Quito-Dec. 25, 2018-Feliz Navidad

Time flies by as quickly in Ecuador as it does in Canada!

We keep busy with routine activities.  December was a slow month for teaching, many classes were cancelled.  December is sometimes known as the party month in Quito and I can understand why.  Dec. 6 is a big holiday here, the founding of Quito.  Celebrations and parties start at least a week ahead.  Chiva buses (party buses) open and playing music, drinks and sometimes food are served, and everybody dances.  Street parties go on till dawn sometimes.  There are huge parades that go on for hours for about 3 days in a row, lots of marching bands and ethnic dancers.  Then the Christmas parties start and many businesses shut down between Christmas and New Years.

Quito has this great program to encourage people to cut down on driving.  BiCiQuito rents bikes to registered users at no charge.  You can ride between stations, keeping a bike for up to 45 minutes and staying within a prescribed area, which we just happen to live in. We are enjoying them, sticking to bike trails in the park or riding on Sunday down Amazonas Street, which they close down to traffic (about 30 km).

Kim and I went up the Teleferiqo and this time climbed the mountain as far as we could safely go in our runners.  There’s a picture of me at the Bear’s Den, near our endpoint.  Views were beautiful and we were absolutely exhausted by the end of the day.

We’ve been up to Parque Metropolitano several times.  There are a multitude of walking and bike trails.  Been to Parque El Ejido (artsy), took the Quito city bus tour and visited El Panecillo, the Centro de Arte Contemporaneo, and the Marsical (area of restaurants and bars) just north of the old historical part of the city.

Next weekend we are taking a train ride to the volcanoes nearby.  Our Galapagos trip was postponed due to boat trouble so we now go Jan. 19 to 26.  Time is flying by and we will not get to do everything.  Thinking we will have to come back again next year so I am in the process of applying for a visa.

Kim got a case of “Latin American” sickness.  He managed to get over it with pills (for vomiting and diarrhea) and electrolytes, but we were just about ready to head to the hospital.  Needs to get another hole punched in his belt!  We went out for pizza and beer but Kim stuck to coke!

Christmas was quiet here, a walk in Parque Metropolitano, chicken dinner with all the trimmings!  Thank goodness for What’s App to keep in touch with loved ones faraway!