Quito: Escape from Gringolandia

hola!
its 8.30 and im planning my espcape from gringolandia

yesterday was the first time i heard myself speaking english in 3 days..
i can notice my own irish idioms coming out like "for the craic" or "im grand" hehe that doesnt show when speak spanish.
met some irish girl on the street promoting a bar cheesily called "finn mc cooles" that shows all the football blabla.... you think i came the whole way to ecuador for that?? loll

in the hostel i met some nice people .one chinese girl called "ping" or something who is doing the same route as me, only she is three weeks ahead of me.
and some americans who were surprised that my irish accent was not rough and unintelligable.
they thaught i was american!

i was in a restaurant last night (took myself out for a meal) ..this was a restaurant with english menus and wine, taylored for the tourist, i had eaten there earlier and sworn never to return but returned out of convenience. all the clientel were american, french etc.. there was an old ecuadorian guy playing a harp he was very well dressed in a suit, and his harp was well polished and in impecable condition. he was a talented harp player. i though it was funny atmosphere though, there was a kind of ridiculous attempt to create a peaceful posh atmosphere in this restaurant with all the well-to-do tourists around filling their bellys while harp player picked up the tempo occasionaly to compete with the passing police or ambulance sirens and honking taxis outside. a little ecuadorian girl who must have been about 8 years old peeped in at one stage to see if the coast was clear , then she discreetly came in to try to sell whatever she was selling to some of the guests at the tables before the waiter told her to scoot. she was cute.. i felt sorry for her. then just minutes later a tiny girl that must have been 4 years old !!passed buy the window with some flowers in her hand that she was selling..
the old 70 something harp player finished up and got out a littel basket and approached each table very politely. i gave him the couple of dollars i had to spare. out of the the table of 10 french beside me, only one guy gave him a coin so small i couldnt even see it falling into the basket.. ! i thaught that was a bit cold , he obviously makes a real effort, and hes not a begger.