Hola everyone! Thanks for the comments!! Let's see where did we left off? Ahh Banos! We are still thinking what a good time we had there!
At first we were thinking to leave Quito and go somewhere else, but as many of you know Ainius got a job offer in Tokyo (which he accepted, in case you are wondering :)), so there is some paperwork we have to complete and send to Japan, therefore we are staying for another week till Friday afternoon and then we're thinking to go to Otovalo, the most famous indigenous market in the country and travel north for a week.
Tuesdays and Thursdays we are learning how to dance salsa!!! It's really fun, but most of us are pretty bad compared to the teacher... However, we are learning some pretty sweet moves! Maybe we'll get a video next week... (key word - maybe :)).
Wednesday was a really fun day. In the evening we learned how to make Ecuadorian ceviche! Ceviche in Ecuador is very different from Peruvian ceviche which is more known outside South America. Peruvian ceviche is usually with fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices while ceviche (at least shrimp ceviche) in Ecuador is made with ingredients that I would never put in one plate. But here it goes: toast big kernel corn (I've never seen it in the states) in oil (just like Ainius is doing in the video! :)), make regular popcorn, cut tomatoes, mild red onions, peel shrimp, squeeze lime and orange juice, get some beer. Cook peeled shrimp with beer for 2 minutes, reserve liquid, pour lime juice on the shrimp. Meanwhile mix cut tomatoes with onions, pepper, salt, cilantro, lime and orange juice. Finally, liquify some of the tomatoes, add their juice along with shrimp, shrimp cooking liquid, some mustard, ketchup, a little bit more beer. Serve in a bowl with toasted big kernel corn and popcorn. I have to say, it's not bad, it's actually pretty good, but very unexpected!



After cooking class we went to watch Jacchigua, which is indigenous ballet/theater. We loved the music (which was live!) and the dancing was really cool. It was truly a treat for the eyes and the ears! (You can check them out here: http://www.jacchiguaesecuador.com/eng_principal.htm and here's one video of the ballet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohwVy_5uc4s )
Yesterday (after salsa!) we went on "a city tour at night" with the school, just because it's safer in a group at night. It was really nice! We had some nice conversations with some truly interesting people and saw some very pretty sights of Quito.



So far, I'm absolutely in love with the pace and lifestyle here! It's just so human, things are not rushed, not many rules, people are chill. I totally see myself spending more time here, Japan seems kind of out of the context, but hey we're up for it!

Sveikuciai dar karta! Labas aciu uz jusu komentarus. Lauksime nauju! Paskutiniame musu dienorascio lape raseme apie Banos miesteli. Iki siolei ji prisimename su ilgesiu...
Mes pradzioje planavome pasimokyti ispanu k. dvi su puse savaites ir tada dumti kur nors kitur. Taciau planus teko siek tiek pakoreguoti. Visu pirma, musu ispanu k. gana varginga. Dar viena savaite tikrai nepakenks nors jau galime islementi kelius padoresnius sakinukus. Kita priezastis - netiketai atsiradusi galimybe pagyventi ir padirbeti Tokijuje (Japonijoje). Taciau japonai paprase visokiu dokumentu, sveikatos liudijimu ir tt ir pan. Zodziu, reikia viska susitvarkyti, kol esame sostineje, nes dziunglese rysio nebus. Taigi iki kito penktadienio sedesime Quito, o po to zadame pasauti iki Otovalo, vieno is zymiausiu indenu turgaus salyje.
Kiekviena antradieni ir ketvirtadieni mokykloje vyksta salsos sokiu pamokos. Nors musu sugebejimai dar gana kuklus, taciau jau pramokome keleta krutesniu zingsneliu ir apsisukimu. Be to praeita treciadieni mokemes ekvadoriskos virtuves paslapciu. Gaminome ceviche, tradicini ekvadorietiska ir peruviestiska patiekala. Is esmes, ceviche paprastai asocijuojama su Peru, taciau ekvadorieciai irgi turi savo patiekalo varianta. Neversiu viso recepto, tik paminesiu, jog kai kuriuos ingredientus: zuvis arba krevetes, alus, svogunai, pomidorai, pomidoru padazas, garstyciu padazas, keliu rusiu kukuruzai ir dar dievai zino kas. Kai ka pakepi, kai ka paverdi, kai ka pabarstai ant virsaus, sumaisai ir gaunasi toks idomus marmalas. Man visai patiko, o Juratei - pusiau su beda. Peruvietiskas ceviche variantas paprastesnis ir bent jau Jurates nuomone - skanesnis.
Uzkirte ceviche's, vakare nuvareme pasizmoneti i nacionalini teatra. Tenai vyko koncertas-baletas, kuriame pristatoma ekvadorietiska kultura, muzika, sokiai bei istorija. Sio "sou" rezisierius (Rafael Camino) yra labai zinomas vaikis tiek salyje, tiek ir uz jos ribu. Jis laikomas tradiciniu ekvadorietisko sokiu ir baleto tevu. Daugiau info, galite atrasite angliskoje dalyje prikabintu adresu.
Vakar patrype salsa, vakare vaziavome i naktini miesto tura. Aisku, Jurate fotografavo kaip paselus. Be to autobuse pabendravome su labai idomiu chebrantu is Kanados, kuris yra vienos Kanados indenu genties vadas ir padeda spresti ivairiu saliu vyriausybems su ciabuviais susijusius klausimus.
Praejo jau dvi su puse savaites kaip esame Quito. Pradedame priprasti prie cionykscios tvarkos bei gyvenimo ritmo. Chebra - atsipute, niekur labai neskuba. Mes irgi gryba pjaunam kol galim, nes aiskiai suprantame, jog Tokijuje s... malti neteks.