Well... I have now been in Quito for a week now and am starting to get a good picture of the lifestyle, the people and the culture here. I am still living in the same hotel on Rocafuerte in the Centro Historico because I like the area and honestly I really can´t be bothered moving!
There are two major parts of Quito, The north which is the new part of Quito which is the business district, the major tourist area and the rich area of the city. I really dislike this part of the city because it is polluted, dirty and really ugly. The old part of the city is so gorgeous! It is made up of winding streets lined by Spanish buildings which are over 500 years old. There is a church on every corner, always full of people... Quito is a such a rich city covered by a cloak of poverty.
It breaks my heart every day to see 12 year old girls pregnant, 15 year old girls begging on the streets with 3 young children beside them. Prostitution is everywhere here, again girls who look to be as young as 13 years old, on the streets, selling their bodies to feed their large families.
It is impossible for me to fit in here. Everyone seems to notice that I am not from here. I get way too much attention and I really hate it because it stops me from being able to see things as they really are because people treat me differently. The men here are so sleazy and don´t hide it that´s for sure.
Spanish is going very well. I am starting to understand quite a lot which is good and I am taking my classes which seems to be helping too.
I have decided to move on from Quito on Thursday. I will take the bus to Otavalo which is a little indigenous town about 1 hour from Quito...
Ciao for now!
