Wanderlusting Woman

Last sunset in Quito before heading to the airport. Thank you to my good friends and the good people of Contigo Foundation for making me feel so welcomed. I hope to return next year.

Spent the day exploring downtown Quito and climbing the towers of the Basilica Nacional del Voto with Denise and her fam. The climb was over 375 feet up. It consisted of stairs, a rickety wooden bridge that you had to cross that extended across the church arches, then up ladders that went straight up, as well as a few narrow spiral ladders. It was an adventure to say the least. Oswaldo and I kept waiting for an earthquake and plotting how we were going to survive it if the Basilica came crashing down. Good times!!!

A sampling of my friends' Contigo Foundation crew. We were popcorn baggin', sandwich stackin' fools today in Pisuli. (And I think the kids had a good time, too 😊).

This is the stoop where I sat and ate my lunch for the past 2 days. And this is Maria Luisa, who joined me today. It was my first lama lunch date. (She mows the lawn at the orphanage. Seriously. That's her job.) Tomorrow I go to Pisuli to help with the movie event I wrote about a few days ago.

My lunch view at one of the best-run orphanages with a bonus lama in the picture on the right (he belongs to the neighbors, and he keeps watching me eat my lunch as he eats his). They no longer allow you to post pictures of the children's faces, so here's the top of a toddler's head and her hand holding my finger (it's that purple thing she's got the Kung Fu grip on) as I teach her how to kick a soccer ball. We kicked that thing all around the playground until my back broke from being hunched over, then we kicked it some more. Then we fed 12 toddlers, cleaned them up, changed them, put them down for a nap, and folded laundry. 4.5 hours down, 4.5 to go. Kudos and mountains of respect to all the tias who do a beautiful job of taking care of these babies every day. It's a lot of work and truly a labor of love!!!

My friends have expanded their foundation to serve children of impoverished families (many live without running water or electricity and sometimes become orphans because families can't afford to care for them). Today we shopped for groceries to feed 270 children in Pisuli tomorrow. It is a special event for the children where they get to have lunch, popcorn, and pop, and watch a movie in the park. This is a HUGE deal since many of them have never gotten to experience popcorn and a movie (as well as a meal). This video is the "camp" where we took the groceries today and where we will prepare 270 sandwiches and pop popcorn tomorrow before the big event.

First full day in Ecuador was spent crashing a wedding. And when I say a full day was spent, I mean a FULL DAY. Like 12+ hours of eating, drinking, and dancing. Ecuadorians don't mess around when it comes to celebrating (and everyone was very sweet to the mystery gringa who joined in the celebration).