Carla's short stay in the Pasto infant hospital

Well I was suppose to go climbing this 4 day weekend, but 15 minutes before I was to leave school I recieved an email from my sister in law saying that Carla was in the hospital and to phone Pasto. Maria and kids had gone a week ago and were to come back at the end of the long weekend. Carla got some form of E coli...not the serious type we associate with undercooked burgers. Vomit and diahrea and dehydration put her in hosp for 2 nights. At the same time, Ramon got some intenstinal fungus...blastysosis or something like that...really stinking poo...and woofin' his cookies too. So Maria really had her hands full. I unpacked my climbing gear and made it to Pasto in 8 hours at 8pm on Friday. Dashed across the border without getting a stamp in my passport...no one seemed to care. Came back Sunday as we felt it would be better to deal with these issues with their pediatrician here in Ecuador. I'm not impressed as these things are entirely preventable....we need to be much more careful with food and water...with no winter kill...these virus/bacteria grow all year.

On a rosier note...things are really blooming around here as we finally got some long overdue rain. Broccoli, lettuce, swiss chard, cilantro, pototoes, have all sprouted, along with about 20 orchids and and a bunch of long trumpet like flowers which are in some of the above photos. We also have about 4 of 11 banana plants ready to harvest and the avacados keep growing like crazy. Yeah...we're a bit tired of guacamole!

We have decided to stay here for Christmas. Too much hassle travelling with kids and we've spent enuf time in Pasto lately. So we are hoping that Maria's family can make it out here as it's close to Pasto and we have lots of room with the guest house out back. If anything we may head to the coast...about 5 hours away or the Amazon with is closer...only 3 hours.

Hiking Volcan Ilalo and Parque Metropolitana

With Maria and kids in Pasto it was time for big kid fun. Saturday along with a couple of teachers, Sinead and Roy, we made it up the extinct volcano of Ilalo...900m vertical in 2:20. From 2300 to 3200m. Super views of Antisana, Cayambe, Imbaburra, Cotacachi, Pichincha, Atacoa? Corazon, Ilinizas, Pasachoa, Ruminhui, Cotopaxi, Sangolqui? ...Oh so many volconoes to choose from...and right out my back door!
Today we taxied up to the teleferico (gondola) to climb Rucu (Pichincha) above Quito, but it was closed for maintenence. No mention of that on the recording that gave the operation hours!!! grrrr. Since the gondola was expected to open at 9, it was to late to get to another volcano and we opted to hike in the a city park. Great running trails and views down to the valley...turned out to be a great plan B. Got lost on the way out and a lady invited us into her house....made for little Ecuadorians....with Ewan and Sinead nearly banging their heads into the light bulb. After lunch in the "Bohemian" district of Guapulo, we remembered it was Sunday and headed of to the church below and to pay our repects to some Spanish dude in a dress who discovered the Amazon.
That's Cotopaxi in the background of the 1st 2 shots.

Carla walking with walker

Happy 1st birthday Carlita!

Papi Mon and Mafe are going back to Pasto this Friday after a 2 week visit and they are taking Maria and kids with them! They will stay about 10 days in Pasto, which means dad gets to go bag a few volcanoes...I hope. Mafe doesn't want to go home and she has become good friends with Michelle, a neighbor who is also one of my students. She has also been coming to the Spanish and PE classes at our school. Carla's 1st birthday was yesterday October 20th....don't know what happened to the pics though...camera ate them...we do have one with a balloon though. Our neigbour came over with her 10 month old baby Lucia, so Carla had someone to play with! She had tons of energy, (far more than her old man) racing up and down the hall with the walker that Karen gave us. She also does the one legged monkey crawl at an amazing speed. Yes that tree has purple flowers!

Carlita walking...sort of

Papi Mon and Mafe come for a visit

Papi Ramon and Mafe arrived from Pasto yesterday for Maria's 39th birthday. Not without incident however. At the Border, Papi Ramon fell down in a hole he didn't see and cut both hands and bruised his cheek. But what a trooper, after stiches in both hands and an ice pack on the cheek, this 85 year old then carried on for a 5 hour bus ride to Quito! They are here for about 2 weeks, so Ramoncito has a playmate for awhile. Carla is using Karen's walker regulary now and I suspect she'll be walking within a week or two.

The fruit is called Misperos....sweet and sour taste. Stunning painting of Quito.