We now interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you another episode of Teen Talk. I assure you, everything you are about to see is real and unedited. Please do not try this at home…Unless you can fold yourself up like a frog.
One day, Teen cleaned out his chop shop…
Teen: “Mom, I traded that Zebra dirt bike I could never get to run for one that does!”
Mom: “Really? (I was perfectly content with the non-running model) Does the new one go very fast?”
Were the first words we heard from fellow passenger on our flight to Quito, Ecuador -(picture Forrest Gump meets Yosemite Sam). Unfortunately, having to answer “No” to this question opened us up to a complete narrative including statements such as “Lordy, Lordy it’s high up in there” (the high altitude?). Actually, only my husband was treated to the full show (’cause he is too polite), as Teen1, Teen2 and I shrunk into the sanctuary of our devices, picking up only enough one liners from our new friend to be annoying later on.
Starting out the trip under such auspicious beginnings could only mean one thing…of course, a completely memorable travel experience.
Initially the main goal in going to Ecuador was to, duh, stand on the equator(and to go anywhere warm). However, in the very first moments in Quito, we fell in love with the country, its people, its mountains, its cities, and its cheap gas!
QUITO – THE CITY
QUITO – THE PLAZAS
Plaza Grande
Plaza San Francisco
Plaza Santo Domingo
Plaza 24 de Mayo
PEOPLE WATCHING IN QUITO
We sat on the convent steps and rested with this colorful Ecuadorian woman as she sold her fruit. I don’t think we helped her sales.
QUITO – THE REAL EQUATOR
Apparently, the original monument, Mitad del Mundo (“middle of the earth”), is not actually in the middle of the earth, but rather 600 feet away from 00 coordinates – who knew? The French scientists, who calculated the original coordinates, did a pretty good job in the 1700’s given the tools of the time. But like indoor plumbing and shows with zombies, GPS is better.
We tried all the “tricks” at the equator – walking the line with eyes closed (harder than you think) to feel a magnetic pull between hemispheres, balancing the egg on a nail, which is supposed to be easier at 00 (only Teen2 felt the magic), and watching a demonstration of water swirling different directions in the Northern and Southern hemisphere. Truth or trick? I have no idea, but we had fun trying to figure it out!
The Equator Water Myth:
Good thing they did not ask me to say the alphabet backwards, too!
The symbol of the city – Virges del Panecillo
She overlooks the city from atop her hill and can be seen from almost anywhere in Quito.
We were able to ditch Forrest Gump at the airport before he made good on his offer to show us around. But he was right about one thing… Lordy, Lordy, it is high up in there!
Every once is a while, when he has exhausted his home audience, he takes his “act” on the road…or rather, down the street to our local theatre, where he is sure to find a fresh group of listeners (victims?) for his humor.
To celebrate my anniversary, I wanted to share the laughter with Sweet Spot readers in the form of a recent performance of his character, The Hippie.
Gratuitous? probably…Funny? definitely. In fact, I can promise you some laughs. The wig alone, should get you started.
I love to laugh. I don’t believe this could possibly be a secret to anyone. Lets face it, the internet is filled with funny, ridiculous stuff always ready to give a good laugh (or cry). But, every once in a while, I come across those items that make me laugh not once, not twice, but over and over again. I keep track of these little gems for times when a laugh is desperately needed…like, on a daily basis. I refer to them as the gifts that keep on giving.
The other day, my son was having a bad day. Why? Well, because he is a teen and some days are just like that. So I searched out one of my recent favorite gems.
“Hey, Teen, come here and watch this with me.”
“Why, I’ve already seen that one.”
“I know, come anyway.”
A few minutes and several views later, with laughing tears streaming down our faces, life did not seem so bad.
Looking for the Sweet Spot 