Quito Trip! (Long Post, Dig In)
Abby’s two week stay here was now officially over which
meant Kelcy was heading to Quito to drop her off at the airport. At first, I
did not want to go at all mainly because a 4 hour bus ride both ways for one
day in Quito did not sound much fun. However, after considering that Kelcy
would have to do it by herself and honestly, I wasn’t doing anything else with
my Friday and Saturday, I decided to accompany her. It was a good decision and
much adventure followed.
After dinner and youth group on Friday night, I quickly
cleaned my entire apartment and packed my bags ready to move out. I was not yet
sure where I was moving too, all I knew is that a new team was coming in on
Saturday and a couple summer staff girls were taking my current domain. I had
everything clean and ready to go for the arrival tomorrow; I even took a shower
to clean myself haha. Once all was done, I packed a quick bag with a couple
things for Quito and then Kelcy, Abby, and I headed out for our adventure. It
was around 10 o’clock when we boarded our first bus. This one was headed to
Ambato which is a town about 2 hours away from Quito. We chose to take this
route because we thought it would be easier to catch a bus from Ambato rather
than Shell.
We were correct about that but did not think that we would
have to stand in the rain in Ambato waiting for 45 minutes for a bus to arrive.
No worries though, it was fun bonding time and sure enough, our bus did come
eventually. We loaded the bags and now around 1 am, I fell right asleep. I had slept a little on the first bus ride
too so by the end of our riding; I had a total of about an hour and a half of
on and off bus ride sleep (not the best kind). Upon arrival to the bus terminal
in Quito, we then grabbed a taxi and took our 30 minute drive to the airport. I
really enjoyed getting to know Abby these past two weeks and it was a sad
moment for us when she had to leave but since we could not pass through
security with her, the drop off was rather quick and painless. She said
goodbye, took her bags and was in.
Now the adventure begins!
So after dropping off Abby, Kelcy
and I now had a few hours to kill before the new team came in and took us to Shell
with them. They weren’t flying into the Quito Airport until about 10 on
Saturday night and since it was only 3 o’clock in the morning on Saturday
morning, we decided not to stay and wait. Instead, we decided to start walking
. . . (This was probably not the best decision once we realized we had no idea
where we were going). We decided where to go by playing a game (my idea). We
started with my name: C-A-T-O- and since C was closer to the L in Left rather
than the R in Right, we took a left and then since the A was also closer to the
L in Left, we took a left at the next street too. This game, which was very short,
lived by the way, lasted until we were quite a ways away from the airport and
walking through who knows where in Quito at 3:30 in the morning.
We were now lost, not that that is any worse than being at
the airport because there we were lost too. Kelcy said she knew her way around
a tiny bit but that was only if we started at a place she already knew, which
the middle of random streets a 45 minute walk away from the airport was not one
of those places she knew. We found a really nice guy walking along the street
and asked for directions to anything that was open. He gave us some directions
that neither Kelcy or I understood but he did tell us the name of a place in
down town where we could go. He said it was a long walk so we should probably
get a cab but we were into walking so we did. We kept walking for a while,
still lost until we decided to ask some other people for directions. This time,
we asked to middle aged guys sitting in a dark alley smoking at 4 in the
morning. Haha, they were super nice and told us we had to get a cab because it
was way too dangerous to walk.
We graciously said thank you and then finally did decide to
get in a cab. After some short debate with what the price of the cab should be,
the driver finally agreed and took us on a 30 minute car ride to the middle of
down town Quito. We were so far off from where we were trying to get, it was
embarrassing. Anyways, the place he took us was a big square with places on all
corners and streets. Nothing was open except a really cool coffee 24 hour
coffee shop. Since that was the only open place, we decided to eat some early
morning breakfast. So around 4:30, we ate a good breakfast and then decided to
go find another place to explore. There was really no place open but there were
people out walking around.
After we walked around several blocks and was offered some
cocaine, we turned the corner to a guy getting mugged. They were about a block
in front of us and there were four guys kicking and punching this other guy.
