Ecuador - June 21, 2023
Father's Day
We had a very special Father's Day here in Quito! Richard had just finished his program the day before, so there was a lot to celebrate. Our first stop was McDonald's as Richard was very hungry for some comfort food after making it to the peak of Chimborazo! This was our first time going to a U.S. chain here in Ecuador and it was fun to see the similarities and the differences. One difference that stood out to us was that outside of the actual restaurant, there was a separate McDonald's dessert stand where you could order ice cream and other treats. Another difference that we noticed was that inside the restaurant there was a separate McCafé counter where you could place your coffee/pastry order.
We then perused the mall on the north side of Carolina in search of dessert. We also stopped by a bookstore to get some activities for the kids and a new book for me!
Later that afternoon we walked over to the Cinemark to catch the Spiderman movie. We were able to watch it in English with Spanish subtitles. We all really enjoyed it!
In the Neighborhood
Now that Richard is back from his climbs, he is also back to work. While he works at the apartment the kids and I have been frequenting our favorite nearby playgrounds, building Legos, prepping dinner, and just generally enjoying the area. While at one of our favorite play areas we met another family from the Chicago area. The mom is also a teacher and was out with her three young children while her husband was also working remotely from their Airbnb. They are also staying in Ecuador for about a month, so it was great to compare travel stories and recommendations with another mom; it was so fun for the kids to meet some new friends!
The Most Delicious Tour
One of the best parts of Richard's job is that he can utilize flex time so he can join us for lunch in the afternoons. He was able to rearrange his schedule today (Wednesday) to go on a food tour of Quito with us! I booked the Street Food Essentials tour through Bondabu after seeing them featured in a YouTube video about essential tours here in Ecuador. Let me just say that this experience did not disappoint! We started at Teatro Sucre and went to several different eateries, walked through neighborhoods that were outside of the normal historic center tours, and learned a lot about the street art scene as well. We started off by trying several different types of fruit juices. While we watched the juice being prepared we got to suck on pieces of sugar cane, which none of us had ever tried before! I have seen it being sold in bags here, especially in the countryside, so it was great to have a chance to try it. We sampled coconut, sugar cane with lemon, borojo fruit, and jackfruit juice. Let's just say the boys were bouncing around after a cup of that sugar cane juice-- and it really kept them going because this tour entailed a lot of walking!
We then walked down Guaragua Street to a traditional market, Plaza Arenas, in the historic center. Here they were selling everything from appliances to tools (we were all fascinated to watch the tools being made right there in the market by a blacksmith!) to clothes to textbooks.
There was also a section of eateries where we sat down to enjoy a traditional fritada. As you can see below this dish includes: fried pork, choclo (the white corn on the cob), maduros (sweet plantains), tostados (the crunchy corn kernels), boiled potatoes, and a tomato and onion salad. You can also add some aji salsa if you like your food a little spicy!
While walking to our next destination we went by one of the largest and most historic public schools in Quito. Our guide informed us that this school is esteemed in this neighborhood and the streets and restaurants here are all painted in yellow and blue (the school colors) to show their support! It was in this neighborhood where we got to try a typical cevichocho. This is a ceviche, but very different from a ceviche that you would get on the coast of Ecuador. The mountains have their own style of cooking and top this dish with canguil (popcorn)! The ceviche is tomato based and served with chochos (a type of legume, it looks like a white bean), tostados (fried corn kernels), chifles (plantain chips), and maduros (sweet plantains). This was one of my favorite savory dished that we tried, it was very refreshing after our walk in the sunshine!
As we continued to explore different neighborhoods we stopped for empanadas. Unlike empanadas made from flour dough, these are plantain-based empanadas traditionally served with cheese filling. We got to watch them being made and fried and real-time. They went straight from the fryer into these individual paper bags so that we could enjoy them right away! We sampled the cheese and chicken, Richard and Rick thought the chicken was best, while David and I were all about the cheese!
As we walked to our next destination our guide to us to an artist co-op. There are several local artists working in this building to make it a space where artists can come and create. Here are a few snapshots of some of the art that caught our attention!
We then walked to another market to visit a fruit stand. This was Richard's favorite stop and I have to say we all enjoyed this! I had never before tried any of these fruits and learned so much about the biodiversity here in Ecuador while we tried these fresh fruits. First up were the uvillas, which literally translates to little grapes. However, these little golden fruits had a more tart, sour flavor than that of a grape.
Granadillas were another favorite amongst all four of us! You pop them open (like a grenade) and eat the seeds out of the middle. While they look a little slimy, they are so sweet and delicious. Once Rick and David got the hang of how to eat them, they really enjoyed them!
David is holding up my favorite fruit of the day in this picture, the cherimoya. When you open up these green fruit the inside looks like white fish. You eat each white part, which has a seed inside that you need to spit out. But the fruit is so sweet and delicious, I could not eat enough of it!
Another new fruit for all of us was the lychee. This fruit is so funny looking and the texture is different than anything else I have ever tried!
The last up was the cacao seed! While the boys and I had previously tried this in Mindo, Richard had not. This was by far the favorite for Rick and David! You suck on the white fruit on the inside, like a lollipop, and then spit it out when you get to the seed. You can buy these in any market in Ecuador, the quantity and variety of fresh fruit available is incredible!
We then walked several blocks to end the tour at a local café in a quiet neighborhood. Here we sampled chocolate (note: no pictures because Rick and David are quick!) accompanied by cold brew coffee (for me), hot chocolate (for Richard), and a vanilla milkshake (you can bet Mom and Dad did not get a sip!).
