Well today is our second full day in Ecuador.  First I have to tell about our first full day here, though.  Our flights here were fairly unremarkable.  We did have to wake at 2:00 in the morning to be ready for our shuttle at 3:30.  Our flight to Miami left at 7:00 and then we had a 2 hour layover there, and then off to Quito.  From the airport in Quito, our taxi ride was a good 45 minutes to our hostel, we had to ring the bell because we didn't get to the hostel until about 11:00 at night.  Our room is a big and could sleep up to 7 people and it has its own sink, toilet and shower.  There is a bunk bed and a loft that sleeps 3 and a large bed that sleeps 2.  Jorg and I are on the bed, Laina on the bunk, and Min in the loft-her choice!


In the morning, Gerd, our host, a German man who is 84 years old and runs the hostel, made us breakfast-toast, coffee, bread with meat and cheese, yogurt, granola and eggs.  After breakfast, about 11 o'clock, we set out to walk around the city.  The very first thing that happened was that Jorg forgot his camera in the hostel, and when he went back to get it, the girls and I walked along the road, in exactly the wrong direction, so that Jorg couldn't find us.  I realized something was wrong, returned to the hostel, Jorg was not there, so we started walking in the right direction, but down a different road than Jorg took.  So when Jorg returned to the hostel to look for us, he didn't find us.  I finally got a phone call, with a very exasperated and angry Jorg, telling us to stay put and not move.  The girls and I were standing in a plaza which was surrounded by restaurants and bars with everyone watching the world cup-Ecuador vs. Switzerland game.  Jorg found us and we watched the people for a bit and then walked on to the main park of the city.  The girls played for a time in the playground and we watched the last 10 minutes of the Ecuador game.  Ecuador lost in the last few seconds.  The city was a bit sad after that.

After the playground, we walked to the language school we will attend.  We did find it after going to their old address and having to look up the new address.  Then we had some lunch, looked in some churches and walked around old town.  We took the trollebus home, had pizza for dinner and then went to bed.

I have pictures, but I'm in my warm bed and my camera is way over there...tomorrow...