So today in Spanish we started with past tense. Oh fun, more conjugation, just what I wanted.... Last week we worked on how to put sentences together and in what order. I have to forget everything I know in English because otherwise it just confuses me and doesn't make sense but I'm getting there.

After I did my last blog, I headed home and I went for a walk with Mariana, the kids and a neighbour. I thought it would be for an hour or so. 3 hours later we are still walking (at a snails pace) and it is getting dark. Mariana says we will be getting the bus home. First we stop and we buy an empanada from a street vendor. Boy it was good, but I was surprised when they sprinkled sugar on the top as inside was fresh queso (cheese). Sugar made it....South Americans have a sweet tooth.

Thursday arvo I treated myself and headed into town for a manicure and pedicure. It cost me the grand total of $6. When the girls found out I was from Australia they were asking me questions and most of the time I understood. They made me say the alphabet in Spanish, I made them say it in English. I told them I would return in 2 weeks (at that price, who wouldn't). Went and borrowed a couple of more books from the library at the Sth America Explorers Club and then headed home. That night I introduced Mariana and Frank to a card game I have called Phase 10. They are now hooked.

Friday was a public holiday here. The President called one not long ago (still not exactly sure what for) but the kids had the day off but I still had my class. In the arvo, the kids went to the cinema and we finished our game of Phase 10. Was nice and quiet in the house and I find I can converse more easily now.

Mariana asked if I wanted to go to the zoo on Saturday and I said sure thinking it was only about 20kms out of Quito. Well, it may have only been that far out, but it took us 3 hrs to get there. 3 different buses and a walk. Only a small zoo but it was nicely laid out and it was a nice arvo. They even had kangaroos. I've added some photos under Quito. Of course, it poured down eventually and we took shelter until the worst of it passed and then headed to the entrance. It was about a 1.5km walk from the entrance to where the buses to Quito were so I told Mariana I would pay for the taxi as it was still raining. Well, it was a Ute, so Mariana and the kids jumped in the cab and Frank and I were in the back, holding on for dear life as we flew down the hills with the rain whipping in our faces. Oh what fun....

Something you wouldn't do in Australia. We went into a shop (like our old corner stores at home) and set ourselves up on the 20kg rice bags to make lunch. Frank had bought bread rolls, tomato, onion and tuna to make sandwiches. While we were doing it, I just kept thinking 'there is no way you could do this at home'. Once we ate, we flagged a bus down and made the 3hr journey back to Quito. Freezing by this time and glad to get home and put on some warmer clothes.

Yesterday wasn't the best. At breakfast we found out one of the family dogs had died. Frank buried him in the garden. They were worried the family across the road had poisoned him as they had another dog a while ago who they had rescued from them after the old man was beating him and it died not long after. There was a bag of meat or something near Lucas so who knows. Anyway, Frank and I headed to Sangolquí, a nearby town that had a traditional indigenous market. Mariana and the kids were going to meet us later.

Well, it sold everything from fruit and veges, clothes, toilet paper, junk, live animals, cooked animals and dead animals. Was an interesting morning. Not too many tourists around which was nice. Lots of cooked pig heads about. I was telling Frank that there was no chance that in Australia you could see raw meat like this, out in the sun and not refrigerated. Different cultures.

Mariana met us, the kids stayed at home. Bought some fruit and veges and then headed home. Once there, we were told another dog was dead (not their's) and the neighbours cat also. Maybe it was poison or it could be a disease going around. There are so many dogs that just roam the street here.

Again it poured down with rain yesterday arvo and Phase 10 was pulled out again. Mariana cooked a late lunch for us. We started with a traditional soup from the area of Ecuador she is from. It's main ingredient - green bananas. It was surprisingly good. We also had pork, rice and salad. No chance of going hungry here.

That's it for today. I've added another video (hopefully) along with photos from the zoo and the market. I also added another album which just has all the photos from the orchid garden in Monteverde (Costa Rica) for those interested in orchids - hi Dad...

Hope all is well with everyone.