Day 20: Quito

Sometimes, the world is tiny.

I live in a lovely group home in Bend, Oregon, which we joke is like a commune because of the shared garden, backyard chickens, music jams, bonfires, potlucks, and general community feel.  Jake used to live in that home... and we met through our mutual friend who owns the commune.  In fact, he used to occupy my room and when he moved to Ecuador, I moved into his room.  Jake has been doing amazing work with Naku, an indigenous organization created by the Sapara people of the Ecuadoran Amazon that protects, preserves, and shares the ancient wisdom of the Sapara.  Although he lives in Quito, he has the privilege to travel into the jungle to help facilitate tourist trips into this community, so we weren't sure if we would be able to spend time with him until the last minute.  Luckily, the stars aligned and he was able to spend the day being our personal tour guide of Quito, from exploring Pinchicha to gourmet Amazonian cuisine to recommendations for a local nightcap, we did it all!

We are on a cable car!

Headstands at the top of Pinchicha.

Trying to look kind of normal.

Volcanic acroyoga.

Lupine and landscapes.

No words will do justice to the food we ate at Patria.  For about $30, we got a gajillion course meal sourced from purely Amazonian ingredients, with 3 different alcoholic beverage pairings, and impeccable service.  This is white linen tablecloth dining and only by the grace of being privileged tourists were we able to enter in our bike touring clothes.

Appetizer.  House made sausage and potato cake with avocado foam and lemon balm.  Not pictured here, the amuse bouche. a small shot of traditional soup.

Entree.  Paiche, a prehistoric fish that is apparently huge and catfish-like, served with yuca and roasted fern, garnished with lemon balm.

Entree.  Stewed goat with llapingachos.

Post-dessert bite.  Chocolate covered lemon balm with creamy mousse bit.  Not pictured here, the actual dessert which was an Ecuadoran death by chocolate.

Jake had to head home after lunch, but recommended a craft brewery called Bandido Brewing that was located just a few blocks from our hostel.  It is in an old renovated church and stocks board games and cards, and generally has a jovial ex-pat feel.  The beer was spot on and we ended the day there.

Honey ginger saison, fuck yea.