My Last Few Days in Quito: Monday & Tuesday

It has now been eleven days since I left Quito so I am a bit behind on posting this entry. But I was on a yacht for eight days so I deserve a little slack. I am notoriously forgetful, and the notes I took of those four days are bsically five to six words for each day, so bear with me.

Monday morning (that would be the 12th) my coworker was to leave Quito to return to the States. There had been an accident several days earlier involving a plane tumbling off the runway and into the barrier that separates the highway from the airport. This delayed his (and several others´) departure by a day. After Spanish was over at 1pm I caught a cab to the airport to say goodbye (not adios - he was still speaking to me in English). My cab driver was surprised I had no luggage. I think this kept him from trying to over charge me. I didn`t explain.

My coworker had arrived at the airport several hours early to be on the safe side. This left him, his girlfriend, his girlfriend`s mom (and ride), and me standing around for some time making small talk. A hamburger platter later, I decided it was time to get back to the city and leave him to spend the last five and a half hours with his girlfriend (and her mom). I took a cab back to the city - confusing another driver with my lack of luggage, but not getting over charged - and met my new roommate in the hostal for some lounge time at Coffee Tree around the corner in the main plaza. Two mojitos & a cuban (for me) and two coffees (for her) later, it was back to the hostal for homework time. And that was my crazy Monday.

Tuesday morning I went to the hostal´s dining area, as I did every morning since I arrived, for breakfast before class. This time however my server reminded me that studying Spanish from a notebook will only get me so far. And thus my pre-spanish class spanish lesson started. I learned when you want to know the cost of something in general you ask Cuanto Cuesta but when in a restaurant you always ask for La Cuenta. Maple syrup is Meil de Maple (maple honey). And to say enjoy your meal you say Buen Provecho. And there is your lesson of the day.

Class was full of the command forms of verbs. But mostly conversation since I had learned these in the States (thanks JL). My afternoon was spent walking around the city for a bit checking out this and that and then sitting in a cyber cafe typing up a blog entry about my weekend in Baños. Yes, it´s been that long. That evening my hosts took me to a restaurant up on a hill in Old Town called Mosaico. The restaurant is well known, not so much for the food, but for the incredible view of Quito. And it really was incredible. We had a table right by the window - and next to the only group of older Americans I saw the entire time I was in Quito. There was loud talk and shouting across the restaurant about taxis and accommodations. There was me sinking lower in my seat.

But back to the view. I could see the Virgin on the hill, the old town, the churches, the new town, and things my hosts could not name. And for dinner? It was ordered for me. I cannot remember the name, but I asked for a typical Ecuadorian dish and I got one. Basically it was a steak with an egg on top, with rice and veggies. A dish that is also typical of American all-night diners. But this was really good. It was washed down with fresh strawberry juice. Unfortunately it took over and hour for the food to arrive after we ordered it (known for the view, not the service) so there was no time, or room, for dessert. We finished out the night at a bar back in Gringoland at a going away happy hour for a Norwegian who had been in the city for five weeks. I got three different answers when I asked where he was going next, so I can`t say for sure. But he had quite a gathering.