We’ve spent most of this week doing what feels like the most painful process of this whole move. Getting our documentation sorted out! It only took two trips into Quito, (pre-sunrise, 6am, 3 hour bus ride from Cotacachi) multiple cab rides to multiple offices and waiting in long lines, one instance where there were 131 people ahead of us! That wait alone was over three hours.
Ecuador just seems like a place where they love paperwork! Bureaucracy must be served. In order to get one document, you need 10 others, and in those 10 others, one requires 5 more. Our eyeballs wanted to run away after rolling our eyes so much! There was one step for Malena to get her cedula which involved “digitizing” her birth certificate. Two days later they texted her saying that something was missing. Hence the second trip into Quito to submit more documents that they hadn’t asked for the first time.
There was also confusion about Malena’s name change, lack of middle name and how in Canada surname goes last (First Name, Mother’s Maiden Name, Last Name). In Ecuador her name is reversed (First Name, Last Name, Mother’s Maiden Name) which caused so much confusion!! In the end we were lucky to get two easy going women (maybe they felt sorry for Malena who looked super stressed or Roger’s presence helped) and Malena finally got her updated cedula. (Side note: Her original cedula is with the previously mentioned lost passport, but needed to update it anyway due to that whole wedding incident.)
Since we were in Quito and now in possession of a cedula that also now lists Roger as the Estado Civil (which roughly translates to “Main Squeeze”), we decided to start his visa application process, which they gave us an estimate of two months. We had wearily given them our original copy of our marriage certificate which they promised we could get back eventually (after filling out more paperwork). Let’s hope they do.
Also in Quito there seems to be a newfound love of donuts. Malls have new donut stalls and street food vendors selling them out of plastic bins using tongs are everywhere. Tried a couple from a stall. Was light and tasty, not as heavy as the ones we’re used to. Will try the street bin ones on another trip.
Also, Quito city express buses are massive, three section long monsters. Getting a seat on one is a pretty crazy rush.
After the madness of government offices we had decided to stay overnight in Quito and crashed at the Blue House Hostel in the Foch. This is where we found what is easily one of the most badass bottle openers ever.
Chaos on Wheels:
We forgot how loud and chaotic bus terminals could be. Vendors at every ticket booth yelling their destinations trying to convince you their bus brand is best. One guy yelled Otavalo (the town closest to Cotacachi since there is no direct route to where we live) and the sign said it was an express so we decided to buy tickets from them thinking it would go directly to the Otavalo terminal. We were wrong and told they would drop us off “one block” away.
So when you ask “does this go to Otavalo?” They will say yes yes yes to get you to buy a ticket. What they don’t say is that they go through or past, not to. So triple checking that they go to the terminal is always a must if that’s where you want to go.
In reality we were dropped off at the highway (more like 3 or 4 blocks away) but luckily a moment later we spotted our connecting bus on it’s way into the highway and were able to literally hop on after yelling at the kid hanging off it also yelling “Cotacachi!” at us. Perfect timing.
In general there is lots of yelling. From ticket sellers, bus kids, and food vendors that hop in and out of buses selling amazing foods. We had bus empanadas, one carne, one plantain, and when paying the kid selling them said “Oh you’re really going to like it”. They were still warm! And true to his word, they were absolutely delicious.
So minus the roller coaster, bumpy, wavy, seasickness-inducing ride into Otavalo, it was a win-win. Got home faster and had a tasty breakfast during the ride. Express indeed.
Mixing it up:
Until our container with all of our belongings arrive, it’s going to continue feeling like we are camping. However, our limitations (no fridge, no oven, etc) have allowed us to appreciate even the most simple foods and drinks.
- Pilsener mixed with 2 freshly squeezed oranges makes for a very tasty refreshing drink on a hot day.
- Thinly slicing a ton of carrots then topping it off with curtido (tomato, lime, onion, and cilantro) to make a fresh citrusy salad.
- Boiled eggs works as a meal or snack at any time during the day.
- 50 cent Cevichocho that Roger loves getting at the market.
- Clos wine is actually not bad, and goes down way too easy.
- Cristal Seco mixed with apple juice and lime works well.
- Encebollado is an excellent hangover, headache soup when lacking access to Pho.
- Mint tea, cocoa powder, and coffee make a great cheap mint mocha.
No Thumbs Were Harmed in the Making of This Project:
Again we have limited storage or (non-existent) shelving so Roger decided to make a kitchen shelf. Doing anything down here feels like a mini adventure, so when we went to go buy wood, we couldn’t help but laugh at ourselves for standing too close to the saw and then getting splattered with saw dust. We learned to move away (without accidentally stepping on chickens or dogs walking around) and simply yell at the kid cutting the wood whenever he would ask questions.
And then we had to carry it all home. But all worth it for a kitchen shelf.
Until the container arrives with his tools Roger is limited to a tape measure, nails, and a borrowed hammer and jigsaw. Could be worse, could be a wobbly cat tree/scratching post. Which they are using!!
Water water every … nope:
So it’s not uncommon for the water to simply not work every now and then. So it really sucks when you are in the middle of soaping dishes. Learning to keep backup water buckets. Have to come up with a large-scale solution, this is going to be a problem if it ever happens on a future brew day.
MEEOW!! Unexpected ginger cat comes to visit:
Our cranky felines seem to enjoy being pissy with each other but it never devolves into outright hostility and violence. One night before heading off to sleep we heard a cat fight and instantly knew something was wrong. You get to know the sound of your furry butts and there was one in the crowd that was decidedly not ours. Roger ran out and found a fourth cat with ginger fur in a standoff with all three of ours.
The ginger bolted to the back where he hid for two days in our backyard! Poor guy, it was during our trips to Quito so we didn’t have a chance to try and get it out, but did put some water and food down for it. Eventually it escaped somehow and after one of our late arrivals from Quito we found our three cats unusually cuddly with each other. Perhaps having an invader made them closer and appreciate each other more.
We have a good idea of how it got in, but haven’t the foggiest how it Houdini’d out.
Heft, cheap plastic, and more empanadas:
So having some evening munchies we swung into a tiny empanada place called Nubia’s on 10 de Augusto and had a seat in the corner on these tiny plastic stools. Great warm vibe, Nubia is from Colombia and sings while she cooks, another guy hanging out there joined in the singing, it’s a pretty amazing little place. She makes the pastry a bit crispier and thinner than Ecuadorian ones. We grabbed a sampling of pollo, carne, and queso empanadas and when they were ready Roger goes to stand up, the slightest shift in his weight caused the stool bottom to snap. It was so loud. Everyone started laughing. Felt so bad we paid a bit extra for the empanadas and apologized like Canadians on a mission, but Nubia and the others were too busy laughing to care. The empanadas were all delicious.
On the way back home we swung by another place near one of the squares. Street food here is interesting, a lot of tiny places cook and sell their food straight from their front door. We got a more traditional Ecuadorian style empanada with a softer pastry. Not much in the way of filling but it was still yummy and chewy. Hit the spot and silenced the last remnants of our evening munchies.
So this has been the week of the empanada. And other things happened too.