Basilicas y locos

Today I met the other students that will be in the Quito program this month. We went through Quito. The best part was visiting the basilica. We had an INSANE tour guide. We were allowed to climb the towers of the church with him. People gradually dropped out as the ascent became more precarious. We went across a boardwalk built over the roof of the main hall, then we climbed a tower up an extremely steep ladder. As if that wasn't enough, he then invited us to climb the vertical rebar handles up the outside of the tower! It was like a Via Ferrata except without gear and on the side of a basilica tower. Then we went inside another tower... now only three of us followed this loco. And we climbed the negative sloping rebar inside the tower. He and I talked about rock climbing a lot, as he was a climber, so that was cool. He tried to convince me to try some of the ice climbing in the volcanoes around here, but I insisted that I cannot stand the cold.

We also went out on a tiny bit of concrete in the highest part of the tower. He was climbing all over the outside. It was amazing. Of course, most of the group watched from below, where they were a lot safer.

We also visited the historic district and had lunch, where I tried the local ceviche which is very different from that in Mexico. In Mexico, ceviche has the consistency of salsa, but here it is a cold soup, further evidence of the differences one encounters across Latin America.

I had my first shower. When and where "hot" water exists, it is provided by a burst of electricity, which means you get something around lukewarm for two minutes, then you get barely tolerable chilly, which means it's time to finish up. I also accidentally rinsed my toothbrush in the sink, a big no-no with the water here, but hopefully it wasn't enough to hurt me. I haven't been stupid enough to take a big swig, but it's hard not to do the automatic things like run your toothbrush under the faucet. You have to used boiled or bottled water for that.

The altitude sickness persists. Our crazy tour guide told me to try chewing coca, which is the mother plant of cocaine and totally illegal in the US. But when it's still a leaf it's nothing like cocaine. Nevertheless, I think I'll stick to aspirin.

Tomorrow I begin language lessons, which I will have only this week.

Then to Puyo.

Wait 'til I download some of these photos! You won't believe them!