Arrival in Ecuador

I have been in Ecuador for 11 days and it is the first time that i have had to write in my blog.  That certainly says something about my time here.  I have been having way too much fun to sit and write.  I have been taking a few minutes each day to post a few photos on my Facebook but that is about it. It has been a most interesting journey.  It started with me packing my luggage a little too heavy leaving the Soo.  I was working like crazy trying to make money before leaving the packing till the night before.  Did not get any sleep before catching the plane.  Had to be up at 3 am to leave for the airport and a little too excited to actually sleep. 

 As soon as my brother Vern picked up my suitcase he said "Jesus Christ Bev , that for sure is over 50 lbs.  I had packed lighter but then thought that maybe I should bring some food and went to the grocery store for a few snacks.  $100 later I was getting a little worried that it would put me a bit over with the weight.  So there we were in the airport with one bag weighing in at 80 lbs., ripping my bag apart and trying to fit it into either my brothers other suitcases or mine.  A little embarrassing.  I had stuff strewn all over the floor. But the Air Canada employee was very gracious, Don't worry he said, we do this all the time.  I didn't really care but my brother Vern worries a bit more than me.  Some loud grumbling occurred but we finally got it all loaded.

 I had been told that there was no cream in Ecuador for coffee and I just knew I wanted that so I had 4 bottles of coffee creamers and 5 cans of evaporated milk.  I sure got bugged but guess what, everyone here is very happy that I brought it;.  Although I have discovered that they actually have evaporated milk here but next time.......................... And our humus, crackers, salami, and cheese has all come in handy.  As well as the protein bars,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, okay enough about food.  

The flight went well until we landed in Bogota Columbia where we had a 7 hour wait for our plane to Ecuador.  When you haven't had any sleep the night before, and you cannot speak any Spanish,  there was nothing to do and time went very slowly.  My brother Gary on the other hand was flying in from Halifax.  His flight was delayed about 4 hours with a blizzard.  But Delta did a good job of getting them all on another flight and he arrived at the same time as us in Quito.  But he did not grumble about the waits, no he proceeded to enjoy the start of his holiday with a few drinks.  They even gave him a free bottle on the flight.  Let's just say that he was very happy when he arrived and we were a little grumpy. We knew when he yelled, Hey Birdshit, that he had imbibed a few.  Birdshit is what he calls Vern, our other brother. Vern was not impressed.  

Guillo picked us up at the airport at 11 pm.  A very long day. Gary’s new son in law Guillo Espinosa, is originally from Ecuador but moved to Canada with his aunt when he was in high school. Guillo is married to Gary’s step daughter Jill who is coming down with the kids next week.  She is up in Halifax visiting her mom.   So great to get outside and feel the warm , humid weather.  He has a great little club cab Luv truck and it took half an hour to get to his house. We stopped on the way to his house up in the mountains to buy some beer.  I was a little thirsty although on the flight from Bogota , they served free scotch whisky.   That flight was a little interesting.  I was surrounded by a big family I believe.  Everyone seemed to know everyone and they all had an amazing amount of perfume on.  It was a little hard to breathe. Then a woman came down the aisle and saw the woman beside me and they both got really excited and started chatting up a storm, in Spanish of course.  The standing woman was leaning right over me with her purse hitting 
me.  I was having a difficult time drinking my whiskey for sure but managed to get it down.

Ok, back in Quito, we pulled into this little  town which was pretty much closed up for the night.  Guillo goes down a side street, gets out, and pushes a door bell and a guy answers and sells us some beer.  Welcome to Ecuador.  People can sell right out of there house if they have a licence.  Wow. They have the most amazing place in Quito.  It was an old restaurant/motel that is in the process of being reconstructed. Amazing old wooden beams and doors, a great bar inside and one outside and a huge kitchen.  Would love to hold a workshop there.  We had one grande cerveza each and went right to bed thank God, I was so exhausted.  I had my own room with my own bathroom.  Very nice. Vern was a bit worried about where we would be sleeping.  He is totally used to travelling on tours and staying in 5 star hotels.  Not at all what this trip was all about.  I laid and bed and laughed listening to my brothers who were sharing a room next door argue over who was going to get what bed.  There was yelling and laughing and carrying on for half an hour. Yep itt has started.  Not sure where was mind when I decided to take a month long vacation with my two brothers.  Interesting.  I have not had a holiday lasting any more than a week for the past 7 years.  And I choose to go with my brothers???? HMMMHHHH.