Dec 31: Nochevieja

aliceesor
Biking in the mountains with Miho, our sacrificial son.

It was a beautiful route in the mountains, and we JUUUUST missed seeing a matching band in a town where we stopped for a chocolate break. If I’d been in charge of the program, we would have dragged out that chocolate break until the band was ready to play. But no dice. We’re on a schedule, and had more kms to cover.

We stopped here to walk up to some pre-inca pyramids. They have flat tops and are grown over with grass and my pictures didn’t show them off well.
Would definitely recommend cycling in this area.
Javier was particularly attentive to Miho and was on hand to retape him onto the bike when he tried to make a getaway.
For lunch I tried soup with lamb blood, which turned out to include not just blood but also all the edible(ish) organs you can think of, and potatoes. Thank goodness for the potatoes.
We did all enjoy the toasted corn with pork skin. An excellent appetizer/snack

After checking into the Sheraton Hotel (crikey!), Jeannie and I set off on a search for food/live music/beer in Quito. Which turned out to be quite frustrating. We arrived to each potentially fun place just as they were closing. We saw the mess and disarray from a street festival that must have happened all afternoon. And apparently all the brewpubs in Quito close at around 7 on new years eve. Say what?!? After that, we couldn’t even find an open restaurant. Eventually we found a bar down the street from our hotel that was open… but full… and having been turned away once, we lingered on the doorstep looking desperate and hungry and were -hallelujah!- finally let in. There was a rock cover band, friendly patons, and they served a huge supper as well as enough booze to make me wobbly on a set menu… and then we burned Miho in the street and watched the fireworks.

There’s also a tradition to run in the street with a suitcase at midnight, if you want to go travelling in the coming year.
Buenos anos, chicos!

F

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