Friday, August 31, 2007

A New Picture Test



Here´s a picture of the peak we can sometimes see from our new house....well, if it uploads. Finally, I have broken the code! We are up and running with pictures, text, and maybe even some video. Yesterday, the clouds parted, and we saw this peak off in the distance from our porch, bathed in alpenglow. It's called Cayambe, and the equator passes directly through it. I wonder if the toilet bowl on the summit knows which way to spin?

Scroll down below, and check out the original posts from the first week...now with the pictures I have been meaning to include!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Still getting this worked out....

Well,
I cannot get the pictures to upload, only words. Also, the cable people in Ecuador make you wait just as long for installation as they do in the states, imagine that! So, we´re going to have to wait until we get internet at our house to do more updates, I can´t stand spanish keyboards. Newsflash though, we upgraded our place because of some security concerns (Mom´s, youré welcome) and we now have a three bedroom grande casa for all of you who said you were coming down to stay. Do it!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Guapalo


We have a place for all of you to come and stay in! The city of Quito runs along a North-South valley, and this little bohemian part of town is up and over a pass to the East of the city. Being out of the Quito valley, we have a little cleaner air, a slower pace, and 400 steps to climb up to reach the bustling city. Guapalo, as it is called, is where Oriellana began his expedition down the Amazon river, and it's where we will be starting our expedition here in Ecuador. The picture looks down on the town of Guapalo, our house is somewhere down there on that precipitous hill. Actual pictures of the place are at:
http://www.quitorental.com/
We found some great lofts in the city, very modern shi-shi, danish designs kind of stuff. And cheap! A very swanky two bedroom, furnished, was going for $600. But, in the end, we wanted to slow our pace down a bit, maybe next year we'll move into town.
Other highlights so far? Well, we started our evenings off with a little Enter Sandman-Metallic Karaoke, the locals loved that:) We drank our first boot of beer. Luckily it was glass, not leather. Our school "buddy" who is helping us get set up here played bass at a cool little club with, and I quote, "the Latin American Bob Dylan." Needless to say the place was packed, and our buddy was on cloud nine. Last night was Ecuador V.S. Bolivia in a soccer match....man, it was a big-scoring game, 1-0, Ecuador, of course!

Miss you all!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Americacuador


The school has put us up in a great hotel, and we have been getting tours of the city, "safety" briefings from uptight embassy officials, and apartment shopping. Everything looks great, and THANK GOD, we have a Cinnabun, KFC, Applebee's, and Tony Roma's...we don't know what we would do without them.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Arrival


We're here, safe and sound, with kitty Bali in tow. This is the view of Quito from our hotel window, Colegio Americano is located way off on the horizon! Thanks for all the goodbye's, our friends and family rule!

We'll post more info. and some pics soon!