Returning to open arms
Trip Start
Apr 01, 2008
1
41
47
Trip End
Jan 2009
Ibarra, Ecuador
Sunday, October 19, 2008
We crossed the border back into Ecuador and immediately there were smiles and holas and conversations started by interested taxi drivers. We walked the streets of Ibarra to find breakfast and are accosted in the most friendly manner by an Ecuadorian couple in their 30`s who, upon finding out we are Australians, tell us they are trying to move to our country and we stand on the footpath in the midst of this pretty, comfortable city and the man tells his wife that Australians aren`t scary like she thought, they are like us. I should probably have warned her that we are not the best representations of Australians...3 blondes...that`s not really even it but the people here talk to us and we can talk to them and there is some kind of two-way mutual interest and respect. And it`s not even that. It`s the woman who works in the cafe where we were having breakfast and a little girl walks in, one of many dirty faced children that wander the streets trying to sell chewing gum and lollies, and this woman just draws her away from us, talks to her and gives her a lolly. But she is one example. Maybe we were spoiled in Perucho at the farm when we got to meet all those wonderful people - it`s definitely the people and then it is the mountains, green and painted with farms. I will rewrite this at some stage and try get it right but this is the rough idea for now.
But Ibarra is lovely and we didn`t even do anything there. Just ate ice cream beans and little sweet bananas in the plaza, drank too many cocktails while listening to live music and watching the locals celebrating some kind of festivity, drunk and dancing.
Oh...and the blackberry syrup...with fresh cheese on bread....mmmmm.
