ECUADOR - My June/July 2003 Trip Journal -- by Donna R. Carter
Page Fifteen
~^~ Brunch with Phil & Debbie and Moving to the Ozakis ~^~ Friday ~^~ July 11, 2003
I checked out of my room in the guest house in the morning, so they could clean it for the tour group that was coming on Saturday, but I stayed around all day anyway.
I got up early and ate a bowl of my low-carb cereal (mostly because I didn't want to take the box back with me when I went back to the States... I needed all the room I could get - I was already over-full and needed to buy something else to put stuff in.
Phil and Debbie Douce came by and picked me up and we went to a little Swiss restaurant for brunch. Debbie and I ordered a yogurt buffet and added fruit and nuts and such to these bowls of yogurt they brought. (I don't remember what Phil ordered).
We had a great time talking and catching up a bit - although you can't catch up 15-20 years in just over an hour. Still, it was great to talk with them and spend time with them.
Debbie cracked me up telling me their story about the rat in the sewer... nobody in the house wanted to use the bathroom because someone had seen a rat go down the toilet. Tell you what, it gave me pause! I check first before I sit, that's for sure.
Phil and Debbie dropped me back at the guest house and just as I was turning around, I turned to the gate and saw Mark and Laurie Nelson. Now, I can't explain why it didn't occur to me immediately to be surprised. I knew Mark and Laurie from Texas... not from Ecuador. I had no idea that they were planning to be in Ecuador this summer. But it seemed the most natural thing to see them there.
We talked and they told me they were living in Shell for the summer and we made plans to get together when I was scheduled to be there near the end of my trip.
I walked over to Calle Villalengua and looked over some of the bags that the vendor at the gate there had. I bought a tapestry duffel bag with faja strap handles to pack some of my extra stuff in, and I went back to the Guest house, and packed up some of the things that weren't in a bag.
Adriana came by and I had my Spanish lessons until Michio came and picked me up to go to his house. I took Adriana's picture before I left. It was great to spend time with her - both getting to know where my struggles were with my Spanish as well as getting to know her and having fun together.
Michio & Anne-Marie have a beautiful three-section house in Carretas, overlooking Cayambe. They gave me a beautiful room in the upstairs house with a porch, a private bath and an office area. I took my things upstairs and settled in a bit before I went back down to the lower house where they lived. Esther (not my cousin, another Esther) was there for supper at their house and we had a nice time. Great quiche!
It got to be late and Michio drove Esther home. I talked with Anne-Marie a bit and then went up to my room. It was lovely to sleep looking out over the valley. I used to live on the hill overlooking the same valley, only a mile or so further down the Panamericano Norte from where they lived. It was very melancholic, but beautiful, to be staying so close to my old home.
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