Fallen in Love

I am head over heels in love with Cartagena. Even if the beaches are not great, although after the weekend they seemed to have cleaned up a bit. The weather has been fabulous, avocados huge, Colombians great, my Cotopaxi peeps great travel companions and now have moved to outskirts of beautiful walled city. Lovely and colonial inside, bright coloured buildings (more pictures to come). Really having a lovely relaxing time in a beautiful place with even better people.
PS- the pictures are posting funny and will fix once at computer, driving me crazy.

We also broke into the Kerr's swanky hotel, but eventually got found out and got our marching papers.  Not before a swim in the much cleaner beach and dream pools.

Cartagena Beaches

Yep, a few days in and I can say they are fairly horrible. I am so thankful for my pool. It is not just the ridiculous amount of people and tents everywhere reminding me of Glastonbury festival but the treatment of the waters is horrendous. It seems normal to throw your plastic, Styrofoam and well anything else into the sea. I know it has lots to do with education or well lack of about the damages to the world but still it is hard to watch.
Besides the beach, loving the city, and having a great relaxing time with some of my Ecua family.

Cartagena, Colombia

The next and last stop on my little Colombian vacation is the beach city of Cartagena. The old walled city is beautiful, well I am basing this on my night time viewing of it and reputation, I will explore in the day later in this trip. The lights are amazing, I tried to capture some pictures but none do them justice. Cartagena beach side is just a city on the beach, horrible sky scrapers ruining it, well in my humble opinion. But it is baking hot, I got a pool and the sea so I am
not complaining.

Yesterday, was obviously Christmas Day but more importantly six months till my wedding! I had a rocky morning of feeling a bit sad but a couple glasses of bubbles in the afternoon with friends lifted my spirits dramatically!

Guatape, Colombia

Today we left the city and headed for the countryside and a town called Guaptape. What a beautiful day with stunning views and amazing lakes and countryside. The lakes reminded me so much of cottage country in Canada, the surrounding towns of towns in Europe. Have really enjoyed my time here, the city is amazing and country side even better. Now I am off to the beach!

Real City Tours, Medellin

I love this city! Cannot believe I am here and just think it is an amazing place (in my short time here). I started off my Medellin adventure by taking a free walking tour today. What a fabulous introduction to a beautiful and extremely interesting city. It is hard to believe, as you walk around the city that not long ago it was the most dangerous city in the world. It is quite amazing really and gives hope to all cities that have violent crime that it can change.
Our tour guide today was amazing, I know so much more about Colombia and its history and what led it to being such a violent place (starting long before drug cartels). The people here are the friendliest and most beautiful I have ever seen in a city. People kept welcoming us to their city, thankful that tourism is helping their economy and reputation.
Of course the city is far from perfect, poverty is still evident as is the sex trade with women and children. We walked by a church today with many ladies standing in telephone booths beside it. Apparently their pimps will walk the man asking and 'his' girl to a neighbouring motel. He will then come back to the church, go in, ask for forgiveness and start all over. Blinking crazy and definitely these things need to change.
A tour well worth taking if you come here, was definitely worth my little sun burn and few blisters.

The last picture was of a sculpture that was blown up in the nineties during a concert killing 22 people. They have left it there as a reminder of the past, so people do not forget. Beside it they have made a replica sculpture to also help people see that now it is all about looking towards the future. (the picture was lost when I lost most of them)

My Real Christmas

Last night was my real Christmas celebration as with my two L's. I made a Christmas tree and left some little treats under it for when I am away. A lovely night, with Christmas dinner of sushi, bubbles and Christmas carols (listening not singing).
Now I intend to escape Christmas and explore a new place. I love the holidays but also find them so emotional. Yesterday a carol in the supermarket had me in floods of tears. I love and miss my family all the time, but at this time of year even more. And I think every year it gets worse, something about growing up you realise how important these things are.
But upwards and onwards, I know I am lucky and I make my choices.

I am pretty proud of my makeshift Christmas tree :) I need a roaring fire and would be even more perfect.
As a side note Luis hates the picture of him and Lola, and will not be thrilled I put it up, but quite frankly I think he looks fairly handsome and still my blog!
We had a lovely Christmas celebration and I cannot wait for next year where he will not be working and we can have a real Christmas!

Finally, a Break

I have probably said it before but here I go again.  I will never ever work at a school again without a break before Christmas.  It is way too long, by the end everyone is drained, kids, teachers all the support staff.  I always want to take a photo at the beginning of the school year and then Christmas to show the difference and here is especially long.   But we made it, and now, thankfully two weeks of no school!  Today was a nice day, saying goodbye to some for two weeks and others well most likely forever.  Now starts a few relaxing days before heading off on a mini adventure in Colombia!

