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Saturday July 7, 2018

Hello!

Greetings from Ecuador. We welcomed to our first group of Galapagos PNW-B. 17 out of 20 students arrived already and had some empanada for dinner and they are on the way to the home base. Maria Fernanda is waiting for the late arrivals of Emma Price, Jackie Cohen and Jacquelyn Rivers.

Sunday July 8, 2018

Today was our first full day in Ecuador and man, did we have fun! Although we had a few late arrivals last night (arriving to the hotel around 2am!) everyone was up and ready to start the day at 8:30. In the morning, we had orientation where we started off with some teambuilding activities, went through what the program will look like, and reviewed everything we need to know to have a successful program. We enjoyed our first Ecuadorian “almuerzo” of potato soup, salad, lasagna, and bread. It was delicious!

In the afternoon we took a bus to explore Old Town Quito. The city is beautiful! We visited two cathedrals and learned about the style of the architecture along with how the Spanish utilized paintings to communicate messages to the native peoples. We went to the famous La Ronda street and experienced a chocolate making demonstration.

This was fascinating because we learned about how chocolate is made from start to finish, and even was able to sample cacao and chocolate along the different steps of the process. Ecuadorian chocolate is quite tasty! We ended our Quito tour by driving up to the top of the El Panecillo hill where there was a giant statue of the Virgin Mary and a beautiful view of the city. We climbed up the statue, though completely out of breath as we are all adjusting to the 9,300ft elevation of the city!

We finished our evening with another great Ecuadorian meal, then some goal setting and journaling with the group. We have an early morning tomorrow as we head out at 6am to head to the Galapagos but we are so excited to get there and for all of the fun adventures ahead!

-by Amy Lepp, Mentor

Monday July 9, 2018

Today we had an early breakfast at 5:30am. We immediately took off and headed to the airport with all of our luggage. At the airport some of us worried and hoped our luggage weighed he right amount. We all made it through, so some of us got food before our flight. Our flight had one stop, but overall it was pretty short. When we landed in the Galapagos we got off the plane and went into the building where we discovered our luggage didn’t make it. We all took it pretty well and shortly after we got onto the bus so we could head towards the boats. From boat to boat we finally made it to our next stop where we got some lunch and got on the next boat.

This was the last boat ride of the day, and it was a tough one for everyone, but thankfully dealing with all the luggage on the boat was not an issue. Dealing with sea sickness, many had a difficult time however we helped each other out to ensure everyone was okay. Finally when we arrived we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and left to buy some clothing, which was fairly difficult. After spending hours at stores, we made it back to home base for a much needed dinner. We talked about our day, and everyone headed to bed to get enough rest for the next day.

– Jules Weeden. Leader of the day

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Hello GLA Familes!

We are now finishing our fourth day on our trip! We started our day off by heading to the beach to go kayaking and snorkeling! Everyone had a remarkable experience seeing Sharks, Turtles, Sea Lions, Blue Footed Boobies, and many more exciting creatures. In the afternoon we headed to a local school on the Island to begin our community service. We helped paint the schools basketball court for four hours straight. After painting we spoke to the teachers of the school and they thanked us for our work. We then headed back to Home Base to eat dinner. All the students got their luggage on Tuesday afternoon. We look foward to many more exciting days to come!

-Bridget & Mia. Leaders of the day

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Today was our 5 day on this trip and it was only filled with fun. We were kept hard at work and busy all day which makes time fly by. We started off with breakfast which included this delicious pancake things. We then ventured off to our second service project at the tortoise sanctuary to help clean up around there. It was a lot of strenuous activity but hey rewarding. Knowing that that the tortoises had a safer environment was a real prize.

We played some games during our break and drank fresh orange juice which was muy delicioso. Once we left and got back to home base, we had lunch then went off to the tortoise breeding center and learned all about how they mate. We then took a beautiful walk to the beach and saw some flamingos up close.

The beach was so beautiful and the waves were huge. A friendly soccer game took place with another program that was there and we then went back to home base for dinner. The day ended with some journaling and reflection about privilege and the power we have to transform the world around us.

-by Tabitha and Emma –  Leaders of the day

Thursday July 12, 2018

Hello everyone!

