recent events

ok i've been fairly slack at writing anything down so here's an update. i've started work and spanish classes, both of which i really enjoy. Learning something new is hard work and i find quite tiring and yes suprise, suprise there have been a few tears when i can't say something correctly. i've met loads of new people through the school, most of whom are lovely although there is a group of gap year kids there as well that are fairly annoying.
the first day of my classes were followed by a football match- Qutio Nacional Vs an argentine side River Plate; it was sort of a south american champions league type thing. i really enjoyed it and even managed to get interviewed on ecuadorian TV! (no idea what was actually said to me all i said was si or non). It was easter last week and they celebrate by having a huge procession through the old town on good friday- i managed to miss this partly due to being hung over and partly cos i'm a bit of a spaz. i have however been to the old town, with a guy i met in a bookshop called bendy les(!) he's into yoga and is a bit of an ageing hippy, seems nice enough though.The old town is very pretty with lots of old colonial bulidings, shady plazas and people just hanging about.
last saturday i went to a village east of Quito called Papallacta with a guy called mike that i met at spanish classes. Papallacta is known for its naturally hot springs, abit like baños but without the brown water. This was the most beautiful place i've even seen, set in a valley in the foohills of the andes were several swimming pools and a couple of bulidings to get changed in. once in the bath warm waters i could just relax and look at the scenery which was empty of people with lush green mountains in the foreground with cows and llamas grazing on them. then over the tops in the distance, there was a huge snowcapped mountain that was sparkling in the sunshine. occasionally the view would be obscured as the steam rising from the clear pool water was too thick to see through, it was the most relaxed i have been for ages. after a dip in the pool we walked back to the road to get the bus back to Quito, on the way we stopped at a little restaurant which was little more than a shack on the roadside and had the most lovely meal of fresh trout, potatoes, avacado salad and rice. then back to Quito for some disco dancing with the other students.