Ellie: Today we got to go to the biggest market in South America, which is only 2 blocks from our hotel in the plaza. Like true American women, we proceeded to shop for the first 5 hours straight of the day and had to take a trip back to our hotel to drop off our treasures to go back out to shop again! 
The prices were amazing - at least to us - and we each bought a dozen bracelets (for $1.50 each) among other jewelry, alpaca blankets ($10-18 each), bags and other fun Ecuadorian souvenirs.
Lindsey: This was a proud day for me, as I was the "Spanish" speaker for the group, bartering with the best of them! Honestly, my Spanish is pretty bad, but I actually got told my a local that I had good Spanish, after she asked where I learned! Sure, it was after we spent like $50 with her, but I still felt it appropriate to gloat :)
We also saw some things you wouldn't necessarily see at your corner drug store here, such as a full grown pig roasting in a pan, head and all!
We saw fried fish, but not just the fish you eat - the whole thing - tail, fins, gills, mouth and all. Delicious. After the market we went out to lunch and ate a delicious and filling meal at a Pizzeria. Lunch and drinks for 6 people was $12! I can barely eat lunch for just me for $12 in the states!
After lunch the real fun began. A group of us got together for some horse back riding. We arrived at the stable and all mounted our horses - some of us had pretty much no experience but soon we were trotting and galloping around the countryside of Ecuador.
It was so much fun! I have never gone that fast, or that long, on a horse and I loved it. We rode for nearly 4 hours and I laughed so hard at bouncing around that I nearly fell off laughing! Although, I have to say Lindsey and I were both a little saddle sore shortly after. But it was worth it! We went down some relatively steep and treacherous hills, through a tunnel where our feet hit the walls and through some streams and we loved every minute. 
My horse was kind of a brat and bit Lindsey's horse as well as made some other enemies but it was all in good fun and only brought on more laughter. Lindsey and I were the lucky ones though because two of our party did get kicked by their horses and one girl lost her camera - we consider ourselves lucky for coming out unscathed!
When we got back Lindsey and I went to bed early in an effort to combat the slight sickness we were both feeling. After nearly a week in another country where you can't even drink the water, it's bound to happen.
The prices were amazing - at least to us - and we each bought a dozen bracelets (for $1.50 each) among other jewelry, alpaca blankets ($10-18 each), bags and other fun Ecuadorian souvenirs.Lindsey: This was a proud day for me, as I was the "Spanish" speaker for the group, bartering with the best of them! Honestly, my Spanish is pretty bad, but I actually got told my a local that I had good Spanish, after she asked where I learned! Sure, it was after we spent like $50 with her, but I still felt it appropriate to gloat :)
We also saw some things you wouldn't necessarily see at your corner drug store here, such as a full grown pig roasting in a pan, head and all!
We saw fried fish, but not just the fish you eat - the whole thing - tail, fins, gills, mouth and all. Delicious. After the market we went out to lunch and ate a delicious and filling meal at a Pizzeria. Lunch and drinks for 6 people was $12! I can barely eat lunch for just me for $12 in the states!After lunch the real fun began. A group of us got together for some horse back riding. We arrived at the stable and all mounted our horses - some of us had pretty much no experience but soon we were trotting and galloping around the countryside of Ecuador.
It was so much fun! I have never gone that fast, or that long, on a horse and I loved it. We rode for nearly 4 hours and I laughed so hard at bouncing around that I nearly fell off laughing! Although, I have to say Lindsey and I were both a little saddle sore shortly after. But it was worth it! We went down some relatively steep and treacherous hills, through a tunnel where our feet hit the walls and through some streams and we loved every minute. My horse was kind of a brat and bit Lindsey's horse as well as made some other enemies but it was all in good fun and only brought on more laughter. Lindsey and I were the lucky ones though because two of our party did get kicked by their horses and one girl lost her camera - we consider ourselves lucky for coming out unscathed!When we got back Lindsey and I went to bed early in an effort to combat the slight sickness we were both feeling. After nearly a week in another country where you can't even drink the water, it's bound to happen. 
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