Today was a great day! We went on a challenging 6 mile hike to The Wall of Tears. We went up and saw almost the whole island of Isabela. It was so great seeing us all work together to achieve a goal. After that we went to the town to go explore and then to the beach for a little swim. We saw a baby sea lion too! Then we went to play soccer with the locals. It was so much fun and cool to interact with the people that live here. After we went back to the beach and waited for a concert with a Spanish singer. Waiting for it we played tag and played on the playground. Some of us left and went back to the hotel and hung out in the terrace and sat in the hammocks.

-by Lauren and Greg – Leaders of the day

Friday July 13, 2018

Today was Friday the Thirteenth, but it sure didn’t feel spooky. We began with a hearty breakfast of eggs and plantains to fuel up for our hike. We rode the windy tram to the Galapagos National Park and trekked to el Estero, the inlet. We hiked through igneous rocks, the remains of past eruptions. We reached an outcrop, viewing magnificent blue-footed boobies, and marine iguanas mere inches away. We then walked through beautiful mangroves and waded through clear blue water. At the clearing we witnessed a breathtaking pelican and other animals. Later, we visited two beaches, La playa del amor (the beach of love) and La playita (The little beach).

At the beaches we snorkeled, viewing the elusive black-tipped shark. After having an amazing time out at the beach, we took the tram back to home base, briefly stopping befitting leaving again to Campo Duro- our service sight. When we arrived we ate a delicious lunch and had some free time outside. We started our service with a few groups of students completing several different tasks such as feeding the tortoises, and cleaning their habitat. We ended the service project with a campfire and then went back to home base to eat our last dinner on Isabela Island where we thanked the hostel staff for all of their amazing meals from the past few days. We are looking forward to Santa Cruz Island tomorrow!

-by Jackie and Jeremy – Leaders of the day

Saturday July 14, 2018

Today, we got up at 6:30 AM and got ready for breakfast at 7. After a quick breakfast, we got our bags and got on a bus to the port. There, we got on the boat that would take us to Santa Cruz Island. The trip was about two hours and the water was more calm than the last time so everyone had some resting time and enjoyed the ride, I didn’t get as wet as the previous trip. We arrived about 11, and had an hour to settle into our new rooms in the hotel before lunch. We went out for a walk around town, and bought some snacks from a local store. Then we took another bus to a tortoise center called Chato ranch where we did our community service work. There, we worked until 6, planting trees, carrying rocks, and moving branches so the tortoises have more space to explore and find food. A little after 6, we got back on the bus to home base. After dinner, we hung out, talked, and played games until bedtime.

Lukas and Alexis – Leaders of the day

Sunday July 15, 2018

Day 9 was filled with adventure, volunteering, and fun! We started our day with a short boat ride and a half mile hike to our destination, Las Grietas. Las Grietas is a naturally formed swimming hole surrounded by beautiful cliffs. We could swim, dive, and take pictures of the scenery. Our journey later took us to a small, modest cafe where we indulged in some ice cream and popcorn while watching the World Cup game. Some were ecstatic to see France’s victory while others mourned Croatia’s loss. After, we went back to the hotel to prepare for our final day of volunteering at Chato Ranch. On the way to the ranch we stopped and took in the view of Los Gemelos, the twin sinkholes (they were huge, amazing, and beautiful). Next, our adventures took us to a delightful lunch at Chato Ranch that was followed by 4 hours of reforestation. By the end of our hard work about 100 plants had been planted and surrounded by stones to protect them from the ravages of the 200 pound tortoises that are always looking for meals. As a group, we all agreed that we were proud of our hard work and felt very productive as a team. We ended the awesome day with a meal back at Home Base. Tonight we will pack for our travels to San Cristobal tomorrow. We are excited for what’s to come!

-Julia Hudson & Miranda Vellenga – Leaders of the day

Monday July 16, 2018

We had a very adventurous day. We started off with an early boat ride to San Cristobal Island, considered to be one of the most beautiful islands in the Galapagos archipelago. We then headed to our fourth home base on the island, a small and rustic hostel close to the ocean.

After lunch, we walked to the Interpretation Centre to learn about the history of the Galapagos. Then, we headed over to Las Tijeretas to swim and snorkel. We spotted lots of sea lions and sea turtles.

We watched the sunset from Playa Mann, ate ice cream and watched sea lions playing in the ocean. After dinner, we had sometime to reflect about our trip and had an exciting round of charades on the pier.

