oye

last night the choir sang in la iglesia de la compania in the old city - the inside is all gold plated - a very beautiful place. the u.s. ambassador came to hear the concert, as well as many ecuadorians.
today we got up early and drove to otavalo. on the way we stopped at a rose plantation to see the different varieties of roses (one of ecuador's top exports). while others were wandering around the inside of the old plantation home, i explored outside. i walked through some woods and found a young boy who was climbing a tree and seemed to be stuck. i helped him down and he led me into a clearing where 10 or 12 other kids were running around in their school uniforms. they told me they were on vacation and were waiting for the coconuts to fall from the trees so they could bring them home to eat. they showed me their backpacks which were overflowing with them. some of them were only 2, the oldest was 13.
we then went to the markets in otavalo. so many colors! went to a weaver's workshop and while the others were buying blankets and wall-hangings i wandered outside again and met a woman and her daughter who were sitting on their step. while i was speaking to them i peered into their home and saw at least 20 guinea pigs (cuy) running around on the floor. the mother told me they raise them until they are eight months, then kill them and eat them. until they are of age she feeds them as much corn and grasses as they want and let them have free range around the house.
we then went and watched a man construct a pan pipe - testing the pitch and cutting the reeds with a knife. then he and his sisters and brother played and sang for us. i'm one of the few who know spanish in the group and have been designated the role of interpreter - so that has been fun. they spoke in spanish to me, but conversed in quechua with each other- so the choir i'm with sang a song in quechua for them that they have learned- acapella.
fruits i've tried so far: guanabana, naranjilla, uvilla and granadilla.
one more day in quito, then on to cuenca where i'll meet up with a friend from chile. then to papallacta, quito again, then to santiago!
jeremiah my dream for leaving something here for you is this: go down this alley, you will find a bicycle, ride it north for 1.3 miles, stop when you see a green painted store front. go inside and ask the woman you find there to give you a key. take this key to a safe deposit box in such and such bank, inside you will find a map, follow the map out into the countryside....you see where i'm going?
i really wish i could do that but i think i might have to wuss out and leave you a little something at the desk of the hotel i'm staying at in quito - just to make sure you get it (and also because being with a tour group with very full days isn't so condusive to creating elaborate plans.) i hope you'll forgive me.
i'm so glad you made it to the nordkapp! great line: " i stood on the end of europe and tried to imagine the arctic just beyond the horizon." how funny that the midnight sun was not there, but farther south! i love reading about your wanderings as well, so please keep writing!