More Food and Beach

It has been great to eat and feel so well, maybe it is being at sea level or maybe the food, either way it is wonderful to feel 100 percent again (getting better in Quito but not quite there yet).  And not just any food, spoiled by family members and world class restaurants.

 Sunday my cousin Robert and his wife Rosette put on a spread worthy of Madonna.

 Yellow fin tuna, lobster, ham, salad and my own personal veggie scallop potatoes

 Yesterday me and Nats had some delicious food and wine at Tapas.

 But of course you cannot keep me from the beach for too long.

 Had a great day yesterday with family and friends.

 Long time friend Amy, two days in a row, fabulous!

 And would not be the same without the Manning-Thomas family of course.

 Leaving after a full 8 hour day.  Suspect I shall be doing the very same today, cannot think of a better way to close off 2014 (well and the partying and rum tonight!).

A Little Respect

I get so irritated when people do things on holiday that they would never do at home, from safety issues to matters of respect. I understand that you let your guard down on holiday but really think it is important to stop and ask yourself, would I do this back in London, Toronto, or Berlin let alone a place you are new too. There is no doubt that this is certainly paradise but people live, work and have regular lives here, something some (albeit a minority) seem to forget.


I was in the supermarket yesterday when a tourist and her family came in to shop, wearing just bikini bottoms. And just to be clear we are not talking about a small shop on the beach or a corner shop this is a proper big supermarket. Everyone's reaction was pretty funny and she eventually got asked to leave. I mean really, would you ever go to Tesco's, Loblaws or Aldi wearing only your bikini bottoms! So please think when you are on holiday, do not walk alone at night in unfamiliar cities, skinny dip in an unknown sea and location and for heavens sake put some clothes on to shop.

(and no picture out of respect for her!)

Cove Bay, Boxing Day

This is my first year where there has not been a massive thousands of people Boxing Day party at some random, usually isolated location on the island. It also is my favourite event so was very disappointed to learn this. However, I have been told by a highly reliable source that they are in a regrouping faze and the parties will recommence (my cousin Hottie, also possibly the most intelligent man I know, explained the concept of having to regroup using some war analogy that sounded good but I cannot quite remember the details). Luckily, I am not the only person who loves Boxing Day and there was a party formed in beautiful Cove Bay on the East Coast. Not nearly as big as usual, but me, Nats and Ryan made our way there to help keep the Boxing Day Spirit alive.

Not my usual Boxing Day, but nice as a good crowd and caught up with some people I have not seen in ages. Another bonus was that when we returned home I could still string together a sentence to talk to my Godmother who only flew in for last night..

A Cozier Christmas

Very boring to all, but this is my diary, so again I have the best family. I had the best Christmas and you may want to avoid the next few blogs!

I actually think the pictures say it all. And you know what we could be anywhere, freezing cold, desert, whatever and it would still be amazing.

Happy Christmas 2014

A very Merry Christmas to all, I hope all are enjoying a lovely day with their loved ones. I am so thankful to be here with my much loved family and know I am very lucky. But I cannot help also have a bit of a sad and thoughtful moment on Christmas as of course not all are with me today and I desperately miss many around the world and some now of another world. So sending loads of kisses and hugs to my father in Boston, my beautiful sister Nicola in the UK, Lola in Quito and all my loved ones all over the world.
Now onto the bubbles in preparation for this afternoon. Big love to all, Happy Christmas xoxo

Christmas Eve Eve

Just for a change I thought I would spend the day at the beach, another beautiful day made even more lovely by the company.

Great day with the girls and Nadia and her wonderful family.

Barbastic

Natalie pointed out today that my blog has been lagging in posts over the last few months. Quite honestly, I have been fairly sick several times and just did not feel up to it. Well now, like always in BIM, I shall be annoyingly over posting :)

Ending the day with the most amazing meal I have had in at least a year at Tapas (a restaurant on the sea) with Craig (cousin) and his amazing girlfriend Danielle.

Bimtastic!

After three different flights, lay overs, and delays, I finally made it to the place I love most in the world. Every time I arrive I feel so lucky to have such fabulous family and friends. This trip is going to be over far too fast, already planning my return.
  

 Had a great first night and now getting ready to head to the beach on what is a beautiful day.

Done for 2014

First, I start by acknowledging I have no sympathy from most (not all) non teachers (which is because they haven't walked a few days in a teachers shoes) but I thought no October break and one week less for Christmas was not going to be a big deal, but I was very wrong. This last two weeks have been hard work, tired, a little sick, and very ready to go, and not just the teachers the kiddies too. So finally today at noon the break began!!! I not sure I have ever been so excited to get on a plane!

I must admit though, it has been lovely having loads of sunny, warm December days. The last couple days have been really nice with the kids, spending loads of time outside.

Chinese Christmas

Last night I had a Chinese Christmas dinner with my fabulous neighbours (when I say Christmas dinner, I mean our last meal together before the holidays). We even had a chef that was recently trained in the art of cooking the cuisine in Shanghai (a more accurate description might be that Luis spent one day in a kitchen while in China). Either way it was blinking brilliant, Chinese is usually the food I would choose last and it was delicious.

Love my neighbours and look forward to many more meals next year (Jodi, your yummy Thai please).

Best Staff Party Ever

Hands down, the best staff Christmas party (in fact any occasion party) I have ever been too. I will tell you this a place that knows how to have a good time. Fabulous meal, great staff talent show and the dancing and music was fantastic. It was great that all staff were there, teachers, admin, guards, cooks, it really was properly amazing.

Pre- party

The ladies

The ladies and Jimmy

J&D who stole the show

And then the dancing, I love the Latin vibe. Properly a night to remember.

Christmas Wine Cocktails

Last night was the Quito Ladies wine club's Christmas party and also what felt like the kick off of the Christmas season to me. It is odd that it is Christmas time, the last decade plus, I have been use to dark, cold December days that mean Christmas is approaching. Not this year, same bright mornings and warm days as September (this by the way is not a complaint!).
It was, of course, a great night, and start to Christmas..

Thanks Kristi and Desiree :) By the way, the black and white are not meant to be 'artistic shots' my phone has seemed to stop taking in colour (these photos are clearly not here as they are some un recovered ones)!

Images of Montanita

A great day, great friends at a great beach.

Perfect Day

Montanita, Ecuador

Yo amor la playa! Really I should live on the beach, love the sea, sand and surf, love it. We have another long weekend and a few of us chose to go to the coast. After being warned that this was an extremely busy, crazy party place (which I always thought was a good thing anyways) we arrived to fabulous, totally not what I expected Montanita.

Great to be here, working on my base tan for upcoming Christmas holidays!

Casino Day

Not an ordinary casino day, a safe, you can only win or lose flamingo money and hopefully learn the evils of casino's. I love doing this activity and seeing how creative the kids are and how excited they get about being in Maths class! And the grade 9's did not disappoint this morning, they made fantastic games and the seniors came and had a great time playing them all.

A real successful casino!  I did tell them that even though casino's are evil, that possibly all should go to Vegas for either a big birthday or stag(ette), I love that by big birthday they thought I meant their 16th! Yep, I am getting old!

Final Thanks Day

This Thanksgiving thing has lasted quite a long time, with the final Cotopaxi peeps celebration yesterday. Another day with far too much food and far too much American football (I just do not understand the game at all). We could not have asked for a more beautiful day, really and truly glorious.

A big huge dinner, really an amazing amount of food. Time to begin a week of minimal food intake after this weekend!