-by Rachel and Megan C – Leaders of the day

Tuesday July 17, 2018

Today we started off with a late breakfast at 8:00. Everyone was happy to get the extra hour of sleep! Then we headed out for a bit to do an activity. We all had “roles” – mediators, scientists, tourists, locals, and the travel agencies. Each group then had to pitch an argument as to why or why not they support tourism in the Galápagos Islands, according to their role. In the end, we came to the conclusion that tourism should be restricted, but still allowed, and that the tourists should be more educated.

After that, we quickly stopped back at the home base to gather our snorkel stuff and head to Loberia Beach. Once reuniting with our guides Jorge and Edison, and taking a brisk bus ride, we arrived. As per usual, sea lions were everywhere!

At noon we rode a bus back to the home base where we ate a delicious lunch. At 1:15 we left to explore and walk around for an hour. A lot of us stopped at a cute ice cream shop to grab a yummy treat before heading out for a little extra service. When 2:15 came around, we got some trash bags to walk to a different beach while collecting trash along the way. With a little teamwork to get the tough-to-reach trash, we cleaned up the trail and were able to relax next to the ocean as a reward.

We then made our way back to the home base. We had a wonderful dinner and went down to the boardwalk to do our nightly meeting. Unfortunately tonight, we had to say goodbye to Jorge and Edison. We gave them the heartfelt cards we made as we said our goodbyes.

Today was our last day on the islands but it was very well spent. The Galápagos Islands are an incredible place and it has been a wonderful opportunity to go!

-Your leaders of the day, Jackie Rivers and Megan Knoll

Wednesday July 18, 2018

Today we all woke up at the break of dawn, 4:30. We ate a light breakfast and headed straight to the harbor at San Cristobal. We all got on the boat and had a very peaceful boat ride to Santa Cruz, which everybody seemed to enjoy. We headed off onto Santa Cruz Isle and got on a bus headed to the harbor. Here we all were given lunch and everybody filled up for the rest of the long travel day! We took the ferry back to Baltra Isle to get to the airport and we all went through the normal airport experience… When we got through security most of us headed straight to the food court and got french fries, hamburgers, and empanadas.

At 12:30 we boarded the plane and took off to Quito! We made a quick stop to drop people off at Guayaquil and then resumed our flight for another 30 minutes. We arrived at Quito around 6 (luckily our luggage was waiting for us) and headed straight for our hotel which is 30 minutes away. We got to the hotel and settled into our rooms, shortly after we went down for dinner and ate some amazing food. After dinner we had our usual nightly circle meeting and discussed the day. We all dispersed after to our rooms with our new roommates to get ready for the next day!

-Connor O’Sullivan, Leader of the day

Thursday July 19, 2018

Today we got up at 7 AM. After we got everyone ready, we went down for breakfast at 7:30. For breakfast, we had a buffet of toast, fruit, and cold cuts. After breakfast, at 8, we got onto a bus for the drive to Mitad del Mundo, the equator. On the bus, Lance and I did our first head count, which was successful. After about 45 minutes, we arrived and got off. We walked around with a tour guide, who showed us the way of life of some wild tribes. Eventually, we reached the actual equator, where he showed us some unique events that only occur there. One of them was balancing an egg, which turned out to be extremely difficult. A few people managed to do this, and got certificates. He also did an activity with which involved pressure and balance.

Also, he showed us that if you drain water on the equator, it doesn’t form a funnel, but funnels form clockwise and counterclockwise on opposite sides. He demonstrated this by draining a tub on the equator, above it, and below it. After that, we walked back to a gift shop and looked around before getting on the bus at about 10:30. After half an hour of driving, we arrived at a place where we’d be learning how to salsa. The two instructors split the group up into boys and girls, and we each learned different steps. After practice, we found partners and danced. We had a great time, and got back on the bus at around noon. We then drove to a place called Crepes & Waffles, where we ate a delicious lunch.

After lunch, we walked for about half an hour to a market, where we separated into groups and browsed for about an hour. After buying a few things, we started walking back to the hotel, and got there around 5. There, we had free time until 7 to pack and hang out. At 7, we went down to have a dinner of soup, followed by chicken, beans and rice. After dinner, we went outside and formed a circle to give our roses and thorns. Many people said they would miss each other, and the mood was overall very emotional. We also had feedback and shoutouts. Nearly everyone got a shoutout from someone else, and everyone shared what they liked about each other. After the shoutouts, it was about 9:30, so everyone hung out on the terrace for about an hour.

