beautiful Quito

What does this picture have to do with beautiful Quito?

Absolutely nothing.

But I just wanted to share Cade's exciting news.

We'll get to Quito in a minute.

Cade lost a tooth today.

It was pretty wiggly, but could have stayed in there a while.

He wanted it out.

Very different that our previous tooth-looser, Mia.

She would wait until that thing was hanging by only a .001 mm strand of flesh before she would let Eric take it out.

Even then it was dramatic.

Not Cade.

He let Eric flick it pretty hard so it got real loose and then he yanked it out himself.

He can be pretty tough when he wants to be.

I think he's just excited about the money the tooth fairy leaves.....

On to Quito.

Thursday our team had our Christmas party.

Apparently every year they do something a little different and it is always a surprise.

Fun, no?

Well they rented a bus

- a nice bus -

(important to clarify)

and our team leaders served us punch and empanadas (with yummy aji - a type of sauce that is very popular down here - delish.) on the bus.

We drove to our destination and played a sort of game.

Our destination was a very nice restaurant in some area of Quito that I had not been to before

(which could be most places....).

It was beautiful.

I would love to tell you what the area was called but I simply don't remember.

I think it starts with a "B".

I'm sure that helps.....

Anywho, it reminded me very much of Italy.

It probably would remind many of you of various places in Europe (like, Spain, perhaps?) but since I have only been in Italy, that is what it reminded me of.

(Excuse the radio-active flowers.....was taking very quick shots with my little point and shoot - which was not set appropriately. And I didn't edit any of the pictures. Too lazy.)

It was really quite lovely...

narrow cobble-stone streets

beautiful architecture

flowers hanging everywhere

It was somewhere that pretty well everyone would want to visit - you couldn't help but love it.

I wish my pictures would do it justice.

Will definitely need to return there to take some good pictures.

We ate dinner (I had salmon, Eric had ribs.... very tasty salmon, indeed), walked around a little, and enjoyed a misty rain.

After, we headed back to the bus.

Our team leaders had dessert for us on the bus.

We drove back, singing Christmas carols.

It was so nice to get out, see some of the city, have a beautiful evening and a great meal.

Now we need some visitors so that we can show them this great place.

Any takers??