Quito

Last night, in anticipation for coming to Quito for the day, I looked in some guide books. And this may sound a little crazy, but I sort of just realized that I´m in Ecuador. And I´m no longer afraid of being a tourist- I am in a new place and want to disfrutarme as much as possible, to the extent that funds allow. So, in a few weeks, I´m going to meet a childhood friend who I grew up with in Quito, have a super nostaligc sleepover, and from there head out East to the rainforest for a guided exploration for 4 or 5 days. Then another weekend I´m going to go to Baños, which is a hot spring town where you can get mud massages. It´s 3.5 hours south of Quito. Just for an overnight. And I want to go clubbing in Cayambe. And I might go to the beach, but it´s a long long bus ride, and I live so close to the ocean at home and also I have been to tropical beaches a lot before, and thing it´s probably not worth the trouble. But yes, I am going to travel the gringo trail because I am not afraid of being a woman alone and I am not afraid of being American and I am not afraid of being a tourist. And then I will come home to my house where I can´t flush toilet paper and spiders sleep in my bed with me and little children come up to my window when I am napping and yell Estas dormiendo! Yes I´m fucking dormiendo, why do you think my eyes are closed and I´m in bed you little fucks? And I will be happy there.

Today Mike and I are in Quito. We went to the gringo bookstore and I bought The Diamond Age, Things Fall Apart, and Catch 22. This decision took an hour. We went out for INDIAN FOOD (Indian food!!), went to an open market (where I almost bough alpaca scarves in every color of the rainbow- write me if you want one and in what color), and then, my friends, we went to CREPES AND WAFFLES!

Crepes and Waffles is the best place in Quito. It is a very swanky dessert and lunch place. I got a chocolate mocha coffee delight with real whipped cream in a glass cornicopia and a chocolate ice cream ball rolled in chocolate sugar crumbs topped with real wipped cream on a plate with chocolate syrup swirls. For less than 6 dollars. It was a welcome respite from beans and rice. Very bougie, very cosmopolitan. Very very chocolatey.

Now I need to buy a knife for working in the garden (I lost mine) and maybe another coffee because there is no coffee in Tabacundo. Yes, I know I´m in the coffee continent of the world but it all gets exported.

On the bus someone slashed a gigantic hole in my bag because they wanted to rob me. But they got nothing! Why? Because I don´t keep valuables in my purse because I am surrounded by theives. I keep my money in my pocket and walk around with my hand in my pocket. And an extra 20 in my bra, just in case. And taser eyes.

You may have noticed that something has changed. What happened is that culture shock is over, and I have my personality back! I am no longer timid and blown away by everthing around me, I am interacting! I am judging! I am snarking! i AM BOLD! ( I didn´t mean to hit the caps lock key but I think I like that). Please don´t get the impression that I´m being a jerk, or a cultural imperialist. But I am feeling more involved in my life now. Less like I´ve forgotten myself and my memories and habits at home. Which was a great experience, very Buddhist etc, but my reality right now is that I am still Rachel. And I like that.

Quito has been a little like playing Myst, but unlike playing Myst, I have been winning. Mike and I have been walking around trying to find resteraunts and stores I found in the guidebooks, and we have found everything! We are totally winning Quito! Also we have not been robbed!

Let´s hope we also win the busride home from Quito along the mountainous cliffs. I will be constantly vigilant to make sure we are safe. It´s my job.