-by Todd and Lance – Leaders of the day

Friday July 20, 2018

After an early wake up of 3:00 am to see 14 students off through to midnight departures, we can now say that all students have safely departed Ecuador. We had an incredible two weeks filled with so much exploration, adventure, service, learning and fun. I think everyone can agree that it was a life-changing two weeks! We look forward to seeing all of the amazing things that these 20 bright, young adults do in their future! Miss you all already!

-Amy Lepp, Mentor

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Monday August 6, 2018

Today was our first day of service since arriving in the Galapagos. We woke bright and early for a delicious breakfast at our hostel and then went over to the worksite at Campo Duro! As we drove to the worksite the landscape changed from lava rock and cacti to rainforest. After seeing the tortoise habitat and learning about the problems faced by the many endangered species of the islands, we got to work. We pulled weeds and cut down trees to clear an area of yucca trees.

We got to bring back some yucca to the hostel to have for dinner! In the afternoon we went on a hjke along the beach and through mangroves. We explored a lava tunnel and saw lots of iguanas in the national park. After dinner we went to a nearby store and bakery and bought snacks to take down to the beach for an activity. We packed a lot of fun into the first full day in the Galapagos, so stay tuned to find out what’s to come!

Blog by: William

Tuesday August 7, 2018

Today we started out at the campo duro tortoise sanctuary. We finished clearing the habitat of invasive species and planted native species that the tortoises love. We went back to the hotel for a delicious lunch before heading out to kayak!

We kayaked through the ocean waves before anchoring the boats and jumping off of them for snorkel time. We saw many colorful fish, sea lions, penguins, several sharks, and even a hawksbill sea turtle!

After this magical time in the ocean we headed back to the hostel for a very special dinner of lobster head soup and fresh ceviche. Afterwards we did an activity called story of self where each of us got to share about our lives and our stories. It really brought the group even closer together.

Wednesday August 8, 2018

GALAPAGOS BLOG. DAY 6 (BY: Michael) The morning began at 5 o’clock. The air was heavy, stricken with the common mist we’ve become accustomed to. Marcus and I ran to the second floor, our footsteps pounding on the tile, grasping for grip atop a layer of dew. My fist hit the door with intent and purpose; waiting for the knob to turn. The group slowly rose to our noise, and we set toward the ocean’s waves. It was dark, but the opaque sky slowly melted into blue as the sun woke from it’s own slumber. We sprinted as we neared the sand, the sky, now a transformative orange, crafting the trees’ independent silouttes. Our energies were high and rising as the sun finally breached the horizon, warming our cheeks. We continued the day together with a hike spanning the island’s offerings.

The crusty soil of the dried lava fields snapped underneath our feet. Rocky coves presented a stage as we sat in specatcle of the pelicans’ flight and the boobies’ synchronized diving. The waves crashed against the rocks bathing the crabs and launching the readily moving sea lions closer to our feet. Lava gulls squawked behind, fearless of thier guests. The endemic species flicked around us, encompassing our group in rarity, while calmly navigating around our invasive soles. We left the coast to expidite along a trail, joined by the lazily awake tortoises. Their necks shrivelled towards their shells in retreat, unamused by the roaring paparazzi. They came to except however, their stardom, nearing closer to our lenses. Iguanas, flamingos, ducks, and birds on stilts filled the hike’s wonders; wetlands, hills, and walls dripping in historic tears surrounded us, swirling and twirling as our marvel branded eyes blinked, opening to the next venture. Tortoise breeding center: the baby tortoises waltzed in the pen, happily eating the many leaves lying on the ground.

Parallel to the pens roamed the adult tortoises, rising in formidable stature in contrast to the small innocence of their younger peers. Their saftey, their growth; gems locked within the sanctuary promised future to the vibrance of the Galapagos. Heavy breathing, sweaty backs, and happy spirits. Our soccer game against the Galapagan Fútball Academy rained success, though the obvious laughter and relaxation of our opposition granted permission. No tension, many goals. We managed to pose recreational threat through our undeniable love for one another, as our six day friendship blossomed further into a successfully dynamic team. The game ended, and we excitedly walked back to base camp anxious for food. Upon arrival, the shower’s water fell down my body, cleaning my blackened feet as I tore my blister open, smiling at the visceral Galapagan pain. We are all happy and safe at the Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World).

