Our itinerary mentioned starting the day with a “hearty breakfast” which I sat down for at 7am, and it consisted of scrambled eggs (plain this time), a few slices of toast and another of those marvelous rolls (added butter this time and managed to improve upon perfection). I tried what looked like orange juice, but I think was papaya juice. I don’t think I’ve ever had a papaya, but it tasted like what I expect a papaya to taste like.
The bus brought us back to the outskirts of Quito, around where our hacienda was. Bikes, helmets, gloves, and water bottles were passed out. We got a few instructions about using the gears and brakes (don’t use the left one, because it’s for the front wheel and you’ll fly over the handlebars).
We started our ride, which was over an abandoned railroad that had been covered in dirt and gravel.
While we were warned about the terrain, we were not warned about the random construction equipment. There were some small bulldozers and backhoes working near the start of our ride. One had a long hose that crossed our trial. In an attempt to cross this hose, I slowed down (although I don’t recollect a strong left brake squeeze) and turned my front wheel a bit. Instead of changing direction, my wheel caught…and I went headfirst over the handlebars, the rest of my bike following close behind. Luckily, I broke the bike’s fall, so there were no injuries. Just a really cool tire tread mark on my knee from the dirt.
The rest of the ride was not so eventful, but no less enjoyable. The view was fantastic.
We’d stop along the way for some photo ops
We basically followed the path down into a valley.
Unfortunately we had to bike back up a ways as well. So the first two thirds were rather easy, you could coast most of the way, with some occasional braking when you worked up too much speed to be safe, or you caught up with people in front of you. The last third was mainly uphill. It was only a slight incline, but my thighs were convinced we were biking the Himalayas. I don’t think it was really enough to make me miserable (I always have been able to daydream at will) but I think we all felt it a pretty amazing accomplishment by the end. We also felt a bit out of shape. The final stretch had us back to some flat road, and the occasional downhill, which was a nice way to end things.
A couple people got lost (we crossed a few intersections where I suppose directional mishaps were possible). The tour guides found them eventually and we returned to the hotel tired, dirty, and hungry. We had a much unanticipated afternoon lecture scheduled, and all we wanted was food and showers. A few of us opted for lunch around the corner from the hotel. Some chicken schwarma wraps (spelled shawarma here) and glass bottled cokes. It set us back a substantial $3.
Showered back at the hotel, and ended up a few minutes late for the lecture on Ecuador, where we learned that people eat guinea pigs (but only for special occasions).
Pretty sure we learned some other stuff, but I used the time to handwrite this entry. And bite off all my nails. And read the wikipedia article on Ecuador (its copied into our trip booklet). I retrieved my laptop for the second half of the lecture, leached the hotel’s wireless, edited pictures and made some posts. But before you start being upset for my not paying attention in class, just remember, it brought you this glorious reading material.
After lecture there was a bit of time before dinner, but once again a few of us weren’t really up for another hotel meal. We took a walk around the area, and ended up at Mi Cochina.
We got an appetizer of empanadas, and a few people had starter salads (the avacado and prawns salad was phenomenal apparently)
Some ceviche went around (I tried the broth, and it was rather sweet, which was some people’s complaint), and then my own meal was an $11 filet mignon, wrapped in bacon, and covered in a creamy mushroom sauce. YUM.
Probably not what one travels all the way to Ecuador to ingest, but OMG so good. I also ordered a jug of sangria, which actually turned out to be a huge pitcher.
Overall I would say a rather satisfactory meal. Then back to the hotel for another salsa lesson. I think we’re catching on.
Might I also mention…we were told not to drink the water here. We were even told to use the bottled water to brush our teeth. However, I have now brushed my teeth 4 times with the tap water, and not died, so I’m not going to worry about it. It was on accident the first 2 times, but then nothing happened so I kept with it. We’re also not supposed to flush the toilet paper, and I forget sometimes with that too. But I try.
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1 comment:
It looks like you're enjoying yourself. I am glad that I know how to access your blog this time around. Have fun!
Cousin Jim(my)
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