My trip TO the basilica yesterday went off without a hitch. RETURNING I got mixed up and got off the trolly one stop too soon, got on the bus going the wrong way and then got on the bus going the right way but the wrong bus. Its all part of the experience and I got where I was going, sense of humor intact, albeit a little slower than I expected.
It seems like Ive become more acustom to the sort of loosey goosey way things work. I feel like Im getting even more go with the flow. And maybe thats because I cant ask (or now Id be able to ask but dont necessarily understand the answer). Or because I have limited responsibilities. I get most of my information by observing, seeing how the person in front of me paid for the bus fare or bought a ticket to the museo.
In my travels yesterday I spotted a McDonalds and a KFC right across the street from each other. In another part of town I saw a Subway. On the side of a bus there was an advertisement for Dominos Pizza. Its hard to believe American fast food restaurants could make a dent in a culture like South Americas. The mom and pop food stands and tiny, tiny restaurants are so pervasive here. Every street has them, either ON the street or tucked in the bottom of a building, often no bigger than a garage. I walked by one yesterday that had three tables.
Today, Adreana, la professor de espanol, took me to the market. Theres a section of the market that is all fruit, a section of vegetables, a meat market, and a food court. There must have been 20 or 30 food counters where you could get lunch or just juice. Ecuadorians are crazy about their juice. And I can see why. There are so many more fruits than Ive ever seen. They whir them up in a blender and, viola, juice. Its yummy.