We arrived in Quito yesterday evening from Cuenca and Eugenio, the director of the Instituto Superior de Espanol met Cameron and me at the airport and took us to our host family, living near the University in a house like a fortress with 3 locked doors.  There are 3 generations living there and they are friendly and try to engage in conversation.  Cameron did well, but I have much to learn! Supper usually is very light ' a fritatta and potatoes and white bread. We each have a bedroom with very comfortable beds, but the water for the shower is barely tepid - it´s like camping so it´s OK.

After breakfast of - you guessed it - white bread, jam and nescafe and our ears filled with warmings from Eugenio and our family to keep our bags close to our bodies and talk to no one., Teresita, the grandmother of the family, walked us through streets smoky with bus and car fumes to the Instituto. We had 4 hours of intensive Spanish lessons this morning.  Then walked to the Magic Bean Restaurant owned by former members of our church in Westport, CT - imagine!  It caters to Americans and we filled up on greens and vegetables, which we were craving.  Took the trolley to the best museum in the country, Museo de Banco Central, and though it was posted as open until 5 pm, at 4 pm the doors were closed.  Time is kept differently here.  We did see a retropsective of  an Ecuadorean artist who was inspired by Dali, Brancusi, and other moderns.

We are 9500 feet high see and see the volcano from the city!  My ears are clogged from the altitude.