outskirts of Quito, even several hours out to visit small towns, sometimes as part of the entourage on mini choir tours and sometimes just being tourists. We traveled to Ambato where we ate Chuy or guinea pig. We visited Midel del Mundo, where we stood on the equator. We traveled with a former student of Leslie´s to Mindo, where we took a harrowing ride hundreds of feet over the canopy of a rainforest, saw colorful butterflies, orchids of every color and size, and dozens of hummingbirds zipping about feeding. On our bus ride to get there we watched, heart warmed as her student patiently sat with a local teenager, who had hopped on the bus to sell candy to make a few pennies. She read, at his request, the Bible because he didn't know how to read.

The next 5 days were spent cruising through the Galapagos Islands. This segment of the trip is worth reading about if you have any notion of going there. We had snorkeling adventures where we had up close and personal encounters with sea lions, sea turtles, fish of every size and color, sea iguanas and cormorants diving for food, Blue Footed Boobies sat on their nests. Fantastic! Then we returned to Quito for another 3 days before our departure home.

I hope you will join me as I try and retell our amazing adventures here in Ecuador. See you soon!