High on the 'Feriqo!

Meanwhile, back in Quito... conditioning for our upcoming Cotopaxi trip, we took the Teleferiqo (gondola) up to a 13,500 foot lookout over the city. Quito is so long--or wide if you go by their maps--you practically have to turn 180 degrees to look from one end of the city to the other. We rode the 'feriqo up and hiked a bit more and froze as we watched a huge shadow devower the city as the sun set over the surrounding volcanos.



Side note: we had really hoped for a romantic ride up in the gondola alone: there was absolutely no one behind us in line. But a split second after we got on the thing, a fully armed cop-type dude came running up and jumped in the cable car. It freaked us out at first, but we calmed down after about ten minutes of the guy constantly whisper-yelling "Charlie-veinte, Charlie-veinte" into his walkie talkie. Not funny, haha, at all...well, actually it was pretty damn funny, but strange.

Equator in Ecuador....Who Knew??

From Tena, we bussed it straight to Quito arriving a little ahead of schedule, giving us a couple of days to goof off. So, we headed straight up to the actual equator that made Ecuador famous and, of course, we kissed whilst simultaneously standing on both hemispheres. World travelers: worldly kissers.

And obviously, while we were at the Ciudad Mitat del Mundo, we took in a few miniature museums and an Ecuadorian Soul Sista concert...for free!!!

Remember Shooter's?

Anyone reading this blog that lived in Durango, Colorado in the nineties might get a kick in the memory lane pants from this one.

Thumbs Please

After meeting Mr. Locos, and drinking the sacred 185 proof jungle juice, we had our choice of taking another afternoon "walk" in the jungle, or cutting out after lunch. We opted to catch a ride back to Tena to tell the tour operator about some of the things I didn't talk about here, and to try to get some of our money back (I try to break free from complainy-pants mode in this blog, though I don't do all that well). He was very receptive to the complaints and suggestions; however, when I mentioned a refund, it was as though he was pretending not to understand what I meant, even as he was understanding every word I was saying. Anyhoo, I try not to drone on, and only plug places and services when we feel they really deserve it, but I have to give Amarongachi tours two thumbs down. Don't get me wrong--we had a great time. I don't want this blog to be viewed as a delivery system for negativity, and I won't go into the complaints we had. I just needed to get this off my chest: Amarongachi = 2 thumbs down.

Shangrila, however--which, ironically and sadly is run by Amarongachi--gets four thumbs up!!