Saturday, February 03, 2007

Quito moments

I'm home safe and sound from Ecuador, where we conducted a site feasibility study for the New Manna Ecuador site (beginning in September 2007). I absolutely loved Ecuador. Here's a sort of stream-of-consciousness collection (hardly complete) of our time there.

*Florists in the city (Florerias) selling buches of roses, lilies and callalilies for $1.


*The cool mountain air, the azure of the sky from two miles above sea level- a brilliant, bright, crisp, sapphire blue.

*My lungs burn from walking in the hilly city.

*The bustle of the streets- ice cream vendors and street kids running around wanting to polish our shoes and women selling herbs and flowers on the side of the road.

*The elderly man in his dignified grey suit and top hat helping a little girl feed the pigeons in Plaza San Francisco.


*Women with woolen shawls and traditional hats and long hair wrapped in a single, hanging braid.


*Sleeping babies strapped to their mothers by hand-knit woolen shawls- feet peeking out of the bottom of their cocoon. Little bodies, tightly wrapped up and safe on their mothers’ backs.

*Brightly colored hand knit scarves, moccasins and hats sold in the open-air markets- indicative of the chilly Andean air.

*The sharp, snow-topped peak of Cotopaxi, standing proud and stately in the distance.

*The city itself, narrow and long and lively, sandwiched between the green Andes mountains.

*Open markets bursting with fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, berries, mangoes, barrels and barrels of rice and beans.

*The hush of peaceful Santa Isabel- the quiet, slow pace of life that comes with the countryside.


*The lofty, grand presence of the Virgin Mary statue, el Panecillo, visible high on the hill from anywhere in Quito.

*The cathedrals, glowing at night with rich yellow lights -emitting a soft steady light, whispering of history and a quiet elegance.

*Sharing our excitement with several non-profit organizations in Ecuador about the new Manna site in Quito… and knowing that in September 2007 we’ll be returning.

1 Comments:

Blogger Mark Clayton Hand said...

Good set of moments! And glad that we have pictures of so many of them. One of my favorites, I think, is looking back in the square and seeing you bent over talking with your three little friends. Hasta pronto,

mark

9:18 AM  

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