Day 1 - Quito

I severely under estimated how much Spanish I actually know. I applaud the locals for just plowing onward at a rapid clip, ignoring my struggle. Ordering lunch was like a scene from Candid Camera.  I asked for the "platos vegetarianos" and the waiter asked me to make decisions. I just shook my head no. A neighbor tapped me and rattled off something in Spanish as he pointed to a woman eating soup. When the waiter returned the neighbor ordered soup for me. It was cute. My meal came with a warm glass that looked like watered down milk and tasted like oatmeal. After an obviously disapproving look on my part, the neighbor again chimed in and some how realized he wanted me to pour the ... "simple honey" into my oatmeal drink. It made it better but I only drank half.

I visited a lot of churches. Walked a lot. Got beaten up by the sun. The sun here is hot. My nephew always teases me about complaining "great ball of fire in the sky being hot" but in Ecuador, the sun is HOT. I was mostly OK when moving but the moment I stopped I felt like a vampire being struck by a sun ray.  In  a cab I thought something was biting my foot but when I looked down I realized it was just the sun. 

Tomorrow morning I meet my group and set out on an adventure.

HIGHLIGHT: Hmmm, tough one. I would have to say La Compania. It was a very unassuming church from the outside but when you walked in EVERYTHING except the floor and pews is gold. I felt like I was inside a Faberge egg. If I was allowed to take photos you'd see that instead of my lunch.