-by Michael

Thursday August 9, 2018

We all woke up excited for our fun day ahead. We ate a breakfast of Ecuadorian pancakes and fresh fruit, then headed off to the local elementary and middle school where we painted their basketball court and seating areas. It was really fun work, and everyone enjoyed meeting and practicing Spanish with the children who have lived and grown up on Isabela. Following our work we went back to Hostal Sandrita where we had a delicious lunch. Then we had some relaxing siestas before heading to the beach. Everyone went together to the tidal lava rocks and watched the waves crash into them.

Then we split up and did a range of activities such as taking pictures, swimming with sea lions in the ocean, relaxing in the sand, and eating snacks from local cafes. After our eventful afternoon, we went back to the hostel for dinner, chilling, conversations, and packing in preparation for our travel to Santa Cruz the next day.

-by Carly R.

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Tuesday July 17, 2018

All students are here and ready for a great time! They’re so excited to snorkel that they’re already wearing their life jackets!

Thursday July 19, 2018

Today we started out our morning by going to volunteer at the tortoise sanctuary by restoring their habitat. During this time we removed stumps and boulders from the ground, and afterward we drank fresh squeezed orange juice from trees on the property. We then played a game of soccer as a group. In the afternoon we headed to the beach where we snorkeled in the lagoon and kayaked out to open water. We saw many animals such as sea turtles, stingrays, penguins, and sea lions. I like the animals. We then went back to the hostel for dinner. Finally, we prepared for the next day and then walked down to the beach!

-Julian and Audrey

Friday July 20, 2018

Our 5th day was filled with adventure and excitement! We started our day off right with some tasty Ecuadorian pancakes, which fueled our morning at the local school. There, we sanded and painted the walls (blue) and shares games and giggles with the students. This was all followed by a really long and really gorgeous hike. We walked along the shore until we came across cactus covered trails that led to mangrove lagoons where we all almost sank into the sand and lava tunnels of molten rock. After the tiring and rewarding day we settled down for DELICIOUS icecream before dinner (dessert deserves to be first sometimes).

-Ava and Matt

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Today we woke up early and had a breakfast of fresh fruit, eggs, and juice before heading out to our final day of service. We took a bus to one of the greenhouses in Galapagos National Park where we learned about Scalecia trees (the trees we’ve been planting here in Galapagos). In the greenhouse we split into groups and some of us helped to clean the soil around the baby trees, some of us filled new trays to in which to plant seeds, and others helped arrange the trays we filled in other parts of the greenhouse. For lunch we took the bus to El Chato 2 to drink organic Galata coffee and eat a big lunch at a long table together as a group. Then we walked with our guides around El Chato 2 through two lava tunnels and to a big mud pit where many tortoises were relaxing. After the hike we jumped on the bus and drove to los Gimelos (the twins). We hiked with our guides around the two huge sinkholes and screamed over the edge so we could hear the echos! After the hike we headed back to our hostel for a quick break before walking through town to find icecream and buy some snacks for our boat ride tomorrow. Finally, we had a big spaghetti dinner and reflected on the day before heading to bed. It was a good day.

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Saturday June 30, 2018

Good morning from Quito! All students have arrived and we are en route to the Galapagos!

Sunday July 1, 2018

Today, we walked on the beach, and it was so pretty! We found many crabs and iguanas. After that, we hiked to an inlet called El Estero. There, we saw Blue-footed Boobies and a sea lion who was so adorable!
We hiked back to the hostel and got ice cream along the way.

After lunch, we had our first service day at a tortoise preserve! We finished our service with a soccer game before returning to the hostel for dinner and our nightly activity.

-By Mariana & Matthew

Monday July 2, 2018

Hello families! Blogs have been delayed due to internet connectivity on Isabella Island, but we’re catching up on last week’s recaps!

Monday we started by going to the beach where we split up and snorkeled and kayaked. While snorkeling we saw multiple sea lions, sea turtles, sharks, and different types of fish. While kayaking we encountered numerous waves as well as a few penguins! On land there were many sea lions and one even climbed up on our bags and pushed them over! We had ice cream on the beach before heading back to homebase for lunch. After lunch, we headed to Campo Duro, where we continued yesterday’s work of removing rocks and roots in the tortoise habitat. After sweating a lot we had some yellow oranges and passion fruit. Before heading to base we played a quick game of soccer where our guide, Fernando, scores a “3 point goal”. At homebase we had dinner and finished sharing our stories before going to bed.

