Ecuador: Esta Lloviendo- It’s Raining!
Buenas tardes! Waking up in Ambato this morning with a breathtaking view of the hillside was more than I could ask for in my morning routine. This city is so full of color and life; it’s hard not to fall in love. We had breakfast at the hotel and I struggled to ask for bottled water instead of tap. This whole speaking Spanish thing is muy dificil but also extremely rewarding when I do it correctly.
For breakfast they served fresh, warm croissants that literally melted in your mouth along side juiced papayas and pineapples. After breakfast we stepped deep into the city and really got a taste for some of the culture. We strolled through grassy courtyards and explored old buildings that housed bright and beautiful museums. We also visited the biggest library in Ambato. We got to go into the historical section of the library and there were literally books out in the open for us to touch and explore through. We touched books from the 1600′s and were graciously invited into this room as if it was our own home. There are two extremely intriguing things about Ecuador in comparison to the United States. The first is the lack of security in the city, the ability to touch ancient books, the easy access to the presidents home, the welcoming atmosphere of the governors office, and all of the freedom to roam the museums. There is almost a sense of trust among the people in the country. I like to think the lack of security spawns from the idea that they think the best of people here and live within the strength of a close knitted community. While my heart hopes the latter I know that it all most likely relates back to economic security and access to safety. There is an interesting vibe blanketing the city that is extremely difficult to describe. My heart feels swollen with happiness here and these experiences are so close to humbling it is almost uncanny. The second beautiful thing about this country is the increasingly welcoming attitude of all of the locals. All of their homes are literally my home as well, there is no question in this area; regardless of how much people have they are always offering more. Our tour guide Victor is a local who exudes this attitude so significantly in everything he teaches us. He has a beautifully loving family who comes along for all of our adventures and a heart that is full of respectful love for his country. Hearing him discuss the history of this land makes me want to converse with him for forever. After exploring alongside him and his family for a while we stopped for lunch at an Italian restaurant. The building was elaborately designed by none other than our tour guide Victor. It had three stories of indoor terraces filled with plants and fountains facing a romantic courtyard that housed numerous tables. It felt awfully out of place to be enjoying pizza and gelato in the middle of South America but the food was just too good to be real. The owner had traveled to Italy and fallen in love with the culture and food so strongly that he brought it back to Ecuador with him! Really quick I just want to say that an ice cream cone is only eighty cents and they almost always have banana flavors – this is my kind of country! After lunch we went to the local produce market. When you’re walking on the road you wouldn’t even know this extensive produce haven existed if it wasn’t for the bold Spanish music dancing its way out from a pathway downstairs. After climbing down some old stairs my eyes met an oasis of produce, clothing, and small cafes filling an underground warehouse. My heart was so overwhelmed with farmers market happiness! After purchasing some fresh apples to snack on we were on our way. Off to meet the governor now…hasta luega!