Using up the small number of ingredients with which we had stocked our kitchen, we breakfasted heartily - not to mention unhealthily - on fried potatoes, fried eggs and fried banana, as is the South Americans' wont.
After breakfast I left the traditional area of San Juan for the wide palm-lined boulevards around the super modern shopping mall Quicentro in the north of Quito. I was due to see a man about a camera lens. My own telephoto lens having finally given up after nearly a year's constant use, and with an impending trip to the Galapagos, I was keen to secure a replacement. Import taxes in Ecuador are high, so a new lens was out of the question. Fortunately I acquired a nearly new version for a fraction of the cost.
My trip to the northern end of town was made possible by the efficient and cheap bus service. The service does have its peculiarities, as the bendy buses come screeching to a halt at each stop, sending all passengers (36 seated and up to 144 standing) flying down the coach unless packed so tightly as to be unable to move independently. Even though the buses have their own dedicated lanes, the schedule must be tight, as they speed off from the stops, closing the doors as people are still alighting. Today I witnessed one such man, having been stuck in the doors, give the driver an earful.
For reasons unclear to me, many vegetarian restaurants tend only to be open at lunch time and El Eden - close to where we are staying - is no exception. Despite being conveniently situated, today was the first opportunity we have had to visit and we found friendly service and a delicious menu of cream of carrot soup served with popcorn 'croutons', and vegetarian
guatita.
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Popcorn croutons |
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Guatita |
Also on our doorstep but hitherto ignored by us is the Centre for Contemporary Arts. A relatively small number of rotating exhibitions are housed in an enormous building - formerly the military hospital - while the remainder is given over to offices and a café. With much of the building unoccupied, it left the negative space of the architecture itself to shine.
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Old military hospital |
From one fascinating building, we segued neatly to another: the gargantuan 60's style of the Teatro Nacional, which is reminiscent of London's Royal Festival Hall before the 2005 renovations. It was here that the Salsa Congress was to take place over the next few days, with 500 dancers from South America arriving in Quito.
The theatre is built for 5000 and swallowed up the substantial audience for the event. As music, it is quite unusual to hear salsa in Ecuador. In fact, on our trip through Chile, Bolivia and Peru, it is usually reggaeton or bachata that floats out of house and car windows, while salsa is more popular in Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.
The congress ranged from amateur to professional, starting at 4:30 and not finishing until after 11pm, with a short break at 7pm. Even the amateur dancers exploded onto the stage with vigour and poise that captured the audience.
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And hold it... |
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Enthusiasm |
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Fancy finish |
At the intermission, as the entire theatre - including the performers - filed across the road to fill the small MacDonald's restaurant, we took a slightly extended break and dropped into La Fábrica, offering "pizza and beer". Ironically the pizza oven was broken so the first thing was out, but a couple of beers from northern Quito's Sinners brewery made up for the slightly lacklustre pasta in its place. K enjoyed the coco and ginger IPA, which to me was reminiscent of shampoo, but the Red Evil ale did not disappoint with its malty body.
Back at the theatre, the competition continued apace, switching gears as pairs demonstrated their prowess at other styles of dance, including tango.
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Tango at a salsa congress? |
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Pro-am pairing |
The entrants were in the majority from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, with the Colombians being by far the flashiest among them. As the dancing hotted up, so the tempo increased and the costumes became more spangly and glittery.
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Giving it some |
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Blonde 'fro |
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Synchronised hair |
One event demonstrated that same-sex pairings could be equally entertaining and were no impediment to flamboyant displays.
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Male splits |
As the evening came to a crescendo, so the routines gained in complexity, numbers of people, and the amount of flips, turns, spins and lifts.
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Up she goes |
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Spin the lady |
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