During our last week in Ecuador we remained in the
capital city of Quito. We could have gone to Otavalo, to Baños, or to any of
those magnificent sites the country is known for but we didn’t. Weary of three
weeks of long bus rides, delayed flights, and bags constantly packed, unpacked,
and repacked, we opted to while away the remaining week of our vacation doing
nothing. In those days there were no extraordinary
experiences, no awe-inspiring places. There
were simply small but meaningful moments.
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| Quito, Ecuador |
No Te Metas Con
Zohan
What could be more surreal than watching You Don’t Mess with the Zohan dubbed in
Spanish while eating chaulafan (fried
rice) in a Chinese restaurant in the middle of Quito? With my rudimentary Spanish,
I could hardly grasp the dialogue in the movie, yet I had the most wonderful
time. We stayed in the restaurant, our eyes glued to the small television hanging
on the wall, until they had to throw us out.
Running After a Guayasamin
There's this guy walking around the
Mariscal District with an armload of Oswaldo Guayasamin prints that he is peddling
for five dollars apiece. The first time I saw him he was holding up a copy of Guayasamin's El
Grito III. That’s
beautiful, I thought to myself then walked passed him. After a couple of
minutes, I realized that I have to buy that print because it's too magnificent
to pass up. But when I turned around, he was nowhere in sight. I looked
all around for him but he’s simply gone. As luck would have it, I saw him again after a
few days and that time around I made sure to grab that Guayasamin that almost got
away.
Christmas Day
I consider that Christmas morning one of the best moments
of our trip: the muted hum of the city as it slowly came to life; the radiant
sunshine glinting cheerily as we strolled around Parque La Carolina; the faint whiff of grass and dried leaves, the contrasting
textures and harmonious flavors of the cevichochos
we bought from one of the food stalls in the park; the gladness palpable in the
faces of the people around us. Seated on a bench with the man I love beside me,
I closed my eyes momentarily and felt unbounded joy and contentment.
