day97

Day 97

     Arrived in Quito, Ecuador this morning. Ecuador is named after the equator and if you are thinking it is warm here, you would be wrong. While only 15 miles from the equatorial line, Quito is at 9,000 feet and cold, especially when the clouds set in and the afternoon showers start (and very cold at night). It is set in a beautiful mountain valley that is 10 miles long, but only 2 miles wide. The temperature between sun (short sleeves) and shade (put on your pullover) can vary as much as 20 degrees. Compared to Central America, Quito is cosmpoolitan. It has the best of modern conveniences as well as a charming old city.
     After clearing customs, we went to a money exchange office to buy local currency. It was closed and so was the next one, We only had dollars and worried about how we would pay for things like a taxi until we found a bank. The driver had a good laugh at our expense and said that Ecuador had just converted to U.S. dollars as their local currency just a few days before. Problem solved.
     Our guidebook recommended a guesthouse called Casa Paxee because of its friendly owner. They understated. Martha treated us like family from the moment we arrived. We also had a kitchen, dining room, living room, TV, and hot water. We love South America.

Hotel $8, Food $31, Trans $4, Random - departure tax $4, Total $47

Day 98

Somewhere along the way, we developed nasty colds and spent most of the day close to home. Martha was excellent company though and she entertained us with stories about past residents. She said she has learned to visit when guests are cooking. One couple had gathered wild (and quite toxic) mushrooms to eat and were saved only when Martha intervened. Another guest was preparing inedible cactus for dinner. Her favorite stories were about the many people who come to Ecuador carrying only shorts and t-shirts.

Hotel $8, Food $13, Random - internet $3, Total $24

Day 99

It is hard to choose the highlight for the day. Our laundry coming back folded, ironed! and smelling lemony fresh or the beauty of Old Quito. Old Quito can be a shock from the modern city centre. It is much more crowded, has street vendors instead of fast food restaurants, Sucres remain the currency of choice, and churches outnumber highrises. The many churches have unique characters but all have gold and silver altars and intricately painted ceilings. We imagined all sorts of interesting history at the Church of San Francisco which is the oldest in South America.
The other shock in Old Quito is the visible poverty. The recent economic crisis and subsequent dollarization hit children and the elderly especially hard. Children have been abused and abandoned in record numbers and now survive by shining shoes or selling candy on the street. The elderly were impacted becuase they receive fixed pensions. For example, previously they received $10 a month based on an exchange rate of 10,000 Sucres to the Dollar. When the crisis hit, those with money moved to a more stable currency (i.e., the Dollar). As the flight occurs, the exchange rate changes and last year reached 20,000 Sucres for $1. This affects the cost of imports more than local goods and minimally impacts the poor. However, when the currency was pegged to the dollar at 25,000 and then they converted to the Dollar, they did not simultaneously increase pensions or salries. Therefore, a pension that used to provide a retiree with $10 a month of value, now provides only $2.50. The streets are crowded with elderly people begging on the street.
(FYI - inflation, or hyperinflation, has the same deleterious effect on fixed incomes. This is why annual cost of living adjustments are important to those on Social Security.

Hotel $8, Trans. $1, Random - laundry $2, internet $2, Total $13

Day 100

     Taking Martha�s advice, we visited the Indian market of Saquisili. This traditional market (i.e., for locals rather than tourists), is held every Thursday and literally takes over every street in this small town. The indian women wear thick, black woolen skirts, embroidered white blouses, and many strands of gold beaded necklaces. The men are dressed in calf-length pants, dark shirts, and sport long ponytails under felt hats.
     The Saquisili market is known for its assorted animals for sale or barter. We saw llamas, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs (a roasted national delicacy which we have yet to try), birds and fish. We didn�t price everything but sheep seemed to be a good valua at $20 (no extra charge for black ones). We limited our purchases to produce. Lady got a big kick out of chewing sugar cane.
     That night, we went to a benefit concert at the University. It was in rememberence of Victor Jara, who like thousands of Chileans, was killed by the Pinochet army in the days after the coup of President Allende. Victor Jara was a popular folk singer who sang about health care, education and land reform. But this was 1963, in the heat of the Cold War, and he was branded a communist. Reportedly, soldiers broke his hands and taunted him to play his songs before he was shot.
     Anyway, we were happy to lend our support to any anti-Pinochet cause. Unfortunately for us, the concert had a significant anti-U.S. theme too. They spoke against American involvement in the coup and our current interventions in the region (e.g., Colombia and Peru). We were a little frightened by the passion of the crowd and didn�t stick around for the social activity after the concert.
     P.S. Martha keeps surprising us with meals. She says she wants us to really know Ecuador. Today, we enjoyed a great lunch of rice and beans, tasty avacado, and yuca cakes filled with meat and spices.

Hotel $8, Food $2, Trans. $5, Random - internet 2, Total $17