-by Vishal and Abby

Wednesday July 4, 2018

We started off the day painting the basketball court for a local elementary school. It was so satisfying to see the big grins on the kids’ faces! After painting we headed to the tortoise breeding center where we saw some adorable baby tortoises and learned a lot of cool facts about them. We then had group bonding time and headed over to the beach, where we ate empanadas, ceviche, and ice cream. Some of us went for a swim and picked up the litter that we found in the ocean. Others played soccer on the beach with some local kids. It was a great last day in Isabella Island!

-by Zara and Asher

Thursday July 5, 2018

Today we woke up early to prepare for our day of travel. We took a boat from Isabella island to Santa Cruz island which took about two hours. The boat ride was wet and wild. After arriving in Santa Cruz, we quickly unloaded at our new hostal, Arena Negra. For lunch, we ate a yummy bowl of ceviche and rice.

At our service site, we cleared boulders/rocks and planted trees to combat the invasive species. We were surrounded by 20 – 30 tortoises the whole time which was super amazing to experience. After volunteering, we ate some cheese empanadas as a snack and came home to some chicken and rice for dinner. Our evening activities included getting ice cream in Puerto Ayora as well as looking at a TON of sharks and sea lions that we could see right off the dock. We are very excited to continue exploring the islands. We love the Galapagos!

-by Jason and Erin

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Wednesday June 13, 2018 

Arrived at the airport yesterday and waited for all students to arrive. Got back to hostel after midnight and received our roommate assignments. We went right to bed. Today we had orientation and an activity overlooking the Andes mountains after breakfast. Now we’re getting ready to explore the Old Town of Quito after lunch!

Thursday June 14, 2018 

Yesterday we took an excursion to Quito! We traveled to the statue of the moon and the statue of the sun. We also visited the largest church in Quito, and even went inside a church with gold, decorative walls. We also learned about how chocolate is made in Ecuador. After we toured through the city, we went shopping at the supermarket where we bought snacks for the plane trip. As a group, we are already close knit and we are also excited for the remainder of the trip!

-By Ava & Yobany

Saturday June 16, 2018

Today we woke up and ate a fresh breakfast. We already had our bags packed from the night before because we needed to take an early morning boat from Isabella island to Santa Cruz island. It was a 2 hour boat ride and a lot of people slept. Some people sat in the back and  got completely soaked by the waves!

We arrived and took a bus to our next home base where we settled in and ate a delicious lunch of ceviche , soup, and rice.  After lunch we took another bus to our second service site (which was a tortoise ranch!) We got to plant endemic trees called escalacia trees. We learned tnat there are 15 types of these trees and they are only found in the Galapagos! We worked really hard and planted 200 trees and then surrounded the trees with big lava rocks so the tortoises wouldn’t walk on them and break the stems. It started to rain, but we kept working in the mud!

We worked so hard that the directors let us make a stop at a local store to buy snacks before we walked back to the home base for a nice dinner. (Soup, chicken, rice, and veggies along with fresh juice). At the end of the night we did an activity called “celebration circle” and it brought the whole group even closer together. It was a long, but very great day!

Thursday June 21, 2018

Today we woke up at 6:45, ate breakfast, and took the bus to the national park greenhouse for service. We worked until 12 and then went to the tortoise ranch. The food was muy bueno! We then walked around a bunch of lava tunnels. We then went to some sinkholes called los himelos on the island. Very cool! We then went shopping, ate dinner, and went down to the harbor to look for sharks. Very eventful day here at Galapagos!

Sunday June 24, 2018

For our last day in Ecuador we started out by visiting the equator – the actual line! There, we learned about indigenous cultures of Ecuador, about the process of making chocolate, and all about the equator. We even got to take turns trying to balance an egg on the head of a nail. Those who could do it received an “eggmaster” certificate.

We then got to take a salsa class! When we had worked up an appetite from dancing, we got lunch at a crepe and waffle restaurant and we treated to ice cream.

Lastly, we went to the central market in Quito where we got to shop for blankets, panchos, backpacks, and more!