11/9/09

Entry #1, 11.9.09
The first week has featured a wide array of events and corresponding emotions. Excitement, boredom, wonder, disillusionment, to name a few of the latter.

After satisfying this compulsive need to convey some of the unglorious truth, I can now honestly say that we are both deeply grateful to be here. We spent two nights in Quito in a tiny windowless motel room that was successful in encouraging constant outdoor activity. The city is attractive, and the altitude of over 9,200 feet makes for eventful walking. We met an ebullient girl from Toronto who worked at a corner store and smiled continuously even when describing how she was mugged near our hotel. While I have found the people to be generally friendly, Becca gives the nod to Chilenos thus far.

We arrived Saturday in Cuenca after a short flight from Quito over some stunning snow-covered Andean volcanoes. Cuenca is a neat place that may or may not be aesthetically beautiful. There are definitely some strong attributes, including the colonial architecture, green hills in the distance, and vibrant city culture. The most attractive buildings are churches and banks, and for the first time Becca and I are considering going to mass (actually, Becca went once with her grandma). They are truly that nice.

After a few unfortunate culinary experiments, including a particularly unwise Mongolian BBQ adventure, we have cracked the code for Ecuadorian food. Our favorite place is a vegetarian lunch nook right down the street from our hotel. Today I had a bowl of soup, rice, stewed beans, plantains, and a fresh mango juice for a total of $1.60. I felt like a criminal. There are generally two kinds of beer, and one of them is delicious and costs $1.25 for 22 ounces at any restaurant.

We’re currently in the throes of apartment searching, and surprisingly! landing an apartment in a foreign country by strolling the streets with the local classifieds section is not easy. Becca is taking a nap now after a morning of parading around in the formidable equatorial sun. Depending on how the rest of the day goes, we will later watch a corresponding number of Season Five Office episodes for psychological comfort. We are currently about 80 percent through the season, and when we place the disk in our laptop for a nightly showing, my feelings are akin to a fourteen year-old finding access to the Playboy Channel.

I think Becca will edit this next time.
More to come soon. We miss you back home in New York, California and wherever else you are, and we’re getting a bed ready for your visit!