Weekend in Quito

This weekend, we (the BC crew) discovered La Mariscal, locally known as “la zona.” This area is the place to be at night in Quito. The streets are crowded with people (locals and tourists) and there are bars, restaurants, and discotecas galore. The music is loud, the crowds are endless, and the taxis take over the streets. I think it’s safe to say that this is a good city to be in if you like to dance (I know I do, so I’m happy!). A benefit of traveling in a group so big is that cab rides home are even cheaper. The rides are cheap to begin with - maybe $3 from someone’s house to la zona if you bargain and don’t get ripped off!

We did see some things in la zona that were different, to say the least. Some indigenous families from outside the city come down to La Mariscal at night to sell candies, gum, and cigarettes. They all have their little kids, who fearlessly approach everyone that walks buy asking them to buy something. We even saw a little girl, no more than 4, sneak into a bar and start asking for money inside. The next day, this led to some very thought provoking conversation over dinner about the economies and subeconomies that these families are a part of and the effects of supporting or denying them our spare change.

Yesterday morning, I went with Maqui and the girls to Quito Tennis and Golf Club. This club is simply indescribable. We started in the gym with a dance class where I realized that hips do not, in fact, lie and mine will never pass for Latin-American! The instructor was incredible and worked us hard. We then spent a few hours relaxing in the spa-like locker room before taking a tour of the grounds. The best comparison I can come up with, for those of you at home, is Virtua plus Tavistock plus the sports complex in Corolla plus the old stables at the Garden State Racetrack. (Read: 2 pools, infinite tennis, squash, and futbol courts/fields, a gym, a spa, multiple restaurants, a golf course, stables and places to ride horses, trails for jogging, etc.) I was blown away! For lunch, Maqui ordered me two typical Quiteño dishes: fried mini empanadas as a starter and beef with a fried egg on top as my entrée. Delicious!

Afterwards, we went to Teleferiquo, which is a mountain with a gondola up to the top which has a great view of the city. Unfortunately, it was very cloudy when we got there, so we decided to save the ride up for another day when it is clearer. Last night, we celebrated Jenna’s birthday last night at her host family’s home. The food was delicious and the view was a breathtaking one of the city at night.

This morning we went back to Quito Tennis and Golf for mass and then to Maqui’s mother’s farm about an 45 minutes outside the city. Her entire family meets there every Sunday for lunch. Again, I was blown away. On the property are four houses, trails, gardens, more avocado trees than I could ever have imagined, farm animals, and more. The farms we think of in the states are nothing like this – it’s more like all their country home’s all in one place surrounded by mountains, palm trees, flowers, and sunshine. All that family time certainly made me miss my own, but everyone was so nice. I’m sure I’ll be back there on weekends when I’m not away. That’s all for now…lots of love!