Old Quito and other sundry things

There is so much to catch my attention in this city. The "mujeras indigenas" with their grey stockings, brightly coloured skirts and men's hats, usually with a baby tied over their shoulders and stomach like the African women do, the fountains, the endless "cabinas" to make cell phone and landline calls from, the men scrubbing off graffiti in the old town, the sparkling white of the restored Old Quito buildings, the cadences of Spanish and Quecha everywhere... I like being a minority (albeit a ridiculously privileged one). It feels weird to see my pale self in the mirror after a day of lessons and walking around the city. Funny how it's the little details that stick in my mind though. Today I saw two little kids playing in a public fountain -- one had a bottle cap and the other a plastic spoon. I think they must have spent a half an hour just floating their 'toys' under the fountain spout and giggling when the eventually popped back up. Cute. Less cute were the very small boys hawking stuff -- it is hard on my head to see kids under 5 having to make a living for themselves (or whoever is running them, I suppose). Nothing new, perhaps, but still, different to daily life at home, anyway!





I haven't figured out the cell phone thing yet -- I asked at one of the "cabinas" today, but while they would sell me a SIM card for the phone, they wouldn't unless I had the phone there. I don't really get that. Anyway. I'll try again tomorrow, maybe with the phone in hand! It's cheap though -- $4 - $8 for a Sim card, only. Seems a good plan to me.

I'm out of time for now, but I hope you're all well!