The Day the Earth Stood Still

Ecuador is a "third world country," a phrase which comes from a French term and means "place where everyone drives crazy in loud, smelly cars." So just as we celebrate the value and importance of our labor by taking the day off on Labor Day, so the Ecuadorians celebrate crazy, loud, smelly transportation by not using any.

Guerra de Cambio

Ecuador converted their currency to the U.S. dollar a decade ago. For Gringos that means no cost to convert currency and no crazy math figuring out how much things cost. It also means no pretty money like all the rest of the world has (the U.S. has the plainest money eveeeerrrr). And you know in grade school when we learned about currency and how the U.S. printed money and burned the stuff that was too old and ratty to use? Lies.

The Wu of Dunc

I had mentioned before, I think, that Duncan is at an age at which life simply is. On top of that as well, Duncan is naturally very Pooh Bear, for all you pop Taoists.

Adapting

The kids are having some tough times with the move, as we expected. They don't have any friends. They can't communicate with local kids (or anyone else, for that matter). They don't have the schedule they're used to. And the country is just not up to their standards of cleanliness and decorum, it seems.

Now We're Travelin'

We got a call this morning from the son of the owner of the apart/hotel we're staying at right now. He also owns the guide and outfitting business next door. He was going climbing with his kids and we had told him earlier we'd love to meet up with him sometime for that. (Piper is an eager and able climber.)

OK, really, the first days

So yeah, it’s a little weird not really having anything to do. We don’t have to get all the sights in before vacation’s over. So here’s some stuff from our first couple of days wandering aimlessly around...err, around aimlessly.