They all looked Ecuadorian I guess but the four guys were totally ganging up on
the one. We stopped for a second as my first instinct was to run and stop them.
4 on 1 was not fair at all and my sympathy automatically went to the 1. Kelcy
asked if I should go help too but once I got past the unfair numbers, I quickly
made what I think was a wise decision. I decided that although I was bigger and
stronger than the guys doing the jumping, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to get
involved. I just imagined for a moment what would happen if 5 guys were in a
fight and all the sudden a gringo came running in punching people not knowing
how to speak Spanish. Haha, that would have been a disaster. I thought of it if
it had been turned around and I was in the states. If some random foreigner
came in punching me and my friends and yelling random non English words,
everybody in the fight would probably just start punching him, hahaha. So I
just said no, let’s turn around and go back the way we came.
We did and after that, we decided maybe it was a little
smarter to stay in a more public and well lit area. We then saw some motion up
in some windows that looked like an art gallery. It looked like they were
having a party, like a party where only super rich people are invited so we
tried to play the gringo card and invite ourselves. They did not buy it and
kicked us out, haha. So then, we went back to the coffee shop and found some
guys standing outside working. We asked them a few questions of things to do
and they were so helpful. They told us nothing was open, which we had already
figured out, but then they said that anywhere we would go would be way too
peligroso (dangerous) so we should just stay there. That was way too boring so
instead we decided to grab a cab and go to the Equator. The working guys
standing their heard us trying to describe to the cab driver where to go so they
helped us out and made sure we got to the right place.
The cab driver dropped us off at a corner near the metro
station which didn’t open until 6. It was now 5:30 so he yelled out the window
to a guy selling tea on that corner and asked him to watch out for us until the
metro opened. They guy agreed so we got out and waited. The cab driver left
with wise words to not go anywhere because we would get mugged, so we didn’t. Once the metro opened, we paid our 25 cent
fee and headed to the town where the Equator was which was about an hour drive.
Too bad the actual Equator tourist spot didn’t open until 9, haha. So we walked
around the town there from about 7:15 to 9 just looking around and talking. It
was light now and we were no longer in Quito so there were no worries at all
about getting mugged there. We stopped in for our second breakfast at a small restaurant
that was really good and then returned to the entrance at 9. While waiting for
them to open the gates, we met a Chinese guy and got to know him for a little.
Once the gates opened, we walked in took our pictures straddling
the line and then headed back to the metro. By this time, we had been up all
night traveling so once we got back on the metro to head back into Quito, we
both fell asleep. Unfortunately for us, we passed the point where we were
supposed to get off. We were looking for the big market so we could do some
shopping but we had passed it by a long shot. Kelcy asked around how to get
there but nobody was giving the best directions so we finally got off and asked
some cops. They told us of a better market (not even close though) that was
nearby so we walked all around Quito for the next 2 hours trying to find it. We
never found the market we were looking for but we did find a couple other
markets. We found shoe heaven! It was like 37 different alleyways all covered
and turned into shoe vendors. There were literally 500 different vendors all
side by side packed together each with about a 10 foot by 10 foot space lined
with knock off shoe brands. Everything from 100 dollar fake Nikes to little
plastic shoes for 5 dollars. We got lost walking around there and once we
finally got out, we decided that the market we were looking for had to be far
away because nobody could direct us to it. We grabbed lunch at this huge fresh
fruit and veggie market and then headed to the metro again to head back the
other direction.
Different people told us different things of where to go but
to make a long story short, after a lot of confusing directions and help from the
police; we got on the right bus and headed back into down town. Once we thought
we were close, we hopingly hopped off the bus and to our surprise, Kelcy saw
the market. Praise the Lord, we had found it. So we spent the next 2 hours from
there bartering which was soooo much fun. I loved it. My parents always told me
I would like it because I like arguing, I always laughed but did not realize
how much I would like it. I bought a lot of stuff and although the ending
prices we got down too were still probably more than what it cost to make them,
it was way less than they asked and still way less than I would pay for in the
States. It was just fun piecing together the small
Spanish I knew to act super offended at certain offered
prices. I liked arguing only with numbers then walking away and getting urged to
come back and keep going. The day was a big success as far as shopping goes and
I got a lot of stuff for very little money.
