Arriving to our Home in Ecuador!!

After a 30-something hour journey...we arrived in our second home, Ecuador. We met Linda at Santiago airport....where we hung out for a few hours before continuing our journey together!!! Yep...we really do follow each other around!! Last trip we met her in Bolivia..this time together in Ecuador!!! We were met at the airport in Quito by Ombi and Alex´s niece Denise and her step-dad. Linda was staying with them for a few days...but he kindly offered to give us a lift down-town where we found our hostel for the night.

Waiting at Santiago airport!!

After a nice sleep and breaky included (for $7 a night each!!!), we headed out to wander around Quito...just to enjoy being back here and soak in a bit of Ecuadorian culture!!!


Our hostel room in Quito.

 

 

 

 

 

Modern technology!!!

Life in Quito!!!



Pig's nose for lunch anyone?!

 Walking through the park, Jesus was excited to find a lady selling mote with Avitas...a typical food from here...a type of corn, served with broad beans, potatoes, salad and a bit of meat...all for $1!! Ahhh...welcome home!!! So we sat in the park and enjoyed as Jesus happily ate his first taste of home-food!!!

Ahhh....ecuadorian food!!

After our wander around town and through the colourful art/craft market...time to head back to our hostel and off to Ibarra, about 2 hours north of quito...to the family home. It was so exciting to arrive "home"...the family running out to greet us (including the dogs!!). Mama Maria had gone out..but how wonderful to see her face when she arrived home. She was so happy to see us as well!!!

Welcome home!!!

Mama Maria...happy to see us!!!

We made up our room...including putting the bed together!!! We then had time to enjoy being back here and to enjoy the beauty of this place...with the Volcano Taita Imbaburra as the back-drop. It is so pretty here. The house is set on a hill top, over-looking the town below and the surounding mountains. The garden with lots of flowers and herbs and vegies and fruit growing. There is also lots of pretty birds that call this place home!!

Making up our room.

The majestic Taita Imbaburra from the garden!!

The house from the garden below.

How nice to be back with our family in Ecuador. Half of the family who live south of Quito were also here, as it is school holidays. It was so wonderful to see them all...all the kids 3 years older and much bigger!!! We enjoyed our first night together, and the first night in "our room" here!!

Dinner time...with some of the family and the cats!!

The next 2 days "trabajamos como burros"...we worked like donkeys, to get the house ready for Jesus´ brother Marco and his family who were arriving later that week from Germany. So much for a holiday hey!!! Hee Hee!!! But, we laughed and enjoyed each other's company. We were awake at the crack of dawn...but what a beautiful place to wake up!!! We spent the next 2 days cleaning and tidying and building!! I scrubbed the fridge and the oven until they shone and the kitchen floor until you could eat off it!! Jesus was busy tidying and building shelves in the kitchen...he loves to find handyman jobs to do here. One of his brothers was busy finishing building another room and installing another bathroom to accomodate all the people who were arriving!!!

The house here is really lovely...a real country feel to it. It has gradually been done up, and they have tourists come to stay for a tradational "ecuadorian" experience...complete with flying fox and rock climbing!!! They are fed home-cooked traditional food...including cuy (guinea pig!!) and my favourite tortillas!!! Here are some photos of the rooms...

Our second morning here...time for tortillas...my absolutely favourite breaky here!!! They are a flat bread made by hand and cooked over an open fire on a ceramic dish...yummy with coffee!!! mmmmm

Tortilla making...a communal effort!!

Tortillas waiting to be cooked!!

Consuela...the tortilla cooker!!!

Almost ready!!!

Thursday night, a private bus left for Quito...with whoever wanted to go...to meet Marco and Gerti and family who were due to arrive at about 1am. Enough travelling for us...we waited at home!! We woke at about 3.30 hearing noises upstairs...only to find the dogs enjoying the guests beds!! Renee and Lidia were also up and outside...enjoying the spectacular Galan flower...an amazingly beautiful flower which opens at mid-night and dies when the sun comes up. This flower had opened especially to welcome Marco and family!!! Wow...check out these photos...how beautiful!!!

After been woken up, we didnt go back to sleep...and the German contingent arrived at about 5.30am...about 15 adults and 5 kids!! They all settled in and made themselves comfy. Many of them went to get some sleep...and for others a nice warm fire was lit in the dining area...and we just enjoyed being together. The sun finally came up and the girls....encouraged by me...made tortillas for breakfast...YUM!!! We had a tortilla factory going...they were being eaten as fast as we could make them!!!

Welcome to the Family Moreta home!!

Taita Imbaburra in the early hours!!

The sun coming up over the mountains.

 

More tortilla making!!

 

Marco´s eldest son Asiri learning the art of tortilla making!!!

Tortillas waiting to be cooked!!

Gerti and some of the kids enjoying tortillas!!!

Mama Maria and Marco...enjoying tortillas and coffee!!

We all passed the day at the house, enjoying the company of each other. We took the kids down to the big avocado trees...they had fun climbing them, and we picked heaps to take up to the house to ripen.

A big kid climbing the avocado tree!!!

Gerti learning the art of avocado picking!!!

In the evening, we had dinner (wherever you could find a seat!!), and then sat around the open fire enjoying the company of family. The boys enjoyed a Pilsner..the beer of Ecuador!!!  Welcome home!!! I hit it off immediately with Gerti...we had only ever met on Skype. She is very relaxed and easy going...we have enjoyed a lot of laughs and fun times together. We were all very tired after little or no sleep, but noone wanted to go to bed. You could really tell that Marco and Jesus were so happy to be here with their family in Ecuador. Not to mention Mama Maria with all her family gathering around her!!!

Mama Maria with another son Alonso and Gerti.

Dinner Time.

Jesus, Lidia and Marco...3 siblings!!!

Ahhhh...Pilsner. Cheers!!

A Pilsner and a game of cards with family!!!

Papi Cruz, Marco, Jesus and Elvia...note the boys with a beer!!!

Family!!

Before settling down for the night...Elvia and I made home-made bread for breaky the next morning...the first of many bread making sessions!! Lots of bread needed for lots of people!!!

The bread factory!!

Yum..ready for breaky!!

Here are a few more family shots to enjoy...

Elvia´s son Diego with one of the 3 cats!!

Model material nephews!!

Nephews Diego, Sebastain and Cristian modeling the shirts we gavethem!!

Our little niece Nahomy!!!

Niece Alfonsina and nephew Cristian.

The cats!!

The Guinea pigs!!

Jesus´ art work

Aitana, Noah and Mahru (the 2 bigger ones are Marco and Gerti´s kids)

The flying Jesus on The Flying Fox!!!

Cute!!

More family pets!!