 I hosted a middle school lunch for the teachers to say a job well done.

 Some yummy treats brought in.

A sad goodbye to one of my best pupils, Jiwon.  Boy did this girl keep me on my toes, one of the brightest kids I have ever taught.  She will definitely be missed next term.

Festive Weekend Fun

What a fabulous weekend!  Not only two great Christmas parties, but for the first time since we have been together Luis he had the entire weekend off!  It is this first weekend in Quito this has ever happened, I have proven to all the people who have not met him yet that he is not a myth.
Friday night, Jessica had a Holiday cocktail party, a great night.  Saturday was the Cotopaxi Christmas party, again this year it was fantastic (even if they did not feed us vegetarians!).  A long weekend, which has made for an exhausting Monday and the count down till Friday even more exciting!

What a weekend!

PJ Christmas Wine Night

There are very few things that I have done in my life that I am really really proud of.  I often suffer from guilt from not doing enough good in the world. And I promise myself all the time to do more.  But there is one thing that I am tremendously proud of, and I know it is not saving lives, or solving any world issues but all the same I think in some small way it matters.  As bringing people together, creating relationships and friendships is important and does mean something.     
Last night was not only the Quito Ladies wine club Christmas party but also the Basel one.  I was so thrilled the ladies thought of me and sent me pictures and so happy it is still thriving in Basel.  I know I have nothing to do with it continuing after I left, but so glad it is.

 Basel's Christmas dinner, I did not even have to ask where it was.  I would know this beautiful set up anywhere, it could only be Eva's work.

 Borrowed Lola's Christmas hat

 Shannon always in style, even for PJ night

 How about this for presentation?

 Beautiful hostesses

 Cuddles

Missing a few faces in this picture, but almost the entire Ladies Wine Club.  Love these ladies!

Cross Cultural

I have this colleague who pretty much begs me every time I see her to re-think my marriage.  Nothing to do with Luis, in fact I do not think she has even met him.  She is from Ecuador and her husband is British and she just thinks marriage is hard enough without the different cultures.  I must say it is getting a bit tiring as it is happening and she should be slightly more supportive. But I do get her point, I do think relationships between different cultures can be very hard and sometimes end in disaster, but lets be honest at least half of relationships do anyways.  Either way we do pretty well, I have a few cultures balancing me out and his amazing English and close family ties definitely helps.  But of course we do have our moments where we misunderstand each other or get our wires crossed.  And it was so funny as I just bumped into said lady yesterday with her same mantra and then last night we had a funny little misunderstanding.
Luis cooked dinner and was making pesto pasta with veggies and shrimp, before deciding on that I threw in maybe teriyaki instead as we also had Asian noodles. When I came down for dinner, he had made pesto/teriyaki veggie shrimp pasta, as he understood that was what I wanted from our conversation.  A different combination for sure, but was still yummy and really Japanese food and Italian food is delicious so why not combine the two!

Look how much we polished off!!!

Griswold Christmas

The first Christmas party of the year was on Saturday night, a themed Christmas Vacation Griswold Christmas (if you have not seen the movie please do).  I am a big fancy dress party person so was a little disappointed in myself for not putting to much effort in my costume (having gotten back late from Otavalo) but was thrilled to see how many people did.

 One of the best combination costumes, from one of the last scenes of the film.

 A great dance party ended the night.  They really did a great job.

This was a picture I stole from Kristi from one of our hikes, I love it!

La Luna, Fuya Fuya

This weekend marked my second year of Quito Days and once again I escaped from the city and the celebrations.  To be fair the celebrations are apparently not what they use to be.  It use to be a weekend of street parties, food stalls and major events.  But ever since they banned the bull fight (which I think may have kicked off the celebrations) the city has calmed down.  There are still events but from what I gather just not the same and as it is loads of fireworks (and I despise them)  I like to escape.  The school shut down half day on Friday in honour of the weekend so a few of us ladies headed to La Luna, Otavalo.  We arrived, had a mini hike, some dinner and really were all asleep by half eight.  I think exhausted from what seemed a particularly long week.  Sunday we climbed up Fuya Fuya, a hike that I have done a couple other times and then did a little market shopping before returning to Quito.

My second time at La Luna I was slightly less impressed.  I think it is a pretty spot, and it definitely is cheap ($15 including breakfast), but it is also completely over rated to me.  I think that might because I keep hearing how fabulous it is so I keep bigging it up.  Also maybe because it is fairly cold and the rooms are cold too.  However, it is a short drive to the mountain hike and has some beautiful hikes around it.  Half of our party stayed for a second night (I think this is too much) and the other half raced back to the Griswald Christmas party.