Left Quito this morning and headed to the main bus station to catch a bus to Otavalo. It was a beautiful sunny day and while driving to the bus station we were treated to glorious views of Cotopaxi and Cayumbe. Cotopaxi looked a bit like Mt. Baker except it is about 6000 meters high. The bus station was packed with people on their way to the Saturday market just like us. It took almost an hour to get tickets and get on our bus but considering all the crowds it w...

Happy 22nd birthday Sivanne! Amadeo from the hotel gave her a rose this morning for her birthday. Such a sweetie. Had a great day exploring Quito yesterday with the knowledgable help of Sivanne who seems to know her way around like a local. Made the orientation so much quicker and easier. After a great breakfast at the hotel with amazing Ecuadorean coffee, fresh pineapple, tomatillo juice, eggs and rolls we ventured out into the sunshine to find the Israeli embas...

Arrived last night in Quito. Great flight (but long!) with KLM. Crazy cab driver drove us an hour plus to the city, weaving through traffic and then around the block a few times until we found the hotel. We are staying at Casa Kanela in the Mariscal district. Cute little place with great service. Amadeo was very friendly and helpful getting us settled in. Quito seems quite expensive, at least compared to what I expected. I thought it would be much cheaper here. P...