Our plans, decisions, and adventures
As we pack up from our first month of Life: Phase Next, a month spent in a condo in Quito, Ecuador, we look back fondly--or, in some cases, not so fondly--on some aspects of this city. Geography Quito is a long, narrow city in a valley. We could walk a fair distance on relatively flat ground, but... Continue Reading →
Parque la Carolina is a large green space in the center of Quito, roughly 1.5km long and 500m wide. It is a landmark, often used to describe locations (e.g., three blocks west of Carolina). Surrounded by tall buildings, and major roadways that are frequently congested with diesel-smoke-spewing buses, it provides a relatively fresh and peaceful respite from the... Continue Reading →
Quito is a long and narrow city, flowing like a river down the valley and splashing up the mountains that surround it. The TelefériQo, a tourist attraction built in 2005, is a wonderful way to get up high and view the city and surroundings. Quito's altitude is 9,350 feet (the highest official capital city in the world). The... Continue Reading →
We are staying in El Centro Norte, Quito's modern downtown. South of us is a completely different version of Quito--it's historical downtown called El Centro Histórico. A UNESCO world heritage site, Quito's old town is narrow hilly streets lined with pastel coloured buildings, and plazas bordered with churches, palaces, museums and theatres. A few days... Continue Reading →
After a 2-hour conversation in Spanish about our past travels (my tutor's questions) and all things Quito (my questions), I was ready to tackle the market. Mercedes, mi profesora, assured me that eating almuerzo (lunch) in the market was quite safe health-wise as the market was controlled by the municipality. As well, you can see your... Continue Reading →
Ken is off to Spanish school this morning. He looks so cute in his new school clothes with his notebook and pencil tucked under his arm. He will be attending Cristobal Colon Spanish School, which is just a 15-minute walk from our apartment, for the next two weeks, four hours a day, from 9:00am to... Continue Reading →
The primary goal of our posts is to update family and friends on our whereabouts. However, we have gained so much knowledge reading fellow nomad and long-term traveller blogs that we will include a few details that might seem inconsequential to some readers, but which we hope will provide practical information to those on a similar path. To receive notifications... Continue Reading →
Just left: Port Townsend, Washington, USA
Now: Birch Bay, Washington, USA
Up next: Maple Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Life: Phase Next 