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So it?s week 2 and my spanish is definitely getting better. Instead of just saying ?si? and smiling when I think it?s appropriate I actually started to understand things my family were saying to me.
Feeling brave and adventurous I made my first steps out alone into the metropolis that is Quito. I caught the bus all by myself to one of the shopping centres and even managed to ask someone where the toilet was?! It was quite a long bus journey to the main shopping centres but I decided to walk back to the school anyway as there were a few parks and other things to see on the way. It?s kind of dangerous to wander around with a map in your hand as you blatently look like a lost tourist so it?s a good thing I have a good sense of direction and can memorise routes before I leave somewhere! I found my way back no problem and felt so pleased with myself that I rewarded myself with another class of salsa. This week I was slightly better as I was able to remember the steps both when the music was playing and when I had to dance with a partner - so much to remember my brain hurts!
I also had an alternative lesson one day as the school organised a trip to an indigenous market in a town about 2 hours south of Quito. We arrived at the market about 10am to find all sorts of activity going on. The town of Saquisili is famous for it?s Thursday markets, and there are many different ones to discover...big animals, small animals, fruits, vegetables, clothes, artesan handicrafts, tools and even an entire market dedicated to potatoes. Ecudaor has 8 different types of banana and they are everywhere - some for eating straight away and others that need to be cooked. They also grow something like 300 types of potato, which is I guess why they can have a whole market just for potatoes!
I wandered around the different stalls with my teacher, learning lots of new words in spanish and finding out about the customs of the indigenous people in the town. We also tried some maize tortillas, fried and stuffed with cheese - absolutely delicious!
On the way home we stopped at a small restaurant for lunch and after a bit of persuasion I opted for the "cuy" - otherwise know to you and me as guinea pig. yes they actually eat this in Ecuador and consider it a real delicacy. Can?t say I can see what all the fuss is about myself, the meat looks and tastes like chicken, although when it arrives on your plate it looks nothing like chicken as the cuy is complete with head, paws and the token tooth for good measure! I think the knack is just not to look and simply eat...
I also went on a city tour of the old town of Quito by night. We went to the basillica, beautifully lit up at night. Then the?Panecillo hill with a statue of the virgin mary overlooking the city, where we had a hot drink consisting of some fruits and of course the customary potent sugar cane alcohol. Back in the old town we were taken on a short walk through some of the squares and to some churches before we had a meal in a restaurant with stunning city views from the roof terrace.
My week was rounded off with a curry night on the Friday. Some of the students from the school decided to get together and head out for a curry. The few of us actually turned into 16, so we pretty much took over the restaurant, but it was a good night. I was surprised to discover that the English really are the fountain of knowledge about curry though. Many of the other students had not eaten one before as apparently it?s not too popular in Germany and Norway. But then I guess the English did invent the good old chicken tikka masala and the balti!
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