Pam's Blog

I had one of the best meals of my life and certainly of the trip. Pacific fish with hearts of palm suace, accompanied with couscous and something that was like a potato cake. deliciouso! 

Arlen, our waiter, and I were chatting at dinner and our conversation started innocently and I said he was guapo (handsome), he said “tambien” and then all of a sudden he was my “Costa Rican boyfriend”. His English is great and he’s way too young for me, yet very cute.

The next morning at breakfast mi amour, Arlen, served me my first cup of coffee! When he asked me if I wanted it black or with milk I admitted I had never had a cup of coffee. I can’t say that even Costa Rican coffee has converted me to a coffee drinker though it is fun to have a “first”.

It is really fun to try the items on the breakfast buffet. Two days in a row we had slightly different offerings at breakfast and I asked Arlen to help identify a couple of the items. Like Ecuador, there are so many foods here we don’t have in the states. One was yucca. The first day is was cooked with some spices and onions and was soft, like a potato. The second day it was harder on the outside, baked longer or maybe fried and more plain tasting. We find plantains the same way. Some sliced, some cut in larger piece (home fry size) and always tasty.

When I asked Arlen to walk over to the breakfast buffet to identify the food, we walked passed one of his coworkers and he made a point to introduce me as his new girlfriend. His coworker did not miss a beat saying that he knew Arlen’s wife. We all laughed.

Ecuador es diversidad pais en terr, cultura, y personas. Montanas, costa, selva y islas para diversidad clima. Cultura es importante. Personas en indigenous costumbre occupado casi todos cuidads. Todos personas es bajo, negro peol, y café ojos. Perros correammos en las calles y ladrar muchos. Cuidads identificar unico. Cuenca – Panama Sombreros, Otovalo – Mercado de Artisian. Cotocachi – Cuero. Mindo – Chocolate. Banos – Agua Caliente! Mi gusta Ecuador.

Panama hats are made in Ecuador, specifically Cuenca and the surrounding areas. In the 19th and early 20th century, South American goods were shipped around the world via Panama, and they got the name “Panama Hats”. Many famous people have worn Panama hats including President Theodore Roosevelt, Napoleon, Edward VII, Jason Mraz, Sean Connery, and Anthony Hopkins. And, they are worn throughout Ecuador. This country and culture loves hats (or as they call them “sombreros”). All kinds are worn by men, women and children. Not only for the style, but also for function. The sun is strong here and wearing a hat is almost mandatory if you’re outside a lot.

The hats are still handmade. People make them in their homes and then send them to a “factory” for finishing. There’s a variety of styles and quality. The more expensive hats have a finer weave and can take many months to make and cost hundreds or even more than a $1,000.

Although my sense of smell is assaulted by the exhaust in Quito, it hasn’t been attacked by cigarette smoke. There just aren’t a lot of smokers. In my guidebook I read that internet cafés were plentiful but often smoke-filled. That hasn’t been the case. I was in an internet place today and it was smoke free. For 30 minutes online and to have one page printed, I paid 45 cents.) Restaurants haven’t had smokers in them, either, and the few people I’ve seen smoking have been on the street. I’ve heard cigarettes are expensive, although I haven’t checked it out myself.

Random Thoughts – Cars in Ecuador
There’s a lot of traffic here in Quito. Cars are expensive and even so, there aren’t a lot of junkers, at least in the city. In my observation walking through town (not statistically accurate), I’d guess that half the vehicles are Kia, Hyundai, and Chevrolet. Chevy has Ford beat, hands down about 10 to 1. There are a good number of Toyotas and I’ve only seen one Honda. Renault is here, too, along with Volkswagon and Nissan. A good number of the Chevy’s are the Chevy Spark and Aero, two cars I don’t often see in the US.

I’m a word person and it’s been fun and interesting to figure out Spanish words and meanings and see how they relate (or don’t) to English words. I love the sound of some Spanish words and just the look of others. After a couple of weeks of Spanish class, here are some of my favorites.

Ballena – I first ran across this word in Puerto Lopez. Ballerina came to mind and then I figured out it translates as “whale”. I think it’s great that such a delicate word is attached to such giant beings.

Increible – I think it’s the just the sound of this word, the emphasis on the “i” that sounds like an “e” and pronouncing the “e” at the end (as an “a” sound).

Peligroso – I first saw this on yellow caution tape my first week here and like the sound of it. It translates as dangerous.

Interesante and posible – Again, the “e” at the end is pronounced instead of being silent, like in English. All the vowels are pronounced in Spanish so sometimes the words have a lot of syllables. The accent on these two words make them roll right off your tongue.

Palabra – The word for “word”.

Bombero – The first time I saw a fire fighter he was dress in redish fatiques. Just like “fighter” is a strong sounding word I think “bombero” is also a strong sounding word.

Mascot – This is the word for “pet”. I’ve seen signs at businesses that say “No Mascots”. Yesterday I walked by a place that caters to pet owners and in the front window, the worker was blow drying the hair of a very white dog. It was the first blow dryer I’ve seen in Ecuador.

Diversion – This translation is the most curious to me. It’s “fun”.

What’s your favorite word (either English or Spanish)?

Dogs run wild here in Ecuador, although there are some on leashes, most seem to belong to no one and everyone at the same time. Today I saw a dog resting in the middle of the street. While in Parque La Carolina I saw a dog chasing, snapping, and barking after a four wheeler on which two police officers were riding. In Puerto Lopez dogs would chase people riding motorcycles.

In my time here as an observer and a pedestrian, I’ve not seen a dog get hit, although I can’t believe it never happens. There’s no road kill in Quito, or none that I’ve seen. Maybe it’s because there aren’t any animals, other than dogs. I’ve not seen one squirrel or rabbit. The birds I’ve seen are pigeons and sparrow. There’s not a lot of green space in the city. Maybe all the animals are up the mountains that surround Quito.

Speaking of animals, the day I took the Hop on-Hop off Bus Tour we passed a woman tending a flock of sheep on the hills leading to El Panecillo. When I told Hipatia that, she said that was “not normal”.

Nearly everyone at the school is cold. “Mucho Frio!” they exclaim. It seems really nice here to me. The weather never stays the same – except it’s always about 60 degrees. From dawn to dusk there’s sunshine, clouds (sometimes low enough to envelope the building) and rain.

For the third day in a row an afternoon thunderstorm rolled in. The lightening is stunning the thunder seems louder here. I got caught in this afternoon’s storm, which included hail (as did the last three days’ storms)! I stood under a small overhang for ten or 15 minutes while it poured until my pants from the knees down were soaked. I grabbed the next taxi that rolled by and for $1.50 I was back at my host family’s home in no time.