Yesterday Ryan and I had a fantastic time in Old Town. It had been ages since we were last down there. I think since Fiestas de Quito when we went to La Ronda with a big group of people. But yesterday it was just us and it was so much fun. We didn't really have a plan. We've been wanting to see the water museum for quite some time but there wasn't an address in any of our guide books. We looked it up online, but like all online information in Ecuador, you never really know! So with an address, some cash and our rain coats, we were off.
The address that we had was, of course, wrong. It was the address for the city museum. Which we'd already been to. So we looked around a bit, bought some nuts, and popped into the city museum to ask directions. They gave us the correct address but said it's best to take a cab because it's quite far and all up hill. So while we were walking around looking for a cab, we happened into Plaza Grande. There was a que outside the Presidential Palace and I asked what was going on. It was tour time!!! I've been wanting to take a tour for ages and so we showed our censos and got our wrist bands for the 3pm tour. We had about 40 minutes to kill... So we popped into the cultural center and had a proper look around. We'd only ever been in the first exhibit room on the ground floor. But yesterday we checked out all of the three floors, the terraces, the art exhibits, the library. Good stuff! Then we had about 15 more minutes, so we hopped next door to the chapel next to the big cathedral. It's usually always been closed. It was good to see that.
Then the tour of the palace. It was in spanish so I didn't catch everything. But we saw a big mural by Guayasamin, the cabinet room, the banquet hall and the yellow room, which is similar to the mural room maybe. Where the President makes addresses to the press occasionally, gives out honors and accolades, etc. We also got to see a lot of the gifts that he's been given over the years that are on display. Interesting fact - the President doesn't actually live in the Palace, never has. It's kind of like Bush jetting off to Texas all of the time, but not really.
Then after the tour we hopped in a cab and visited the water museum. It was really cool. You forget, living in the USA, that water isn't always readily available and clean for you. It was also really interesting to me that water education was such an important topic to the Ecuadorian government. The museum was funded by the government and geared towards kids. Very interactive, kind of like the Discovery Center or the Children's Museum but all about protecting and conserving the water of Ecuador.
Then we walked back into town and got some lunch/dinner. And hopped on the Ecovia back home. We got home around 6:30, which according to Chuki, 6 hours was far too long to be gone. Which he loudly told us by taking just about every book off of our desk, and eating about 1/2 of them. Great!
Ryan and I laid down and read for a bit. Then we moved to the couch and watched The King's Speech. Great movie! Great day!
Hope everyone is enjoying their weekends! I'm jealous of my mom and brother right now. They're in Florida at Cindy and Chuck's new house! Lucky ducks!
MULUB,
Taylor
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