10 Days in 10 Scenes

The infamous Jenny Lewis just departed Ecuador after a 10-day visit. It was my sister's first-ever passport stamp, first-ever experience not speaking the local language, and first ever chance to meet EcuaKim-- the similar but peculiarly South American version of the sister she knew last summer. We successfully meshed my normal life in Ambato with a huge amount of travel. Since Ecuador is the most biodiverse country in the world and totally bite-size (about the area of Colorado-- you can pass through 17 ecosystems in a 1-hour bus ride)-- it's easy to see a lot in a small amount of time. Here are 10 scenes that sum up Jenny's visit, from the freezing cold highlands to the Amazon rainforest:

1: Cathedral in Baños

 

 2: Quilotoa Crater Lake

 

 3: Huddling for warmth by the wood stove at hostal in Quilotoa

 

 4: My favorite bar in Ambato, because they play primarily American classic rock

 5: Team Sportivo Ambato (my friends) winning the local basketball championship

 

 6: Derek Zoolander Llama at the Parque de la Familia in Ambato

 

 7: All-day whitewater rafting trip on the Jatunyacu River in the Ecuadorian Amazon (city of Tena)

 

 8: Bus ride from the Amazon back to the highlands

 

 9: Dinner at a restaurant in Quito, overlooking the colonial center at sunset

  10: Most delicious ice cream in the world at Crepes and Waffles, at El Jardin mall in Quito