21 mayo 2006

Quito

Ecuador was never really high on my "I want to see these countries list". The main reason I am here, actually, is that my Lima return flight became half as expensive if I added a Lima-Quito return to the ticket ... (and I had to really take the flight, or my flight home would not be valid. Don´t ask).

And that is why I spent the last few days in Quito. I must say, I do not regret it. As South American capitals go, it is on the good side of the dividing line, (together with La Paz and Buenos Aires. Montevideo and Santiago are on the bad side, Asunción and Lima can go either way). After spending a day (re)discovering the near-total organisational incompetence of the airlines and booking my Galápagos tour, I checked out the old colonial city centre. I liked it. In the mid-morning I was sitting in the Plaza San Francisco looking at the pigeons and tour groups, when a friendly Ecuadorian named Carlos started a conversation (I have this a lot lately. I used to be good at setting up a ´I am not fun to talk with at all´-face). He was very interested in politics and we discussed both our countries´ current laughable governments.

I checked out an impressive museum in the afternoon, where again I was not allowed to take any pictures. Why can´t I take pictures in the best museums ?!? (see the right pane for a list, btw, no pictures in numbers 1,2,3 and 5). Do I look like one of those dodos that has the ´flash´ always turned on my camera ? (sorry, dodos). Pfff. But it was good anyway, loads of old pottery and gold.

Yesterday and today I was on a tour with an agency aptly named ´Biking Dutchman´. Considering my forthcoming return I thought I would get in the Dutch mood a bit (too bad the owner was from Amsterdam though). Anyway, except for the general wetness, the tour itself had nothing Dutch at all. High altitude, jungles, waterfalls, hot springs; and most of the biking was razorfast/head-first/no-breaks downhill. I was respectfully dubbed "Flying Dutchman" by the others, although I believe I overheard something more like "Deathwish Dutchman" behind my back ;-)

Gotta go pack. Have some islands to visit.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anónimo said...

No I'm getting really jealous, because the Galapagos Island are on my very short 'wanna-go-there'-list.

lunes, 22 mayo, 2006  
Blogger Hans said...

I am still in one piece, Mommy Squaw (whatever I try) ...

martes, 23 mayo, 2006  
Blogger Hans said...

Since Rome I have acquired quite a nose for distinguishing the weasels that want something from you and the ones that are really interested and interesting to talk to.

The first kind of conversations take on the average 12 seconds, they go somewhat like this (I have had a few during the trip): "Hello my friend, how do you like (substitute current country) ?". Reply: "I am not interested, go away. And I´m not your friend".

Sometimes it isn´t that obvious, so I do give people the benefit of the doubt, because I don´t want to miss out on the really interesting conversations.

miércoles, 24 mayo, 2006  
Blogger Hans said...

No, with those people you just say: "Not Interested" and if they do not stop then and wish you a nice evening (in which case you return the favour), you put down the phone ...

jueves, 25 mayo, 2006  

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