Papallacta Thermal Springs

A popular trip from Quito is Papallacta, thermal hot springs (2 hours and $2.50 for the bus). The "Termas" is a series of tiled pools, filled with water from the natural hot springs, each one hotter than the next. There are also cold pools (very cold!), and a cold river running through the area, for a "take your breath away" experience. We spent the night in a nearby hostel, with it's own thermal pools. We even had a thermal pool in our room.

Hot!!

Hot and Hotter

Chillin' by the river

Steam Room

surrounding area

hot stream by the road

hostel fireplace and thermal pool and shower

http://www.hosteltrail.com/pampallacta/

to market, to market

What will $5.10 buy in a Quito market?

11 tomatoes
5 apples
9 short, fat carrots
1 small papaya
1 avocado

1 bag of uvillas (see below)
2 shopping bags

Uvilla (Ground Cherry, Gooseberry, Husk Tomato): These small yellow fruits are called ground cherries because they grow close to the ground are roughly cherry-like in size and shape. They have nothing else in common with cherries, including taste and the fact that there is no stone. They are bright yellow and grow inside a husk that looks a little like a tiny paper lantern. The flavor is a little like pineapple and they are eaten raw and fresh, one after another, like popcorn.

Good Friday Procession

flagellation

ouch

penitent cross bearer

J.C. and roman soldiers

barefoot cucuruchos

young J.C.

procession 

cucuruchos

"Held in honour of Jesus’ sacrifice, this procession consists of thousands of penitents marching solemnly through the narrow streets of the old centre of Quito, from and to the San Francisco church. Cucuruchos, Veronicas, Jesus holding the burden of the cross, Roman soldiers, representations of Jesus del Gran Poder and Our Lady of Sorrow… Many characters take part in the procession. The most prominent are the Cucuruchos, penitents wearing purple robes with white rope around their waists and cone-shaped hoods (hence the name cucurucho which means cone-shaped), hiding their faces, with two holes for the eyes. Historically, the robe and the hood were worn in Spain by flagellants, by people sentenced to death, or during the Inquisition. As for the Veronicas, they are veiled women dressed in purple. They play the role of Veronica, the woman who wiped the face of Jesus Christ when he was on his way to the Calvary. All these characters can be performed by anyone willing to suffer for their sins."  (sounds and colours magazine)

Fanesca

Ingredients

According to Wikipedia:
Fanesca is a soup traditional to Ecuador. It is typically prepared and served only in the week before Easter. It is a rich soup, with the primary ingredients being figleaf gourd (sambo), pumpkin (zapallo), and twelve different kinds of beans and grains (chochos (lupines), habas (fava beans), lentils, peas, corn and others) representing the twelve apostles of Jesus, and bacalao (salt cod), cooked in milk, due to the Christian religious prohibition against red meat during Holy Week (the week before Easter). It is also generally garnished with hard boiled eggs, fried plantains, herbs, parsley, and sometimes empanadas.

Fanesca

Molo (mashed potatoes)

Sounds like too many ingredients in one bowl, but it was delicious! Ours came with mashed potatoes and a glass of warm rice with sweet milk (fairly common accompaniments). Perfect!

Daily Special

                                                              

Carolina Park - Skate Park

Carolina Park in Quito is a great place to play for a day. There is an area that they call a skate park, with long cement ditches that people use to skate or bike or just run around in. A favorite thing for kids to do is try to run up the cement wall (We, of course, had to do it too, but the pictures are too embarrassing to post)

scaling the walls

Is Quito safe?

"According to the U.S. Department of State, petty theft is by far the most common problem facing American tourists in Quito, Ecuador." We're always cautious when we go out exploring for the day- no jewelry, no pocketbooks, no credit cards, only enough money for the day (and in Ecuador, a little bit goes a long way). But sometime we find ourselves in situations we shouldn't be in, like riding crowded buses. The thieves in Quito are slick. Manuel's back pocket got sliced, but luckily they weren't able to get the only thing in that pocket- a change purse with coins for the buses. He wasn't even aware there was a gaping hole in his pants until we go off the bus and he felt the fresh air where it shouldn't be.

 We also walk whenever we can, which is why we were attempting to walk to a viewpoint at the top of a hill when a viejita carrying a large load told us that to continue walking would cost us more than taking a taxi. Apparently, there are thieves waiting on the streets that lead to the top of this hill (El Panecillo) that WILL rob you. We thanked her and turned around. 
And so, I'll sew Manuel's pants, and we will continue to be cautious, and enjoy all the wonderful things that this city has to offer. 

The Middle of the World and Pululahua Crater

 In spite of there being disagreement about where the true middle of the world is, we decided to do the tourist thing, and hopped on the bus to "Mitad del Mundo", to straddle what French geographer La Condamine, in 1736, said was the equator.

 From there,  we took a short ride to the world's only inhabited volcanic crater, Pululahua.