Mary, looking over Quito
A Mason all-seeing eye in a church
November 14, 2009
Location: Pasada del Maple, Quito
Weather: Sunny! Dry!
Yesterday was relateable to Dante's journey through Hell, just not as educational or as life-changing--just miserable.
Two hours down the Tiputini river, an hour of driving in a chiva, then another several hours on the Napo River. Playing with Spider monkeys in Coca was a nice diversion before our hellish airport ordeal.
One would think that in the Oriente, the most human, scalding part of the country, they would worship air conditioners. No, the airport is au naturale in the elements.
Not much else is worth noting except the incredible stench, fury, and impatience of our group. We all have ups and downs in our group dynamic and this is definitely a down!
Well, I lie. On the return trip on the Tiputini River, we spotted a pink river dolphin. Not much of it, mind you, mostly the lumped head and the cresting back. They are considered magical by the natives of Amazonia and also an aphrodisiac. They aren't very attractive creatures, other than their unusual pink color. Lumpy heads, misshapen bodies, but pale pink and completely unusual in the murky water of the tributary.
We flew into Quito at sunset. Cool, dry air never felt so heavenly. I love Quito. I have ever since I flew into it in 2007 and had my first taste of Ecuador. It's a lovely, lovely city.
Pasada del Maple is a lovely, twisting building, filled to the brim with bright colors and loads of character. It reminds me of the House of the Spirits because I haven't quite figured out the layout yet. It's got passages and hallways that go every which way.
The first thing I did after throwing my filthy clothes in a garbage bag (revolting--positively revolting--and as damp as if I'd just pulled them from the wash), was to jump into the hot, hot shower and dry myself completely for the first time in a week.
Having no clothes but a single pair of underware salvaged from my Amazonian wreckage, and a slightly sweat-stained bra until the boys returned with the extra clothes we'd left here in Quito, I was eager to get the wash done. But then... clean clothes! Perfume! Make up! Being CLEAN! It never did feel so wonderful. I can live with out it, but I prefer personal hygiene.
Dinner was free time to spend however we wanted to. Nine or ten of us found an Italian restaurant two blocks from the hostel. Seven full-sized pizzas later, at 10 PM, we returned to snuggle in our clean, dry beds.
After all this time, none of us have an qualms about lack of clothing around each other. We've all been so filthy and so awkward already, it's nothing. Someone accidentally walked in on me in the shower and the boys have no qualms about walking around in their boxers in our shared bathroom area. No one cares. Therefore, everyone sleeps in their underwear until our clothes are done by the hotel.
This morning, we toured Quito, overlooked the city from its guardian angel, Santa Maria. A church we visited was covered in 110 lbs. of leaf gold. It was magnificently revolting in its grandeur. The next church held hints of its Mason past. Although the Free Masons weren't permitted to meet at all, they used prayer to disguise their meetings. Triangles and all-seeing eyes decorate the Gothic edifice, despite Catholicism's push to eliminate the secret society. The city is so striking. The Spanish influence in the older blocks is absolutely beautiful. We didn't get to go up the Teleferico like I did last time I was here but we had a stunning day to explore the Presidential Palace and the surrounding areas.
Lunch was also free. Shannon, Jenny, Natalie, Kyle, and I went for sushi (my first time) and stocked up on supplies (namely gum and Nutella!).
This present moment finds me back at the Maple, journaling my way through Dr. Martin's final literature class on Wolves' Dream. Quito is dark at 6:30 (now) and my brain is quite finished with existentialism and the reality of truth. I'm a terrible English major. The cool thing about this "class" is that Abdon Ubidia, the author of the book is here discussing it with us. Unfortunately, it's in Spanish and I understand only a fraction of it.
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