My very own Ocarina of Time - Nech and Jesse do Quito

With a week to spare before our jungle expedition was set to depart, Jesse and I had time to explore Quito and its surroundings. Our visit to parts of Quito´s old town was blocked, however, by hundreds of police surrounding the Grand Plaza. Though we were able to catch a glimpse of "El Presidente," we never spotted the real reason for the police - a fellow American by the name of Hillary (such a copycat following us to Ecuador).

But that wasn´t the only run-in we had with the diplomatic corps. After a Friday night bat mitzvah of the daughter of the local DEA agent (with the the US and Israeli ambassadors in attendance), we had dinner with two local families including the former Finance Minister. Thanks Danny for that hookup.
I got pretty excited during dinner when they mentioned we might see gorillas in Lago Agria, our jumping off point to the rainforest. A little confused, they then clarified, "No no no, not the kind of gorillas with fur - the kind of guerrillas with machine guns." Oh.

Following a visit to Mitad del Mundo - the zero latitude center of the world - Jesse and I followed a wizened tour guide on a hike up to the rim of Pululahua Crater, an active volcano with a small farming community living inside. After describing the ancient ceremonies he partakes in (at the equinoxes and solstices of course) complete with pschychedlic berries and spirits of the dead, he pulled out his ocarina to whistle his thanks to the gods.



Barely able to contain my excitement over this unexpected real-life enactment of the classic Zelda game, I told Jesse, "I have to get one of those." Unfortunately for Jesse, I actually got two several days later in Ecuador´s famous Otavalo market. I have faith that someday I will figure out how to play them properly. Until then, they´re my revenge for his snoring.

Check back soon for How fast can piranhas eat a chicken - Nech and Jesse do the rainforest

Taking on the Che - Nech does South America

Done with college, I have now set off on an adventure that will hopefully take me all over the world to majestic peaks and pristine beaches, vibrant cities and tranquil villages. My only plans before leaving consisted of a one-way ticket to Ecuador´s capital city of Quito, one of the highest cities in the world. With a stunning coastline in the west, the mountain villages and volcanoes of the Andes cutting through the center, and the Amazon rainforest pulsating life in the east, Ecuador promises to start my expedition off on the right foot. Joining me for my first two months is fellow Fun House alumnus Jesse Wenger.

With limited computer time at all stops, I won´t be overwhelming you with dozens of posts every month. I will, however, try to share a couple of fun stories and particularly exciting adventures each week. The first post is above. Also feel free to check out my old posts from Asia or to subscribe with the link on the left side of the page to be notified of future posts.

I´d love for you to comment on the posts or e-mail me, or just to travel with me in spirit.

As they say here, "Hasta la victoria siempre."

Miss you all,
Nech