Quito and Banos

We are beginning our second week in Quito and finally had a chance to walk around a bit more. I have to take back a statement that Quito doesn't feel like a metropolis... We went for a walk to Centro Historico (old part) and climbed all the way to the Basilica tower and finally saw how Quito looks - it's huge! It also has many tall buildings that I didn't see on my previous walk, after all it has 2 million people!



We went to the old town couple of times and it's quite nice, but we are growing quite tired of the big city feel, its pollution and lack of activities that we usually enjoy, such as hiking or walking without chocking on fumes :) I think we might be moving on at the end of this week... We might take one or two more weeks of Spanish in Cuenca which people tell us is much smaller and much nicer than Quito (it's 10 hours south of Quito).
It's also interesting to see how such a big city contains extremes: nice new cars alongside poor indigenous people that have almost nothing. We've been talking a lot about politics and economies with our teacher Anabel and learned a little bit about the inside workings of the country. It seems that they really like their stubborn president even for his lack of diplomacy and flexibility, it seems he is like a breath of fresh air after so many conservative governments that tended to benefit mostly rich people.
This weekend we went on a trip to Banos with other students from the school (organized by the school). We LOVED Banos! It took us about 4 hours to get there on Saturday morning. We went biking right away once we got there... total 4 hours!!!! Let me tell you, it was hard for me to enjoy it in the very beginning, it was drizzling and wasn't very warm. However, it was a very cool ride through the mountains; we visited 4 or 5 waterfalls. During one of our stops we bungee jumped... Ainius convinced me it would be fun... Well I'm not sure if I would call it fun, you go against all self-preservation instinct, plus landing is not as pleasant as it might seem... On the other hand, the rush of adrenalin through the body is like nothing else! I think Ainius would go for it again, me? not so sure :)



The second day in Banos was my dream come true!! I spent 4 and some hours at the spa a bit outside the main city. Katie (I met her at school) and I did 4 procedures. First we walked barefoot on rocks and dewy grass and had to get rid of all the bad thoughts before they started working on our bodies, and what a work that was!!!!! First, we had mud mask all over our bodies, then we went to banos de Cajon, which is pretty much like sauna with herbs and aromatic leaves from the jungle in a little box that looks like a torture chamber :) They gave an ice-cold water shower for 4 times during the sauna - quite extreme! Finally, we got a very nice 1 hour massage that culminated with hot rock massage! Ahhh, really best time ever! You are wondering how much? For all of that, plus unlimited tea and some fruit - 30$!!! Meanwhile, Ainius went rafting for whole 2 hours which he says was very much fun. They not only enjoyed beautiful scenery, but also throwing each other into cold river water :) Who was the most active initiator? Who else if not Ainius!!!!