One cab ride later, we ended up at a big very Americanized
mall. We ate dinner at a Sports Planet (very similar to Applebees), got Tres Leches for dessert (a very Ecuadorian moist
cake) and then watched a Spanish Subtitles movie at the theater. We watched
Snow White and the Huntsman which was pretty good. Then again, anything would
have been good because all I had to compare it to was Milo and Otis on my computer
hahah. After the movie and some more walking around, we headed out of the mall
to another Americanized restaurant called Old West. We had just eaten like 3
hours ago so we weren’t that hungry yet. Ecuador was playing Argentina in
soccer though so we sat around drank some fresh juice the restaurant had and cheered
for with the locals for Ecuador. They lost 4 to nothing. By the time the game
ended, we were hungry again so we ordered a Billy Bob Pizza and chowed
down.
After all of that, Kelcy and I were so tired but since I had
two huge glasses of fresh juice (Mora and Coco) I was on a sugar high. That
quickly ended once we got to the airport around 9 to wait for the team. We
found a nice poll to sit against and just sat for an hour almost not moving or
talking haha. Finally, around 1020, the new team from Tulsa Oklahoma arrived
ready for their week in Shell. Also, Heidi and her friend showed up ready to
escort us and the team. Heidi has been here before apparently and was in Quito
for a week before meeting us at the airport. Heidi and her friend were the ones
moving into my apartment. Status update on that by the way, we couldn’t find me
another place so we ended up staying in the apartment I am in and just locking
a door in the middle to make it two apartments instead of one big one. I am
still in the same place, just a different room now. The girls and I share a living
room and kitchen but I we have separated rooms and bathrooms so it ended up being
nice that I didn’t have to move all my stuff completely.
We met the team, all became friends, got on their privately
rented bus, stopped by McDonalds on the way and then continued to Shell getting
in around 4. We dropped off the team and then Heidi, her friend, and I all went
home. I showed them around, took a shower and was in bed by 5. More will come
on the team later but for now, I just want to give God thanks for how much of
an amazing day it was. I was so glad I went. I had a blast exploring, eating,
walking, and talking in Quito. Kelcy was fun and put up with me the whole time
which is very impressive by the way. No, just kidding, we had a great time and
more than anything, I want to thank God for keeping us safe. We met so many
people and openly talked to everybody. We got lost, got offered drugs, saw a
mugging and through everything, we were always protected. Everyone we talked to
was super helpful and friendly, even the two guys smoking in the dark alley at
4 in the morning. I know the whole day could have turned out so differently but
God watched over us and I am thankful.
We were never scared either which is another thing I want to
thank God for. In my devotional this morning, I read Romans 8 and in Romans 8 I
think verse 31, it says if God is for us then who can be against us. That truth
is what I felt all day and night walking around Quito. I don’t care where I am
or what I doing, I literally have no fear and that is only because God is for
me and nothing else matters. Thanks God for an awesome day. I praise you for
your promise of always being on my side. Thanks for keeping us safe amongst not
so wise decisions maybe and thank you for letting us have fun. I praise you in
Jesus name. Amen
One quicker story before I end this three page monologue.
For our lunch at the fresh fruit market, we sat by a really old Ecuadorian
couple who we talked to for a little before we ate. They were finishing as we
were sitting down and after we prayed for our meal, they stopped and prayed
with us. I prayed in English so they didn’t understand what I said but they
knew we were praying to God. Then as they left, they told us how awesome it was
that we thanked God for our meal and they blessed us and said may God be with
us that day. So it was really fun meeting them and it is always great to meet
strong believers and see those encouraging random strangers even here in
Ecuador. Thanks God.