Ecuador #3: Mitad Del Mundo

One of the things that most people do here in Quito is go to the center of the world (Mitad Del Mundo). We took the hour drive (or so) up there and had an enjoyable time. There is a little touristy trap place with some constructed exhibits of ancient Ecuadorian living and they do some fake tricks like balancing an egg on the equator line. The large French monument is much more impressive and the area surrounding contains some interesting little shops and restaurants. Here are some pics :)

The red line is the supposed center of the world (depending on your GPS)

Balancing an egg... I couldn't do it....... I am unfortunately no egg master :(

0.0.0.

This guy did a fun warrior dance thing for us and then had me join in. I'm basically a professional now.

A volcano crater that was mostly covered with fog. 

The flag of Ecuador :)

So then we moved on to the french monument area and here's a few snaps from that :)

I got the whole world... in my hands :)

FLY HAIR, FLLLLLY. 

Artsy fartsy. 

Ecuador #2: Summer CLO Trips

This Ecuador post is just a compilation of the places I have been able to go with my job at work. Every Friday for a month and a half, we took Embassy kids to really neat places

The Quito Zoo- 
My whole family decided to join me on this trip as my co-worker and I transported 25 or so people to the zoo and back for a day. It was pretty small but just perfect. The exhibits are close together and you're up pretty close to the animals (no US security measures) but the huge Galapagos bred turtles were awesome.

Enthralled with the animals

Just huge man..... huge

This sweet little girl was the beeest. She clung to my shoulders all day :)

Photo creds to my dad. It's like he's staring into my soul. 

The Yaku Water Museum.
 This activity was actually quite boring except for the bubble room but the view outside was incredible, so it just barely makes the list!

So dang pretty

Am-Em Foundation (Horseback riding in the valley)
We went horseback riding down in Tumbaco at a stable that often does therapy for disabled children by allowing them to ride and play with the horses. Gorgeous horses and learned to trot with no hands :)

Lets GO!

Startin'

No hands. 

You know? These kids were pretty cute. :)

Chocolate factory- Ferrero Chocolate Company. 

Unfortunately no pictures were allowed inside so here are the only ones I have. But this factory is the ONLY producer of Tic Tacs in the world. We had to put on all sorts of safety gear and masks to not "infect" the goods. Ate waaaay too much candy that day but it was fun. Factories always fascinate me.

My mom, brother and I. 

Group shot (not like you can tell who is who)

Rock Climbing
I will admit that this was easily the most bratty group of kids out of all the trips. There was just an INCREDIBLE amount of attitude/complaining/cattiness. Sisters were insulting each other and wishing 50 foot falls on one another, others were mocking kids for not making it all the way up the wall, just not great moral in general. So glad it was one of the shorter trips! But I managed to take a turn up the wall. Way more difficult than it looks because it's real rocks. The second wall I did took WAY too long and my arms were dying but the guide spotting me was patient.

That's me :) 

Hacienda la Compania  + Rosadex Rose Farm  (My favorite trip)

Little did I know just how fun this trip would be when I went in to work that morning. This one wasn't a kid trip, it was an adult brunch and the drive was about an hour and a half but we had great participants so the conversation was fun. We got to the Hacienda (a really old Ecuadorian ranch) and it was so beautiful. The furniture was neoclassical french and there were tons of antiques everywhere. They fed us a delicious breakfast (shown below) and then we went to the rose farm. We browsed the packaging plant and they let us take home 2 dozen each! I have the most pics from this because I loved it so much! Everything was just gorgeous.

Fresh fruits, breads, and empanadas- absolutely delicious

Centuries old church on the property of the hacienda

Part of the show room. It was so gorgeous. Thousands of roses.

The logo on a shipment truck and our guide (co-owner of the Hacienda/plantation)

Packaged roses

Compilation :)

On the way back to the Embassy some people wanted to stop and buy coffee scone things :) This is me and my awesome two bosses.... Workin' hard, obviously. 

My "Sunset Delight" roses. Great day!!

So those are my adventures at work. So blessed to have had the opportunity to coordinate and assist with planning all these- and partaking in them!!

Ecuador #1: Quito in a Snapshot

I've decided to do some short travel blogs of my experiences in Ecuador. Essentially I'm just doing this to remember them and show people that I'm a prooooo photographer (not even close). When I get back from Ukraine in March of 2015, anyone is welcome to come visit in Ecuador and partake of the same incredible experiences!

Here is the first post: Quito in a Snapshot
I took a double decker tour bus around Quito the second week I got here and then again about a month later when the rest of my family arrived so here are pictures from both experiences. This city is quite gorgeous.

First stop: El Mercada and Itchibamba Park

Among the vendors of this market I found this adooorable girl dressed in traditional Ecuadorian attire. The lollipop was just too perfect. 

Reminded me of that arch in Paris

Next Stop: Basilica del Voto Nacional

This gorgeous Roman Catholic church is the largest Neo-Gothic church in the Americas. The stained glass inside was incredible and it still holds mass on the weekends. I didn't get to climb the

Basilica from outside. It's pretty massive. 

My favorite picture taken that day.

Every window had some sort of pretty design from a Bible story. 

This picture just can't do this incredible window justice...

Lovely stained glass. This is only one of 20 something. Just decided to spare you all 20 ;) 

Pretty big, right?

Up on second level

Smaller cathedral off the side of the basilica- also gorgeous. Wasn't allowed to take pictures inside, only from doorways. Somehow I feel weird taking pictures in people's places of worship though.....

Next Stop: Centro Historic (Old Town Quito- Street of 7 churches)

Outside each church on the street is a large stone cross- sometimes its called the street of 7 crosses

The courtyard of Centro Historico

This church was incredible. Gold plated walls (no pictures allowed inside, but if you google La Compania you'll see some)

The Next Stop: Panecillo (Angel of Quito)

This is the statue- rather pretty. We didn't go up the hill with the tour bus because we ran out of time, but I will some day.

View of the city from up higher.

Other Pictures of Quito from Other Days: Sometimes the weather just works and you can see gorgeous views of surrounding mountains/volcanoes:

This was our view at night while staying in the Sheraton before getting into our house

Increeedible view from the dentist- Cotopaxi Volcano

Cayambe Volcanoe- One of my favorite photos hence, it gets a big post ;) 

This city is incredible. Come visit me in 2015 :)